Topics

Dear Candidate (Alejandro, as of this writing),

Gossip spreads like wild fire. I hear the Purple Legates turned away the prospect of making allies, while we're in the middle of a war campaign.

I could understand Qadira not sitting well with the Purple League, who value loyalty to the Sultan above all else, but I have to be blunt when I say that this war is a two man job, at the bare minimum. Doing it alone is going to take everything out of us and make us an easy target for the next person who wants to kick this place over.

Maybe we shouldn't turn away help if we don't have any other neighbors who are willing to join in on this with us.

I don't think the Sultan is going to save us if things go pear shaped, either. It would be less costly for him to negotiate with whoever sacked the Well so that he keeps getting his water, and easier for the people who take the city, to give him his due.

I think it would look good for us, and even be healthy for our League's future - if not the city itself - to make efforts to raise diplomats, and make friends elsewhere. I would go as far to say I insist on it, if you want me to sign your petition for the next election cycle, and I'm sure others around the League feel the same way.

If you want to show that you feel the same way, sign your notice here.

- Isadora Sylvestre.

[This book is delivered with a letter.]

[ https://www.efupw.com/forums/index.php?topic=710195.new#new ]

Take a gander, read to your heart's content. Give me what you got, and we can figure out where to go from there.

- Isadora.

How do you do?

My name's Isadora. I study anomalies - Glooms, most folk call them. I thought I'd take a moment to reach out to you, regarding some old time business.

A bunch of goblins squatted in a Gloom anomaly, turned them oily black, brought about a deep darkness that seeped from them, with a monster like the darkness that came out of them, to attack. It bursted out of nowhere, and blinded whoever came close to it. A frightening thing that scooped up some fellow named Ahmant, and 'showed him the other side'. Baked his brain pretty good, from what I hear.

As it turns out, you are the last living witness that isn't either pushing up daisies or left Ephia's Well for greener pastures, and it would work great for me if we could sit down and talk about it.

Send for me, and we can hash it out at the bar. First round's on me.

- Isadora Sylvestre.

[This book is delivered alongside a letter.]

( https://www.efupw.com/forums/index.php?topic=710195.new#new )

How do you do?

Now, normally I don't appreciate the cold shoulder I've been given non-stop, but, I share Mister Dustwink's enthusiasm for this topic, the possibilities they hold, and even share his dream for the future. One good deed deserves another.

I'd like to submit my findings, to expand upon Feodore Dustwink's observations of Gloomology.

Maybe we'll be able to work together, in spite of my lack of a spellbook. At least as a partnership, if not as a Nadiri.

- Isadora Sylvestre.

[Observations and Discoveries of Anomalic Activity, AKA Glooms, Entry 1 by Isadora Sylvestre]

[For sale by a book peddler in Ephia's Well, for 10 dinars each.]

Observations and Discoveries of Anomalic Activity, AKA Glooms, Entry 1 by Isadora Sylvestre


Opening: What is a Gloom?

A Gloom is a shorthand name for Anomalous Activity that defies the rules of reality. It is a phenomena that is difficult to detect by the naked eye, and requires anomalous artifacts, or a high volume of Gloom radiation settling within a living or magically animated host, to know exactly when you have entered, or left, a gloom.

- Method one, exposing an anomalous artifact to naked air, employs a violent, opposite reaction to the present gloom, simply by exposure.

- Method two, Gloom radiation within a living host, sets in an 'corporeal disassociation', which has ever-so-slightly nudged the host out of its place in the material world. When exposed to a gloom, a subtle, nebulous sensation settles into the living creature. This can feel like a finger held just shy of your forehead, or a shiver up your spine.

Glooms manifest in strange ways, though the most common are the corruption of the elements, such as, but not limited to:

- Extreme heat, without a source, or means to entrap this heat.

- Sounds that echo into eternity until they become deafeningly loud, with no source of causation, and in defiance of the surrounding environment permitting the escape and travel of sound.

- Sudden chill, despite being under a high noon sun in the Great Ring.

These Glooms can - as Narwen Alendiel and Ottavio Banducci can attest as witnesses - manifest of their own volition, by perverting the very air, or changing a core attribute of a property, be it a non-living organism or a chemical compound found in nature, but what is truly interesting is that they are at their strongest when manifesting in a sentient host capable of thought. Like lightning arcing off of brass or copper, living beings serve as excellent conduits for these Glooms to manifest and "arc" from them onto other things, living and inanimate alike.


But what are they?:

Aside from a literal description, it is hard to say their true nature, or what causes them. What can be confirmed, is that this phenomena is as recent as the Ringfall.

To visualize it, as one best can, from my own observations: Our world is a picture frame, and reality itself is a picture too big for the frame. The frame is constantly being moved to try fit as much as it can. As a result, parts of the picture are out of focus, or cut off, losing the means of portraying appropriate context.

As for its cause, it was previously considered by Professor Feodore Dustwink, quote paraphasing; "a direct result of the Great Ring's disconnect from the elemental planes, and the rapid conquest of the Djinn.". While this theory still holds some merit, and can be attributed to one of its causes, new evidence has emerged that this is not the sole cause, as new phenomena caused by Glooms have been observed, that it is not just irregular behavior of the elements, but rather born out of concepts unique to sentient life alone.

Exhibit One, with Lyrist Aurelio d'Lyon, Marcellus Saenus and Richo "The Fast", would be a concept of Heroism, that emboldened those in proximity to extreme dare and bravery, even in defiance of great, immediate peril and to supernatural effects. Indeed, even magi who partook in conjuration, had their spells augmented, to turn the beasts called forth into impossibly perfect images of chivalry's greatest virtues, made manifest in a living being.

Exhibit Two, with Jamilah Ayad, Mannie, Otho and the late Koji as witnesses, would be concepts of Cruelty and Malice, that employed a certain bloodlust, fearlessness and hatred not normally inherent within the host. Indeed, it even drove them to forego tactical superiority of immediate dispatching of the opponent upon their flank, to hobble and paralyze their opponents instead, with slices to vital tendons, and spine taps.

This suggests to the observer that it is more than a symptom of the Great Ring losing its connection with the elements that made up the Material World, but rather the world itself, and all of its makeup - its inhabitants included -, beginning to forget itself and its own rules, after the traumatic event of the Ringfall and the collapse of the City of Rings. Perhaps, in its own error, it is attempting to correct itself to preserve itself, and in so doing, creates the anomalous activity that we perceive today, with growing frequency.

Think of it like a puzzle that is attempting to puts its own pieces back together, but it lacks the logic or eyes to know which is the correct place to put it, to visualize such a vast and nebulous concept.

Why do they matter?

As the world has suffered the extreme trauma of an apocalyptic event, it falls upon us to rebuild. Not just stacking stone walls and sowing fields, but rejuvenating the earth, filling the rivers, mitigating the harshness of the blistering sun that causes all but the most steady plants to wilt. We, as survivors of the old, and inheritors of the new, must sow back together the very seams of the world.

It is more than a matter of seeking the mysteries of the new world to wrestle with the elements, it is a matter of willpower, collective thought and shared vision for the future, to rebuild the world in an image of our choice. Descriptions of progression to social change, have escaped the confines of metaphors, and are now beginning to become literal.

It is the author's thoughts, that these Glooms, for the many dangers they pose, hold the potential to serve as the needed building blocks, to restore the world to its function. That a project that focuses on Actualization of these Glooms' features, and anchoring them into reality, is what will be our best hope, for life in our new home.

[These notices are posted in Ephia's Well, the Caravaneer's Camp and Qadira.]

Buying: Heavy Crossbow. It needs to have significant draw strength. When its ammo hits steel, it needs to be able to flatten a plate of steel.

Write for Isadora Sylvestre. I will pay for postage.

[These letters are left at the Coffee House, and the Sandstone College, as an open letter fishing for answers.]

How do you do?

My name is Isadora Sylvestre. A recent comer to Ephia's Well, and a Sandstone College student to-be, once I save up enough for tuition. I have a field of study I'm hoping to get some perspective of, and I hope to hit the ground running.

I'm studying the subject of 'glooms'. Anomalous activity. Things just not fitting where they should.

They've become persistent, in the small pockets they gather throughout the Great Ring, but in order to form a foundation for my thesis, I need some context that only natives can provide.

When did these incidents start happening? Was it before, or after, the Ringfall?

I take my letters at Hasheema's Hope, inbox four.

Thanks for your time.

How do you do, Apothar?

Went looking into your offer, but, the only Nadiri they take, practice book magic that I just don't know.

What I know about glooms is just downright bizarre. Couldn't tell you how it works, just how to navigate out of a pocket, if I get caught in one, or how to get into one out of our "picture frame".

Yeah. No technical terms for this one. Sorry. Just explaining it as best I can. Not sure if the words in Common to explain it even exist.

It's a long story. Not a very interesting one for a man that goes chasing what goes bump in the dark, either. One I'm happy to tell, if you're willing to meet me the rest of the way, and tell me what you know about the glooms.

Send for Isadora. I don't read my mail often, not a resident of the city. Not sure if I'm staying or going, still. Trouble has a habit of catching up to me, if I sit still for too long.

In the meantime, I take my mail at Hasheema's Hope. Inbox address and number attached.

- Isadora Sylvestre.

It comes too late, this report, though I feel we are not done with this forever. A life was promised to that Vault, and to leave the price of balance unpaid is to invite an unforeseen, deadly correction. It costs life to staunch the flow of death, and death is averted only to further the cause of death in the world.

The contents herein are if, tomorrow, on the last of the seven days, something happens.

Signed,
Mare Strider.

----
Subject: Yagumdalar.

Description: A skeletal figure, dressed in a robe dripping with blood, and armed with a vorpal knife.

Abilities:

- Psychic Projection: Yagumdalar was able to call out to near passer-bys for his freedom by telepathic messages. It is presumed that he was able to even project images, taking on the likeness of one Trusty Pete, a scavenger of The Lover's Gap, and lessening his role in history as a benevolent Prince, who's name was the passage into any part of his realm.

- Incorporeal: Yagumdalar matches no known profiles of the incorporeal dead. Even Wraiths flay the soul, rather than leave physical wounds upon the body. The closest known profile is a Valarjhar, storm warriors, who return from death to earn honor to their name post-mortem and manifest to clash, yet Yagumdalar does not match any of the conditions that would make him such.

It is much more likely that Yagumdalar is a cursed being, who was previously destroyed without suffering Final Death, and is near to crossing the threshold into the material world. For a more detailed description, read the next section.
---

Identity: Yagumdalar's psychic ability, dependency on blood for nourishment, long lifespan and "self sired dynasty", complete with manipulation over the living, such as compelling them to speak, obedience (read the report on Blood Puppets later), paralyzing them with fear, is more in line with a vampire.

However, mummies of great power have been supposedly known to have been able to project from their sarcophagus, command obedience from perceived lessers through unholy decree, and can draw sustenance from the lifeforce of the living (located within the flow of blood) to re-materialize as their living selves, deathless and unburdened by the light of the sun. Coupling this with its ability to instill terror, it is possible.

The blood test that the Astronomers were going to test would had said more, but, we had run out of time. Failing the blood test, we could had learned more from its chamber.

Blood Puppets: It seemed to have marked Bashir, Anais, and an unknown third with dominance. On the second remaining day, Bashir had begun to vomit blood, and express unusual behavior. Just who is the third party, I know not, but, if the curse still stands, Bashir and Anais will still be compelled to obey, come tomorrow as of the time of this writing. It would be of interest to the Fourth Legion to reveal the third party, and watch Bashir and Anais for unusual behavior.

Lethality: Yagumdalar seems to have an intimate understanding of its victims, whether by reading their mind, or some outward expression that he picks up on.

The Palatial Pyramid was a direct threat, so as to frighten the targeted individual.

The Plaza encounter, it manifested before Armis, who fears the manifestation of evil much less than most. Rather than directly threatening him, it threatened him with collateral, forcing him to choose either Cosine, or Mae, to die next.

The encounter at the Court House served as a threat to terrorize the public, having slain a Ashfolk citizen, it had grown in power to manipulate objects in the material world, this time being able to fashion a stake for the head to be piked upon.

The encounter with Scholar Xi, may he rest in peace, seemed to wait until he was alone, and vulnerable, before striking. The strike was much more visceral than a neck gouge, as if to make a mess on purpose, and instill more terror.

All instances of death were done with a perfectly still hand. Zi seems to prove to be the exception.

Symptoms of haunting: Iron, acidic, fizzy smell on the air. Blood cooling in random places of an immediate haunt, turning to scabs before long.

Repulsion to True Faith: Yagumdalar's presence seems to be repelled by devout word shouted on high, with holy symbol brought to bear. This seems more likely to stun him, rather than actually stop the haunt all together.

Extra: The severed head of the ashfolk victim seems to respond in the presence of those who have been haunted. Morally objectionable, to be sure, but keeping the head preserved, to make it serve as a canary in a mine, could warn us well in advance of its next strike.
----
Consequences of late stage neglect: Factually unknown. All evidence points towards complete materialization, activation of Blood Puppets as thralls, and a hostile powerbase forming in the Ashways.

Option 1, Sacrifice at the Vault.

Chance of success: 100%.

Components Required: One living sacrifice.

Details: Each time Yagumdalar has had to be sealed away, it has been with life sacrificed, by closing the vault with one inside. Its chamber runs red with a pool of blood of those who have done so previously, and their death seems to be enough to lure him back into slumber, and eventual exorcism.

[close]

 Option 2, Raid.

Chance of success: With all assets as they are, 50%. Increased chance of success, based on new information that helps narrow down the identity, and appropriate exorcism required.

Components required:

If he is a vampire: One stake, melted from precious metals of religious value, typically an effigy, typically silver. The soil or sand of his homeland.

Otherwise, if he is a mummy: A means to dispel magical protections. The urns that contain his embalmed vitals will be highly fortified.

Details: Storm the vault. The main host scatters to draw his attention, while the actor in question closes in to douse the ground with the soil or sand, then stake him through the chest with the melted stake, if he is a vampire.

Otherwise, the main actor scours the room for where the embalmed organs are stored, and begin their destruction.

[close]

 Option 3, Parlay.

Chance of success: Difficult to say.

Components required:

One scroll of Animate Dead.

The severed head of the ashfolk victim, or the full body of the plaza victim, or Scholar Zi. Hand fan required.

Details: These victims have a link with Yagumdalar, and, by animating them, we can potentially host a seance, that can hear his demands, and fulfill them so that he never dares to leave his vault. Although morally distasteful, the results have consistently been positive. It falls upon us if we wish to tempt the ire of the public.

[close]

BILL OF SERVICE

SERVICES RENDERED: Documentation, observation, plans of imprisonment and banishment, case "The Beast".

RECIPIENT: The Fourth Jannisary Legion. Verbal instruction given to forward the bill to the Palatial Pyramid by Radislav Ludovich.

COST: 1,500 dinars.

500, Mare Strider, for services rendered.

500, Armis Iustus Card, for services rendered.

500 for Lucrecia Allaire, survivor of Hekatomb, now deceased.

PAY TO THE ORDER OF: Mare Strider.

EXTRA: For performance of imprisonment and/or banishment, contact Mare Strider. Price can be drastically reduced if the client would like to utilize professionals listed herein as attaches to the current undergoing efforts of the Astronomers of Q'tolip.

Greetings reader,

I write to you today to seek your wisdom. I am an exorcist by trade, and seek seers and diviners to interpret otherwise abstract information that defies all scholarly understanding. I have been tasked to banish the slithering beast in the Dry Gutters, and while I have ample facts about the creature, none of these suggest how best to banish it, other than it cannot be contested in arms, and a high probability that it will recoil before the light of the sun.


I write to the Sisters, because it has been brought to my attention that you have some familiarity with the otherworldly, curing an otherwise fatal exposure to red meteorite. Your technique, knowing or not, may just have the answer to reversing the effect, and putting this invader to death.


Let us be friends and cooperate. Write to me soon.

Signed,
Mare Strider.

Greetings, reader.

Whatever information you have on The Watchers, I have need of it.

Rather than seeking answers of the old ways to work with this new target, I think a local solution may have a higher chance of success.

Write as soon as possible,

Mare Strider.

Welcome readers;

My name is Mare Strider, exorcist by trade. By invitation, I have taken to the haunting of one "Devil of Thirst". I've been instructed by my generous patron to share this report with the Torchbearers.

Within the last 48 hours, this is the information gathered, compared and summarized, as well as four courses of action to take. Please pen me for any information that might have unintentionally been withheld, or any questions.

----

SUBJECT: Devil of Thirst.

Description: A mass of corpses, all woven into motion. Height and mass subject to the change, judging by the bodies it takes on.

Danger: Severe. Apocalyptic, if neglected. More below.


Details:

- Intellect: The beast appears to have a will of purposed malice, and, judging by its ability to identify those that descended, can harvest the intellect of those it slays. What's more, it can use a corpse attached to the host to draw breath, and speak words, as well as make use of its ears to comprehend the spoken word, and follow activity on the Bellows.

Knowing the anatomies of those joined to the host, it would appear to know the extremities of its victims and their sensitivity. A dangerous foe, to write the least.

- Strength: It appears to be able to harvest, reallocate and sculpt flesh, lending itself to its almost cataclysmic strength. Nothing that great comes without cost, however, and that cost may be in its thirst, judging by the consistent absence of the victims' hearts, as seen in the dearly departed cadaver of one "Silas", may he rest in peace. Afterwords, it appears to return to slumber, before resuming its search for those who intruded on its grounds.

- Storm Gatherer: Whether by its own merit, or its cooperation with its disturbed masters, its freedom lines up with a great storm's arrival, the likes of which alarmed even one Great Zenithar Q'tolip. This storm blankets the neighboring territory of Ephia's Well, ranging as far as the Rampart Nusrum and the Ashways, as confirmed by one Portia Softstep, but seems to buffet Ephia's Well hardest, as the winds shift, then sweep into the city, wherein Ash Revenants and Ash Wraiths follow it, gathering in large clusters of six, at least, and strategically lining the rim of the city, as if to prevent escape.

This is highly unusual behavior, as studied by myself personally for a great period of time. Ash Revenants gather in few numbers without being in the site of a great tragedy, and seem to lack the higher capacity for tactical assessment, yet their positioning is no coincidence.

- Behavior: The Devil of Thirst appears to be highly territorial, consistent with the behavior of a Poltergeist, the exacts of which you can read in my book "Surviving The Long Night, a Primer on Spirits and the Restless Dead", chapter 9. Something, in this case, the iron rods have been stolen, as well as secret knowledge of great emotional importance, and has disturbed the grounds it has been long idled.

Further supporting this theory, is its precision in the removal of the eyes, after the initial savaging. Notice specifically how it took the eyes, rather than tearing off the entire face and jawline with its extreme might. It jealously covets what it perceives as its own, or the masters to whom it belongs to.

It does not seem to roam into the Worm Tunnels, or into the Well. The Dry Gutters are its territory, the delvers its target. All else are collateral in its efforts to protect itself and its territory.

- Speed: Questioning of the survivors has implied a swift crawl. Roughly as fast as an adult human male can run in average condition, by some survivors accounting that they outran it physically.

- Nature: What it is, at the core of its being, appears to be less of the bodies themselves, and a host that controls all it touches. Metaphorically speaking, itself is the hand, and all the bodies touching it is a thin glove, fit over it. The bodies are both how it tethers itself to this world, how it navigates it, and how it grows in power, sharing the likeness, once more, of a poltergeist, who's strength is dependent entirely on the host's coveting, and the objects at its disposal to use.

What it is, however, has yet to be confirmed with certainty. As of this writing in Qdim 22 7787, it has evaded the honorable Hekatomb, Armis and myself, to discern whether it is other-worldly, or undead.

-----

In conclusion:

We have know its behavior well enough to bait it, avoid it, know its strengths as to stand our ground, the resources we will need to do so, and its cunning, to know how to account for its cleverness.

We, however, do not know if it is a deathless incorporeal entity hidden beneath the mass of corpses, re-purposed senses and anatomy, or an otherworldly parasite bred to germinate within hosts, and grow in size with each corpse it claims. It could even be neither, and something otherworldly, that only the Caliphates have bore witness to. Unless you know their history, or can press Estellise to turn the hourglass back for a time - and risk no shortage of other perils that come from that magic - that avenue will be barred to us.

I would like to beg my generous patrons for more time to seek it out, strike it with a magical blade that can discern true nature where the naked eye cannot, and retreat.

With this information, I can determine whether or not an exorcism is required, or a banishment.

Otherwise, I will move onto what the danger of letting this abomination persist, and the course of actions you can take with this missing detail.

----

Consequences of Late Stage Neglect: If not given appropriate peace, and its haunt persists, it will continue to amass corpses from the collateral damage, and, incrementally, achieve metamorphosis to resemble the dreaded Hecatoncheir, and be beyond contest.

Actions to take:

Action one: Return the Iron Rods, put the delvers to death.

Chance of success: 100%.

The most obvious option, left as a last resort and by all accounts is to be avoided unless total civilization collapse is imminent. Satisfaction of the beast's desires will force it back to where it laid.

In my personal opinion, the creature's presence is a symptom of something even fouler that lays at the heart of the city, and is awaiting the eons away for its chance to escape, and cause havoc.

It is better, in my opinion, to address the root cause, rather than treat the symptoms.

[close]

Option Two, The Prison Of Spears.

Success chance: Varied, based on participants. 60%, in a typical situation.

Components required:
- 10 long spears, heads spattered with the blood of victims assailed in battle, not a duel. The victims must be living, for the power of hatred to persist in the blood spilled.

- Extensive engraving in its native tongue, bearing the command to halt. It wrote in Old Fomorian, we will need a linguist to confirm the exact wording. Engravings cost about 500 dinars, last I checked at the Steel Rose. Maybe you can acquire a favor from the Cinquefoil Rose that might make Minnarath do it for cheaper.

- A diamond, of no small value, crushed, its dust ample enough to coat the base of each spear, and the center of the circle ward that will line the floor.

- One ruby, one alexandrite, one quartz, one malachite.

- The hair of a dead man, woven into a hoop to bind the spears together.

- Bottled tears of a lover recently parted, to wet the ink that stains the circle ward.

-  A personal trinket of a commanding officer.

- One unearthed corpse, of a hero who fell in battle, six names of those who died alongside them. It must be those who are adored, or feared, by those who survived them. If there is no empathic burden to their names, there will be no anchor in which they remain.

- Seven scrolls of Animate Dead, to animate the corpse and serve as jailor to the victim, and six phantoms to return from beyond the immortal boundary, and hold the spear shafts.

Details: This is not a banishment, or an exorcism, but a rite of binding. It is old, its lore written in a time before my family line was even born. It was written in an age when our master walked among us, and our pious duties commanded that we battle what is undying and unknown. Morally objectionable, sure to cause great strife in the city and possible to fail, should we be unable to stand against the beast's ravages.

It is, however, if performed correctly, something that will skewer the beast in place, and trap it there, whilst we discern the finer points of its being, and origins, as well as grant further time to whatever ends the delvers are engaging in.

This will inflict a terrible torment. Not just on the victim, but, to all who surround it. It is this pain that gives the rite its power, and must persist, lest the living find closure, and that power fades with the passing of aforementioned pain.

[close]

Option Three, Blood Domination.

Success Chance: 40%

Components required:

- One living sacrifice.

- One master of Enchantment, one master of Necromancy.

Details: An ending, of sorts, but sloppily done, and used typically against Vampires of great power as a last resort. The victim is dominated by the master of Enchantment, walks to their death, and once they are destroyed and absorbed, While the necromancer maintains the bonds between victim and enchanter, the enchanter puts to test their will, attempting to use their bound victim to wrest control of the host that has absorbed it.

Failing this can result in the death of the enchanter, or, turning the enchanter into a thrall of the entity it hoped to contest.

[close]

Option 4, Delay & Observe.

Success Chance: No solid number to put to this, but, further time to study the beast, will grant us a better understanding of its nature, and how to prepare a banishing or exorcism that is decidedly less extreme, ghastly or drastic.

The option I personally champion, but, time is always of the essence, and to quote an old proverb; "There is no hand that which can catch time.". Sometimes it requires a more drastic answer, to drastic problems.

[close]

---

Surviving The Long Night: A Primer on Spirits and The Restless Dead.

By: Mare Strider
----

Air, earth, fire, water. These things, the material world is bound by, the birthright of all who are born to it, and by these same spokes, they are driven, those that exist beyond the eternal boundary, attempting to cross. So it is, that a spirit from beyond the pale has to tempt the living into letting them into this world, and so it is, that the only thing that can keep the dead in this world, are the forceful grasp of the living, or the worldly burdens we insist on burdening ourselves with.

The power of emotion, described here-on as pathos, is a powerful impulse of the spirit. It is what allows impossible feats to become possible, and for us to rise to ever-greater heights. So it behooves us to better know ourselves, for in our throes of wroth, or grief, fear or desire, we - whether consciously or subconsciously - build and conjure the world that reflects us, whether we are alive, or dead.

Contained within this book are symptoms of a haunting, summarized information that may prove useful in an unexpected encounter, and indicators to know when to send for an exorcist. Although these bizarre sightings may prove to be initially harmless, they are, often times without warning, swift to turn violent. Every moment spent not addressing the problem allows it to grow worse.

Forewarning: The paranormal is not something that can be measured like a science. It is more common than not for spirits to share the same traits, yet the perimeters that cause their haunt, or the boundaries that confine one spirit, may not be applicable to another. Preliminary symptoms gleamed from this book may not always grant you an accurate answer. Trust your gut instinct, for even if you do not see anything wrong, your subconscious can detect a subtle difference in its environment.

To quote my old master; "What we know, is a drop. What exists, is an ocean.".

Above all else, seek the opinion of a professional.

If this is a situation that keeps you alarmed, consider adopting an older cat. Cats have nine lives, and shed them throughout their time living, each time bringing them closer to the eternal boundary, and by doing so, are capable of seeing what may have come from the pale beyond - causing them to hiss, or puff up, at the sight.

----
Chapter One: The Corporeal Dead.

The Corporeal Dead are dead who still possess flesh, bone or some encasing that they are dependent on, for remaining in the material world. More often than not, these dead can be addressed by armsmen, who destroy the body and lay it to rest. Do not take this fact lightly, however, for the dead are formidable. What is an enemy that cannot be bled, that has no need for its limbs? Destruction, on its most core level, is required to truly defeat it, else it will never stop its assault.

Page 1, Zombies & Skeletons

Zombies & Skeletons.

Threat level: Ranges. Norm of moderate.

Physical Attributes: Rotting skin or lack thereof, no mental comprehensions, basic motor skills, and, in some cases, retained muscle memory.

Symptoms Of Presence: Their presence is obvious, mostly through smell or auditory clues of popping joints, clattering ivory, loud prolonged yawning and open mouthed growling.

Details: Zombies and skeletons are the catch-all for featureless dead. What possesses them to take motion is, if not by necromancy, are things such as a disturbed grave (be it by grave robbing or desecration of holy ground), a stolen keepsake, a passing of an umbral star, or a neglected, cursed bite.

Should their haunt be brought about by theft, one can simply return things where it is found. Otherwise, they must be destroyed with violence. Preferably with a long weapon, for open bite wounds can fester and cause limb loss, or, in some cases, zombification after death.

[close]

Page 2, Tyrantfog Dead.

Name: Tyrantfog.

Threat level: Ranges. Norm of moderate to Severe.

Physical Attributes: Rotting skin, no mental comprehension, basic motor skills, and terrible stench.

Symptoms Of Presence: Foul smell that seeps through stone or floorboards. Dead vermin or small house pets.

Details: An aberration of typical zombies, the Tyrantfog is a creation of malicious purpose. Their bodily gasses become putrid, capable of choking their victims while they close in to feed. Should they prove successful in their hunts, the meat of the living they've consumed turns fetid, and the gasses that seep from them cease to be choking, and begin to be vile enough to kill you upon inhalation, like the red spore mushroom.

The best way to destroy them is by a ranged weapon. They are burdened by the weight of the gasses trapped in their chest, and slow to move because of it. It is possible, not guaranteed, for a Tyrantfog to explode with bone shrapnel, if punctured.

[close]

Page 3, Ghuul.

Name: Ghuul.

Threat level: Moderate by themselves, high in numbers.

Physical attributes: Rotting skin, basic mental comprehension, acrobatic motor skills, fast speed.

Symptoms of presence: Bones stripped entirely of meat, graves dug by hand, coffins overturned.

Details: The ghuul are a progression of the zombie, in many regards, both in its ability to climb, crawl through narrow spaces and its ability to speak its mother tongue in basic sentences. Their creation is a curse of decadence, either inflicted upon the dead by other Ghuuls, or cursed by the Powers That Be, with some tales circling about the selfish who savored their feasting, even as others around them starved, and forced them to know no rest, to destroy all that they hold dear and ache for more.

Ghuuls that range far from their point of resurrection are attracted by the scent of meat, and the rotting of the dead is plenty times more obvious than a man that does not bathe, thus, they often congregate in tombs, or graveyards.

Beware their grasp, for a ghuul's touch is potentially paralyzing.

[close]

Page 4, Wight.

Name: Wight.

Threat level: High. Severe, if tampered with by a necromancer.

Physical Attributes: Preserved corpse, fangs where canines previously were, lack of grooming, frenzied demeanor, lack of anything other than basic speech, high function of motor skills.

Symptoms Of Presence: Vermin and corpses alike, all drained of blood. Their skin will be parchment thin and bone dry. In many regards, they will resemble an apple core.

Details: When a Vampire is not accepted by its sire upon the bestowal of vampirism's curse, or has suffered extreme starvation, the vampire succumbs to the nature of their curse, to thirst for blood. Some speculate, that there is a divine nature to the thirst of blood, as if in the hopes that the blood of the pure will purge the sin of the curse that courses in their veins.

When a Vampire becomes a Wight, it is rare, if not outright impossible, for it to return to its original self. It is nothing more than a beast of incredible strength, that must be destroyed by violence.

They are the common playthings of necromancers, who either graft claws on their fingers, bolt steel to their bones for an armored acrobatic assassin, or inflates their torsos with explosive gas to be used as disposable linebreakers. Have a care, when chancing upon a wight, their surprises are deadly, and their capability is demonstrably powerful.

[close]

Page 5, Vampire.

Name: Vampire.

Threat level: Severe. Extreme, if ancient.

Physical Attributes: Pale skin, fangs where canines previously were, aversion to the sun, virtually indistinguishable from the living, command over mortals by spoken decree, hypnotism, the ability to shapeshift into a bat, or a cloud of mist.

Symptoms Of Presence: Extremely subtle. Cult behavior that surrounds sanguine symbolism or sacrifice of blood. Occasional exhumed murder victim, with no blood within them. Virtually undetectable, otherwise.

Details: Since mortalkind has lived under the yoke of the Sibilant Empire, there were Vampires on the outskirts of their society, and, when encountered by the Empire, dominated into granting the vampire positions of privilege.

Some scholars question if the Vampire is a natural presence to stymie the natural greatness of mortalkind, and to keep them among the beasts in the natural order. Others suggest that they are an unholy curse, created only by great and terrible powers. What is consistent, is that they are the apex predator of mortalkind, that has adapted as civilization grew, and has been thwarted only by great vigilance, and terrible contests of arms. They are monsters, wearing the face of men, hoping to lull the sheep to the slaughter, and cannot be embraced as kin, no matter how much they plead their humanity.

A Vampire cannot be slain by traditional steel. They can be paralyzed by a stake made from coffin wood, stabbed through the heart, but to kill them, they must be cut down on top of the soil of their homeland, or staked with a pole of silver melted down from an object of religious significance. Should you suspect a Vampire, take great care in alarming the appropriate parties, lest they set upon you to keep their secret.

[close]

Page 6, Mohrg.

Name: Morhg.

Threat level: High.

Physical Attributes: Bones, bound in tears of their meat, organs and eyeballs still functioning.

Symptoms Of Presence: The wilting of plantlife, the decay of everything that surrounds them. Those who might have potentially been a victim in life, suffer terrible nightmares, and scream themselves awake, alerting the Mohrg to their whereabouts, and resume their killing.

Details: Mohrgs are the spawn of most monstrous men, who have died without atoning for their crime, either by forgiveness, or by the righteousness of the headsman's block. The sin of their nature presses them ever onward, seeking their next victim. The prolonged saturation of the evil they radiate causes a gradual decay in their surroundings, just as it might lend itself to the gradual decay of social order.

Mohrgs, like ghuuls, possess a touch that paralyzes its victim, and its cackling laughter can send others into fits of fright. A contest of arms is oftentimes enough to lay a Mohrg to rest, but, to be thorough, so as to not spawn a Wraith (read chapter two for more!) from its destruction, the corpse must be brought before an executioner's gallows or block, to deliver it the deathblow.

[close]

Page 7, Bodak.

Name: Bodak.

Threat level: Severe. Apocalyptic, depending on the root cause of its rebirth.

Physical Attributes: Darkened skin, no mouth, wispy frame, great intellect, aversion to sunlight, blood red eyes that glow like beacons of hatred in pure darkness, and a gaze that bears their terrible nature onto their victim.

Symptoms Of Presence: A sour, copper taste in the air. Fire's orange glow turns red, and vibrant colors begin to dim, general infectious feeling of dread.

Details: Bodaks are born from a great and terrible darkness, from which it draws its original namesake in Ancient Common, Boh'dak'h, Darkness Born. It is a manifestation of evil, in its most purest form. Imagine the revulsion of bearing witness to mortalkind's darkest, most unspeakable, terrible sins, all laid before you, that stretches the horizon, and percolate the evil from the mortals causing it, and you have the very nature of what makes a bodak.

They exist only to destroy, and a monument to an egregious sin that took place. Should you suspect a Bodak's haunt, do not engage it, for the very sight of it can inspire dread in mortal hearts, and slay you where you stand. All who fall to its gaze, rise again as Bodaks themselves, creating an amplification of the destruction they will bring. Seek a professional's help, immediately, as more powerful Bodaks can dispel the magics of a Death Ward potion, and bring about your demise.

[close]

Page 8, Nasnas.

Name: Nasnas.

Threat level: Extreme.

Physical Attributes: One leg, one arm, one half of its rib cage, one side of its lip, nostril, eye and nose. Extreme physical speed. Its touch is enough to stop the heart, and disrupt the weaving of spells in its presence.

Symptoms Of Presence: Inexplicably flesh-stripped skeletons that have yet to bleach, discovered near society.

Details: A creation of the Shiqq spirit (more in chapter two!), that shapes mortal flesh, the Nasnas is considered likened to the Bodak, for its ability to take life by its presence alone, and its tendency for doing so, yet unlike the Bodak, the Nasnas is capable of a sort of subtlety that the Bodak does not care to possess, prolonging its lifespan. Sometimes hiding in the fringes of society, and masquerading as an unfortunate cripple to a brief glance, the Nasnas claims its victims for their flesh, and cannibalizes them.

A Nasnas is best burned by bait that is marinated in holy water, or lead into a trapped building and dissolved by holy water being poured on them. This shall be extremely dangerous, and is, unless all options are exhausted, an encounter ideals for professionals only.

[close]

Page 9, Kinslain.

Name: Kinslain.

Threat level: Moderate. High, if in a group.

Physical Attributes: Small skeletal frame, truesight, unrelenting hatred, extreme fixation towards Ashfolk Halflings, full retention of martial arts training, slow speed.

Symptoms Of Presence: None. The Kinslain are found primarily across boneyards and ancient battlefields.

Details: Unlike typical animated skeletons, Kinslain are born of a long and terrible tragedy, the likes of which has begun to fade from common memory. Attempts to find a local who has an accurate retelling of the Brothers' Strife, or the following Civil War, has proved inconclusive. They roam as squads, typically, and have emotional impulses one would normally require higher rationale that they do not seem to possess, or at the very least lack the capacity to express it. There is a burning hatred towards their former kin, and a blind, all-consuming desire to destroy them first, in the midst of any encounter.

Running appears to be the best strategy from the Kinslain, at least in the short term. Their slow speed allows one to outpace them. It is not a final solution, as, once their anger is stirred, nothing will stop them from achieving their (misplaced, in this author's opinion) vengeance, crossing miles, overcoming difficult terrain and navigating low visibility situations. In a sortie of joined arms, dividing them, peeling the distracted off the main host and leading them into small exchanges, whilst the rest of the squad lumbers after the initial source of their ire, seems to be the least dangerous method of engaging them.

There is no known peaceful resolution to encountering one.

Beware the mummified serpents that are oftentimes buried with them, for their venom and deep-digging jaws. A unique type of serpent by all accounts, who's likeness is very much alive and supple enough to recoil at the strike of their vitals, the reason they frequent the resting grounds of the Kinslain are still yet unknown.

[close]

 Page 10, Death Knights.

Name: Death Knights.

Threat Level: Ranging between High and Extreme.

Physical Attributes: Warped, leathery flesh, half-melted armor reshaped by otherworldly hands, a former weapon of choice, now melted into a serrated shape, presumably for the maximum infliction of pain. Those that lay eyes on them are quick to feel doubt, and fear, settle into their hearts.

Symptoms Of Presence: Desecrated ground, the decay of everything around them.

Details: Death Knights, or sometimes called Doom Knights, are the end result of a mortal who has has fallen from the destiny of serving their deity as a Champion, bound in the tenants of their code. Having chosen a foul power, or corrupted by their presence (see: Bodak, and their origins, for examples.), Death Knights are harbingers of doom. Piety has turned to malice, zeal perverted to twisted agendas, tenants of chivalry reflecting deadly sins abhorred commonly by faiths throughout the outer rings to The Great Disc.

The comings and goings of Death Knights are difficult to interpret. They may show up, without warning, and lay siege to a village, or settle into ancient tombs at the behest of their masters, to protect until the stars are in alignment. They are champions of the melee, and not so easily beset by cast spells. They are difficult to lay to rest. The only effective way to strike them down, as observed by others before the author, is a champion of the same faith, to rise in combat, bearing the favored weapon of their God, and smiting them with it.

[close]

Page 11, Mummies.

Name: Mummy.

Threat Level: Difficult to gauge.

Physical Attributes: Dried skin, bandages to mummify the body, absence of vital organs. Sometimes intelligent, capable of full speech, sometimes with full retention of memory from the past.

Symptoms Of Presence: Inexplicable, severe rotting in otherwise healthy patients, and inexplicable dust, in places not exposed to ash storms. Oftentimes prone to appear, on a schedule with a prophecy.

Details: Mummies are the honored dead, who do not seem to rise at random, but, instead rise for a reason, either to repel intruders from their master's tomb, or carry out orders that were bestowed upon them with the mummy's curse. It would appear that the lower wrung of their caste, such as the master's servants, are mindless, shambling dead with advanced motor skills and an ability to comprehend very specific instructions, whilst those on the higher wrungs are effectively sentient.

A mummy's presence is frightful, as its very existence is repulsing to a mortal on the instinctual level - something that is almost alive, and should not be. Some scholars suggest it is possible, that mummies can drain the lifeforce from the living, and restore their skin, masquerading as the living among them.

While some mummies can be laid to rest by combat, it is said that the urns, which contain their embalmed organs, can lead to their immediate destruction, if destroyed.

[close]

 Page 12, Ash Revanant.

Name: Ash Revanant.

Threat Level: Moderate, to High.

Physical Attributes: Charred bodies, burning ember-pocks where ash seeps out. Basic motor skills, seemingly no higher mental function, emotional imprinting capability to both discern other Ash Revanants from other undead, and to lead others as a herd.

Symptoms Of Presence: Bright light, even at night. Endless hissing on the wind, like a hissing cockroach's screeching. Excess ash in considerable sums, ambiently blowing in where ever they roam.

Details: Ash Revanants are a strange contradiction to how many understand the restless dead. They are animated by the same power that heals the living in diluted amounts, and do not dissolve beneath the touch of positive energy, in the way all other undead do.

It is theorized that it is the storm itself, that which blots out the sun, creates them, rather than the ash that is carried by the wind. Like a perversion of the typical necromantic process: what typically assigns attributes of living to the dead, the process that creates an Ash Revanant grants attributes of death to something that is otherwise alive.

Ash Revanants are enemies that, if ignored, grow in strength, and durability, until it becomes difficult to contain them. Taking a hefty weapon, such as a Great Axe, to one that has survived a battle for a prolonged period, proves nigh-impenetrable.

It is assumed, by the strength of the storm that spawns them, that stronger Ash Revanants are made, capable of hardening pieces of themselves and shooting them at their targets like quills, or ambiently surrounding themselves with a miniature ash storm, which flays all that come in proximity to them.

The only method of exorcising them, reliably, is the use of negative energy.

[close]

Page 13, Skull Spider.

Name: Skull Spider.

Threat Level: Low, by itself. High if left to its devices.

Physical Attributes: A skull for the base of its body, and random tibula and fibias for limbs, thumbs for fangs.

Symptoms Of Presence: Inexplicable abscence of random bones from a skeleton, while leaving the rest of the body in tact.

Details: Not to be confused with the Bone Spider, who is alive and can unfortunately be found Ephia's Well - named after the spotting on its bulb- a Skull Spider is a summoned creation, using odd parts of the skeleton, with its skull for the base.

They gather bones from hither and yon, unable to lift the entire skeleton due to its frail strength, gradually building great and terrifying constructs to unleash at the behest of its master.

Tangle traps can slow, but not immobilize them. The best way to locate, and engage one, is a spell of Alarm on top of a likely target, and engage it. A single bludgeoning strike to the base should be enough to destroy it.

A creation not to be underestimated, despite its physical frailty.

[close]

Page, 14 Lichdom.

Name: Lichdom.

Threat Level: Extreme, to apocalyptic.

Physical Attributes: Skeletal avatar, almost doubtlessly covered in finery to represent their status, a spellbook or trinket of some kind close by.

Symptoms Of Presence: You will know. There will be no mistaking this.

Details: The things of legends, Liches are the mastery of life over death, and exist unto eternity, well after their lifespans cease. Such mastery over the arcane commands great power, and woe to whoever dares to challenge them.

It is said that a Lich's immortality revolves around their phylactery. If that is so, it is without a doubt that they would protect their most cherished object jealously.

Abandon all notions of heroism and turn back, you who are unfortunate enough to find a Lich's lair, this is a fight to the death and the odds are against you.

[close]

----

Chapter Two: The Incorporeal Dead, and Intruding Spirits.

The Incorporeal Dead are spirits trapped in this world, either by the shackling of practitioners of the dark arts, or by the earthly burdens that tether them here. Unlike the Corporeal Dead, violence is rarely a permanent solution to the situation. It can be temporarily driven back to the shadows by the puncture of a magic spear, but, until its affairs see appropriate closure, it shall simply manifest, again, and again, seeking satisfaction that it is incapable of fulfilling for itself.

Coming from the same side of the eternal boundary, but with other lures that lead them here, intruders from beyond the pale pierce into this realm of existence, lingering in the threshold's shadows, tempting, or coercing, the living to let them in.

Reading all of this, one must surely be asking by now: why does their presence have subtle changes in reality? I am able to explain, in layman's terms.

Think of the material world, and the eternal boundary, as two curtains, that are side-by-side. They are both made of cloth, but different materials, and by that extension, have different qualities. When something passes through one side to reach the other, they briefly entangle, linen now covers silk, and linen's rough texture protects the silk from being so easily cut. Properties, as well as appearances, are joined, by something that is not its own.

Thus, the inexplicable begins to manifest itself in the material world.

Page 1, Aliip.

Name: Allip.

Threat Level: Moderate to High.

Physical Attributes: Frayed shape, no more than the torso, arms and part of its head. It appears as if what remains of it has been physically stripped from them in an altercation. Conscious, yet completely illogical by its troubles.

Symptoms Of Presence: Lunacy by some residents (defined by erratic behavior, self-endangering activities). Pained sobbing by an inhabitant unknown to all other dwellers, terrified, muttering that is loud enough to resonate in the building.

Details: An Allip is a spirit who has been the victim of sustained and terrible cruelty. The fear of their pain resuming keeps them ever-alert, wandering about, seeking an exit where there is none. Like the phenomena of the gloom (consult Feodore Dustwink for further observation), their presence radiates the selfsame fear that clings to them, and, under prolonged exposure, can drive someone to lunacy.

An Allip is best not confronted physically. The fear of confrontation is like adding kindling to an already burning fire, and will only further amplify the problem. While it can be temporarily dispersed by the strike of a magic weapon, it cannot be driven across the eternal boundary by force.

The most reliable method of exorcising a spirit that resists most forms of entrapment, albeit unorthodox, appears to be a psuedo-form of roleplay. It has to be convinced of a progression to their story, and a conclusion, for example: An Orentid Allip bears witness to you, undercover, sneaking in to relieve them, and leading them to an exit, or a Jailor being investigated and found guilty of extrajudicial punishment, and must free his prisoners, before being punished himself. This may take some time, to get it right, and time is not on your side, in the presence of an Allip.

[close]

Page 2, Phantom.

Name: Phantom.

Threat Level: Low, to high.

Physical Attributes: A translucent, but completely in tact and coherent individual, that is beyond the touch of the physical world.

Symptoms Of Presence: Visions of a past, tediously repeating night after night. Mortals in proximity to this sleeping, and never waking up.

Details: The names of this ghost is often tossed around as a catch-all for all apparitions, but, to a trained professional, the haunting of a Phantom is a specific phenomena.

To briefly explain how the Phantom haunts: The dream world is considered to be a link between the consciousness of the living, and the pale beyond, allowing seers to beseech the wisdom of entities not constrained by the linear passage of time to tell them the future, allowing the mourning to see the deceased, and where they can be preyed upon by spirits that sustain themselves off of the emotional turmoil (read on the Nightmare, for more).

With this information I previously described, a Phantom's haunt manifests in one of two ways. It is either their dream of the events bleeding into the material world, or the sleeping's dream being absorbed into the incident beyond the pale. In both instances, the dream is occurring, over and over, reaching the same conclusion. An irritation to the living who bare witness to it, and potentially deadly to those who are caught in it, as their physical body still needs sustenance and exercise.

If you find yourself in the former, observe the events, then attempt to disrupt them as they carry on, without telling them they're in a dream, as a dreamer never knows they're in a dream, and to learn that they are forces one to "wake up", effectively resetting the chain of events for the Phantom, and doing little for the living victim that might be in their dream, as it does not end the dream for them.

If you find yourself in the latter, waste no time, for time passes quickly when you slumber. Seek to immediately discern the pattern of events, then disrupt them, until the Phantom can draw a concluding alternative ending to the events, and rest.

[close]

Page 3, Wraith.

Name: Wraith.

Threat Level: Ranges, based on the nature of the grudge.

Physical Attributes: Shadow that settles irregularly against its background and flutters like a fire, basic intellect fogged by rage.

Symptoms Of Presence: Sporadic violence, in which there is no perpetrator but leaves victims with scorches of negative energy across their body.

Details: Anger and hatred are the most powerful impulses of pathos. We can observe it in family-long feuds and rival neighbors, but not in war. War is impersonal, enemy soldiers are just men in uniforms, and when they die, they rest easily, more often than not. It takes something personal, to spark true wroth, and once it has taken place in the heart of its victim, it is nearly impossible to be extinguished.

Wraiths are a difficult apparition to banish without force, as it uncommon for anything to come out of them that isn't a warcry, and by this silence, are we unable to discern the source of their haunt, only that it bothers them enough to attack at a specific period, or during a specific provocation.

Should you learn what ails it, you can either fabricate a satisfactory lie that may convince the Wraith that its ire has no further basis to rage on in reality, or reveal the truth, if you think it  is satisfactory. Newspapers, or historical books, exhumed graves of those who might had crossed them, some show of postmortem justice, these things can give it pause, and from there, you can hope to appeal to a consciousness not gripped by ravaging hatred. Without anger to tether it to this world, it loses its ground in reality, and fades away.

If you cannot perform the former, forceful banishment may be required. The most common way is to investigate the grounds in which they haunt, and see what provokes its attack. Do so with great caution, with the power of a magician or priest to protect you, as a Wraith's assault is a ravenous one and its end is not always discernible. Afterwords, once you know what provokes them, call for an exorcist. The tools and knowledges revolving around forceful banishment are a precise and learned thing, not best gleamed by a book.

Be warned: Wraiths harvest the souls of those they kill, and what remains, creates Spectres that roam the earth for an age.

[close]

Page 4, Ash Wraith.

Name: Ash Wraith.

Threat Level: Medium. High during an Ash Storm.

Physical Attributes: The burning of positive energy, wrapping a humanoid shadow.

Symptoms Of Presence: Bright light, even at night. Endless hissing on the wind, like a hissing cockroach's screeching. Excess ash in considerable sums, ambiently blowing in where ever they roam.

Details: Like the Ash Revenant, the Ash Wraith seems to follow the same pattern of defying most forms of studying the restless dead, exhibiting the same features as the Ash Revenant and created by the same phenomena. The only difference seems to be that their bodies were utterly destroyed by the ash, and, instead of becoming stronger the longer a battle wages on, they lack any physical connection to the real world, phasing through solid walls and physical bodies to reach their target.

The only avenue of laying them to rest is destroying them. Further study of the Ash Wraith is required.

[close]

Page 5, Nightmare.

Name: Nightmare.

Threat Level: High.

Physical Attributes: Wispy, long-limbed, nearly invisible and deeply frightening facial features. Commonly mistaken for a Skulk.

Symptoms Of Presence: Restless nights, frightening dreams, a persistent chill in area. Prolonged haunting may lead to fatalities of all occupants.

Details: The Nightmare - who's namesake surrounds the dream, not a Night Mare, the mythical unicorn with a flaming horn - is an insidious apparition. Staying out of sight, its haunting can incorrectly be given credit by the woes of the world. It is a spirit who anchors themselves to this side of the world, and grows in power, by harvesting fear and dread from the living, until their body can take no more, forcing them to find a new shadow to hide in, and a new home to dwell.

If an exorcist is not presently available, but you have fellows of good strength in arms to contest the spirit with you, it may be possible to defeat it with iron weaponry, due to its unique nature of its strength being the only tether that keeps it here. Be warned, however, that a Nightmare grows stronger, the more it feeds, and may prove to be more than your match. An exorcist can force a banishment without striking out against what is essentially fear personified.

A Nightmare cares a great deal for subtlety, but, can be tempted from the shadows by open expression of genuine despair. This part is crucial, as false tears lack the empathic sustenance it covets.

If you suspect a Nightmare haunting, do not stay in that house.

[close]

Page 6, Shade.

Name: Shade.

Threat Level: Moderate.

Physical Attributes: A vague silhouette in the dark.

Symptoms Of Presence: Abrupt screaming, sporadic violence, light dims, no matter how much it is kindled.

Details: Shades are similar to Allips, in that the same thing that provokes them is fear. Something severe must have happened, to stoke extreme anxiety around other living beings, and it hides away in its lair, giving power to the same pathos that keeps it here. It favors its subtlety like the Nightmare, but, prolonged exposure mounts an increasingly high irritation to them, that will eventually force them to lash out.

Shades have no other grounds of provocation, making them difficult to coax out into a trap, but, they can be temporarily dismissed by the strike of silver or the dash of salt. More often than not, a Shade's haunt is gradually dissipated by continual, timely visits. Set a schedule of who enters that area, clean, cook, partake in leisurely activity, then leave. Continue this, for longer and longer periods, and restart only if the Spirit strikes out. When it finds comfort in your presence, its fear dissipates, and it fades into the next.

[close]

Page 7, Banshee.

Name: Banshee.

Threat Level: Extreme.

Physical Attributes: Branch-like, wilting posture, transparent appearance.

Symptoms Of Presence: Deafening silence. There is no howling of wind, no bird or bug song, no scattering of sound in each step. Further confirmation can be found by dead wildlife surrounding the area.

Details: Just as fear and anger are powerful impulses of pathos, love can be undying, granting one the patience to await an eternity. Thus it creates Sonus Banshees, who watch over a region from on high, and scream not to slay, but to warn those who frequent their realm of imminent danger. They are a goodly omen, from which the Sonus name originates; "good fortune".

This love, however, can be poisoned. Visions of their beloved's demise can cause them grief, and force them to wail in pain, or their betrayal after an eternity of faithfulness, can birth hatred, that forces them to thirst for destruction of all once held dear. The banshee is a force of nature, and reckoned with only by the destruction of what causes them their pain (typically, in this instance, the animator who summoned them from the grave, or the destroyed image of whom spurns them), or, while temporarily silenced from an exchange, burying their loved one or now-deceased descendant upon their grounds. Upon manifesting again, they will be compelled to behold them, and, with them in their custody, they will return to the grave.

A Banshee is best battled from afar. Protecting your ears will not protect you from its scream, for it is so loud that it will liquidate your innards and cause the pressure within your head to explode. It is best to use conjured fodder that cannot be put to death, such as animated weaponry, as Banshees are capable of dispelling magic. Giving them a clear target to dispel you of your protections is a death sentence.

[close]

Page 8, Spectre.

Name: Spectre.

Threat Level: Moderate.

Physical Attributes: Vague humanoid shape, deathly shroud that conceals all identifying features.

Symptoms Of Presence: A wandering stranger, that leaves no mark.

Details: Spectres are the end result of tampering with the soul. What remains of what has been stolen is a consciousness, lacking identity or memories. It is a bitter, resentful entity, quick to anger, and swift to depart, or make its home from beyond the glaring eye of the outside world. Because of this lack of identity, it cannot manifest itself in the visage of its former identity, thus, a spectre always takes a singular universal appearance, vague as it is.

Spectres are laid to rest by rite or contest of arms. The former method of the divine's embrace is preferable to destruction, as what awaits them is oblivion, if destroyed by violence.

[close]

Page 9, Poltergeist

Name: Poltergeist

Threat Level: Ranges, based on the room it haunts.

Physical Attributes: Shapeless, acting solely through the belongings present.

Symptoms of Presence: Doors shutting by themselves, cabinets clattering, things being thrown across the room without anyone in it to do so.

Details: A Poltergeist is a spirit that is bound by its inability to let go. What it inhabits, is theirs, and those who hope to take it, must be repulsed by all means, even by deadly force. In many ways, it is likened to an octopus, clinging to everything that it belongs to, and with a flex of its will, may manipulate what is theirs, like the flexing a limb. This could be a glass jar, or a stone table. They lack the perception to see the damage they cause of their coveted treasure, only that it is theirs, like an extension of the body, and can be brought to bare against any who would chance upon their lair.

A Poltergeist's strength is deceptively powerful. It can lift tonnes without effort, and launching is just as simple. Whether its aim is true or not, is dependent on the spirit in specific.

Poltergeists are a spirit that requires specific techniques to exorcise, but, to stop a haunt in the short term, the smell of burning sage's white smoke is enough to lull them into a still state. To hasten the process along, while this sage is burning, make an effort to empty the room of all things, and clear the floor for a ritual circle. Line doorways and passages with salt, so that it cannot recall its possessions back to it, and cause harm to the rest of the area. If this an outdoor area, make a dike with stones, and line it with salt.

[close]

Page 10, Qareen.

Name: Qareen.

Threat Level: Moderate.

Physical Attributes: A reflection of its victim, its face backwards.

Symptoms Of Presence: A shadow slightly out of sync with who casts it. The victim's reflection has edges of someone, as if hiding behind them. Intrusive thoughts you had previously had not considered.

Details: The Qareen - or Constant Companion - is a petty spirit from beyond the pale. It covets the attention of those it haunts, constantly trying to draw their attention, lead them to the path of sin, and lash out to the outside world, that tries to divert the attention of the victim from the qareen. It can be exorcised without an exorcist, through great personal effort. Leading an exemplary life, ignoring its attempts, expressions of empathy and admitting fault of its wrong-doings can cause it to lose its grasp on the victim, and fade away. It shall be a long, and irritable encounter the whole while, however.

[close]

Page 11, Shiqq.

Name: Shiqq.

Threat Level: High

Physical Attributes: One leg, one arm, one half of its face, one tail draped across its hip.

Symptoms Of Presence: Inexplicable, accelerated aging and rotting of those in its presence for prolonged periods, premature death from old age.

Details: The Shiqq spirit is another entity from beyond the pale, who seeks to shape the spawn of the earth as clay, into a vision it sees as superior. Its creations come in many shapes, but are all to a deadly effect - notably the Nasnas, as previously written, who, despite being half-complete, are sentient, lightning-fast and deadly to the touch.

A Shiqq is a spirit that is difficult to make manifest and exorcise, as it functions almost like a puppeteer, acting through the world with its creations, but, it is said a potter with exceptional craftsmanship once created a vessel that seduced the Shiqq so much that it wanted to inhabit the vessel, and was cast back to eternal boundary by its sundering.

[close]

Page 12, Jann.

Name: Jann.

Threat Level: Low.

Physical Attributes: An intangible thing, that takes shape only by the elements currently presented.

Symptoms Of Presence: Sightings of sudden storms, or talking albino creatures that appear at random in the desert.

Details: Since the Celestial Realignment, Jann are the closest thing to what the new world has to angels. They measure the bearing of individuals, in moments of need, and should they prove worthy, may offer them shelter in the form of storms, or lead them to oasis's where water and food can be found.

No exorcism required.

[close]

Page 13, Hatiff.

Name: Hatiff.

Threat Level: High.

Physical Attributes: Crocodile-like fish appearances, seen only through the reflection of water, or during a mirage.

Symptoms Of Presence: The random voice of those the victim holds close.

Details: The Hatiff is a presence from beyond the pale that hungers for the souls of the living, yet is hamstrung by its lack of physical profile. In an effort to feed, the Hatiff uses theatricality and deception to lead the unwary astray, and into imminent danger, only to reap the rewards upon their demise.

An exorcist is required for the specific techniques of isolating and containing the Hatiff, but, in the meanwhile, so long as you pay no heed to these calls, it cannot physically harm you.

[close]

----

Chapter Three: The Intruders.

The Celestial Realignment is a recent phenomena, as recent as ten years, and its happening drastically changed the Cosmic Equation in ways many are still unsure.

Previously considered outliers, the Djinn's new positions in the balance of power has made them dangerous, and has put them at the heart of the conflict of power in The Great Disc. Outsiders, previously beyond the realm of the divine, have seeped through the barrier now in flux.

Information on this subject is presently sparse. In the meantime, this is what information can be published with certainty.

There is four Courts of the Djinn, that are perversions of the material world's binding spokes, or attributes of said spoke: Blood, Shadow, Flesh and Light. Their method of operations are unknown, only that they are at odds with each other.

Just the same, there is two outsider powers that give them cause for concern.

The first, are The Scribeless, who are entities that are attempting to reach the present by worming through the future and past divide.

The second, are the Pelagic, who are things that hide beyond the stars, awaiting for them to align, and all prerequisites to be fulfilled. Their traces can still be found alongside Luca Ferra, and The Slumbering Idiot God.

For a more nuanced professional opinion on this subject, seek presently-Apothar Cosine Mevura, and Atticus Naros.

Peace be upon you.
----

Rather than have a whole multi-hour conversation, where information gets lost or the information gets diluted in picking apart the nitty gritty, I thought I could submit my thoughts for whoever felt like coding to edit to their leisure or harvest some of these ideas as they are.

Hell you could ignore this entire thread if you want, you don't owe me anything.



1) Fighter perk usage:

A simple one, but an easy one: Fighter perks are 1/day. It doesn't feel very lively for the flavor of the perks.

VP made a suggestion years ago, but, I still think it's the right one: an easy way to address this, is make their perks a 1/5 or 10 minute CD.

If this becomes a thing, the nudges pure Fighter would need from thereon, are minimal.



2) Fighter perks and their 1/day abilities:

Some Fighter perks are lasting the test of time, but, some could use some touch-ups. Their 1/day perks lift them up in some regards, and, if they're accessible on a 5/10 minute counter, rather than a 1/day perk, I think it completes them.

(list provided by Bookworm in a conversation and I definitely agree that they need touch-ups, some major, some minor.)



- Squire

Squire gets Disarm for free, which is nice, and allows you to get Improved Disarm for the same price. Persuade, Lore and Concentration skill bonuses is also pretty handy, the former for politically active characters, the latter for enduring taunt checks.

The +2 charisma bonus at 8 is sort of whatever but I don't think dead levels for fighter perks is bad, when they already get Improved Criticals or Improved Knockdown at 8. I don't think it needs *too* much, just the aforementioned 1/cooldown bonus. You could stand to give it an additional +1 Persuade, Lore and Concentration, to help it along for its lower charisma modifier than one might expect from Bards, Politician Rogues and Paladins, as well as make it just that tiny bit harder to taunt.


 
- Vigilante & Rabel.

Vigilante fits a theme. +2 dodge AC vs chaotic and +1d4 bludgeoning vs chaotic is sweet. I think Rebel's level 8 perk could stand to match Vigilante's, though, except it's versus lawful instead of chaotic.





- Witchhunter.

I don't actually know what Witchhunter's potions give, but, maybe make their perk +2 GMW for 10 turns?

If their temporary potions don't count towards the potion cap, even better!





- Slaver

Slaver has some doodads that are nice. Tanglefoot Bags could be made temporary tanglefoot bag throwables (we can call them Mancatching Nets, or something, I unno'.) that are gained on rest and lost on reset. The rest feels right, and with their 1/day cooling down, their ability to snag people feels useful and is thematically cool.



- Marksman/Sharpshooter

Marksman/Sharpshooter gets unique ammunition, which is nice, but too little.

I'd give it a whole makeover, rather than adding to it.

Naga had a great idea here ages ago, which was:

level 1: +2 mighty on equipped bows/crossbows.

level 5: +3 mighty on equipped bows/crossbows, gain custom ammunition on rest (as it is currently).

level 8: +4 mighty on equipped bows. No +2 dexterity gain, like as is.

Vlaid also had a good idea, on making crossbows the 20/x3 ranged weapons, and bows the 19-20/x2 weapons, but that's starting to stray into another topic.





- Hound Master:

Hound Master is... not very good. Losing your dog and having to start all over is a pain in the butt. This one would probably need the most heavy work. It also treads on the toes of Rangers and Druids, who's Animal Companions are not good, and meant to be auxiliary damage (presumably, because their statlines are so low, and only a few of them have any gains like Spider with Poison on hit, and Hyena with 1d6 sneak attacks.).

I'd personally suggest making their dog be summoned at the last stage of its development, right off the bangle, and make it last like a summon monster trinket at the minimum caster level.

Their level 5 gain is 2/- piercing, and gain +3 spot, listen, search, instead of +2.

Their level 8 gain is 2/- slashing.



- Duelist & Pit Fighter.

I don't think Pit Fighter needs *too* much love. It already gains Dodge at 5 for free, and that's one feat less to get Mobility. Getting a +4 dodge AC bonus vs drinking potions or running away from combat is a good deal if it's only one feat. Getting +3 taunt for a class that doesn't get taunt to begin with is great. Its 8 perk is sort of a dead level, but, that's okay too.

Duelist, on the other hand, falls off in comparison to Pit Fighter. Its only gain is Uncanny Dodge at 8, and rather than go through the busy work of remaking both of these, I'd merge them together to make:

Arena Fighter

Level 1:
+3 taunt, +3 parry.

level 5:
Dodge bonus feat.

Level 8:
Uncanny Dodge 1, 10% movement speed.



- Drill Sergeant

Drill Sergeant is, I think, much too niche. Most people being within spitting distance of each other's levels doesn't really get to use much of its level 1 perk. I'd edit the level limit to only to not gain XP if you're higher level than the Drill Sergeant.

I'd make the level 5 perk gain the same bonuses, but at +2, and make them gain intimidate.

Their Master of the Drill ability 2/day would be a perfect fit to combo with their 1/day ability, were the 1/day limitation changed to 1/5-10 minutes.




- Desert Warrior

Desert Warrior gives a +2 fortitude save bonus for free, which is nice. Their bonuses vs fire are niche but potentially useful if comboed with a spellcaster who's using fire spells, and can just drop them on top of you.

I think their damage shield does too little damage and could stand to be upped to match Death Armor.




- Brawler

Brawler, what sets it apart from a Monk, I think, is that it's more like a wrestler. Their feats let them take stuff like Improved Disarm and Improved Knockdown instead. I think if you wanted to lean into that theme, you could give them knockdown and disarm as bonus feats at 1, so long as they have no weapons equipped in their hands.



- Bodyguard

I love the theme of Bodyguard, as someone who's an infallible shield man to a person of interest. Their bonuses fall short of Laysword, but, I think Bodyguard has room for something fun to be done to it.

Level 1:
Bodyguard Defensive Token

(Click someone to designate who you're guarding. While they are in a large radius next to you, they gain +1 to Dodge AC.)

Level 5:
Replace Bodyguard Defensive Token with Bodyguard Attentive Token
(Click someone to designate who you're guarding. While they are in a large radius next to you, they gain +1 to will saves, and +1 Dodge AC.)

Level 8:
Replace Bodyguard Defensive Token with Bodyguard Cover Token
(Click someone to designate who you're guarding. While they are in a large radius next to you, they gain +1 to will saves, +1 Dodge AC, and 20% Concealment.)



- Vagabond (Bookworm didn't mention this one, I wanted to bring it up though.)

Vagabond was fixed so that you couldn't "buff into" a higher bonus while wearing medium or light armor. I feel like that sort of takes away from why people chose the perk to begin with, for 2 extra armor AC that can't be used in tandem with Magic Vestment cast from someone else. If it made a return to that, I'm sure this feat would be perfectly useful.


- Bravo (She didn't add this either, but, I thought, what the heck, why not, right?)

Bravo is going to get outshined by Fencer pretty quickly, and, that's Fencer's gimmick, so, everything as it should be.

If you wanted to keep this around, I'd just mesh all of the one handed bonus together. +1 AB, +1 Dodge AC, +2 positive damage, and keep their activated perk the same.

Temporarily removed due to spoilers.

What?: Rogues get simple weapon proficiency.

Why?: Rogues get pretty much every simple weapon at their disposal, save for the sickle and spear. I feel that fits weirdly, both thematically and mechanically. I can't imagine giving them the starting feat would upset any careful balance. Especially since you can just take Martial Weapon Proficiency and skip having to take Simple Weapon Proficiency.

In the Underweald, ring 98, the quest The Webbed Tunnels offers very little XP as a level 8 quest, despite the danger it poses. As of my last count, as a level 8 pure class, this quest only gives 67 XP.

I think it could stand to be increased to 200 XP, like other harder level 8 quests.

In addition, the random spawns in 99, that can be found in the Water Garden, give an XP payout similar to The Webbed Tunnel quest.

[Expertise]

Having actually sat down to play a character that takes these feats, I noticed a flaw inherit to both the feat Whirlwind Attack and the prerequisites leading up to it.

Simply put; Whirlwind Attack, while better than where it was in pre-EE, where it inflicted an attack penalty, on top of its 1/APR penalty, is still feat heavy for a combat maneuver that is sometimes situationally useful but otherwise medicore.

I'm suggesting Expertise is removed from the feat prerequisite. It makes the feat one less dependent and, if you ask my opinion, it makes sense. Mobility, Dodge and Spring Attack are all dextrous feats, but, Expertise is seated in an INT prerequisite that feels kind of weird for something that's all reflex and hand-eye coordination.

In addition, I'd like to suggest Spring Attack gets some love. The feat is effectively dead weight. It works at random intervals, NWN is finnicky in deciding what movement was made in combat, and, you can get the same effect of taking tumble ranks, no feat required. At least Mobility gives you a +4 AC bonus to all AOOs and Dodge works a little bit more often than Spring Attack.

While I'm okay with the feat staying as a prerequisite to Whirlwind Attack, I feel it should come with some goodies.

To that end, I suggest Spring Attack receive an additional +1 (or, +2, even!) reflex save bonus. The feat still requires two feats to actually take, so, if you're building a high save character, you can't swerve off to acquire both feats, take Spring Attack, then hope to fill the rest of your feat tax without making serious sacrifices.

What?: Light Flail being changed so that its crit range is 19-20/x2.

Why?: I think it needs just a little push to be its own, and match its bigger brother Heavy Flail. Otherwise the Morningstar outpaces it in having a purpose, being able to check DI with both bludgeoning and piercing, and as a simple weapon, no less. The Light Flail is a martial weapon.