A letter to Ratislav and the Torchbearers

[Poolson]

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.

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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.

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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.

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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]

[caesaropapist]

Somewhere in the annals of the Fourth Legion barracks, an overworked soldier makes an addendum to a case file.
There is no response to this letter.

[Poolson]

Dear reader,

Given new information in the investigation process, some details are being changed.

Line two: Description. This will be changed to a slithering, tentacled mass, prone to wearing corpses atop its tendrils.

Adding to detail list, just under line eight: Nimbleness. This will be added, to include its ability to shift weight throughout its body, allowing it to move with deadly stillness. Potions of Clairvoyance will be required to even make the attempt to discover it, as well as bright light sources.

Line nine: Nature. We have confirmed, at unfortunately great expense, that it is not undead in nature, but indeed otherworldly. It is an evil creature, born of a viscous material that is as dense and dark as oil.

Rather than searching old methods to this intruder, I am presently studying local histories that might have a greater chance of success.

All information regarding The Watchers should be forwarded to me.

Write to me soon,
Mare Strider.

[Poolson]

Dear reader,

A personal failing on my part, but, two pieces of information were failed to be catalogued.

Detail one: Hardiness. It can withstand even divine energy, positive energy, negative energy and magic force. It is immovable to all forms of harm.

Detail two: Its tendrils also serve as feelers, allowing it to feel the vibrations of a victim's presence, serving as an auxiliary set of sensory organs. Invisibility will make it harder to be latched onto by the creature, but it will still follow you.

As an update to the method of binding the intruder, you will have an answer as soon as this weekend.

Signed,
Mare Strider.

[Poolson]

Dear reader, this will be my last report.

Final conclusion.

Its core suggests it is more liquid than a solid, slithering mass. While it cares nothing for the bite of frost, is it still beyond ambient temperature freezing?

Initial aversion to the Well was presumed that it was out of its territory. Now, it would highly suggest that it is repelled by the mist of Well Water. It is an irritant on its skin at worst, and something that causes great pain at best.

It is repelled by sunlight.

It cannot leave The Shade, as observed by Sammar and other participants. Curious as to what happens if it is forced out.

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Additional actions to take:

Option 5, Containment.

Success chance: 70%. Fluctuations dependent on participants. For the best outcome, all participants who are the current target of fixation should be present and ready to defend themselves.

Components required:

- One fletcher or tinkerer, who can create a custom munition. Wajeeb is a good candidate. Magesilver, Quicksilver or Alchemist's Gold, make for good munitions against creatures of a supernatural nature.

- One alchemist, who can create an alchemical solution that would rapidly grow in heat until it can turn water to mist. Apothar Estellise Azimi would be a perfect candidate but others can suffice.

- One archer, the best shot in the entirety of Ephia's Well. The munition will have to be shot by bow. Preferably one that can make use of a scroll, or potion, of True Strike. Sephidra of the Torchbearers is the perfect candidate.

- One sharpened stone of Basalt Rock. It is a hydrophobic stone, that parts and repels all liquid. Consulting architects of Banafsi who work with the stone can confirm its reliability underwater until pressure grows too severe, ideal for surface projects, but nothing underground that runs deep. This was purchased with combined funds of Legate Marcellus Saenus, Atticus Norva, myself and the Torchbearers.

Future allocation is highly unlikely, the longer we wait. Qa'im's alliance with Banafsi will most likely lead to closed ports.

Basalt is chosen, as it is more likely to pass through its liquid-like core, unlike most attacks, that seem to bounce off of it, or wedge itself within, before being deflected. Testing it with the sample harvested from the after-attack on dearest Hekatomb, it seems to lose its adhesive quality, and does not stick to the stone, making it easy for collecting, and bottling again.

- One spellcaster, who can cast Teleport, or a tool that can replicate the same effect. I personally know no-one who is up to the task. The Astronomers of Q'tolip claim that they can do this with The Shade.

- Prison grounds that cannot be disturbed. Personally, I suggest at the bottom of the Sinking Ocean, as water temperature seem too warm, even at great depths, to cool a well insulated prison. The water's weight may also prove sufficient enough to pin it to the ocean floor.

- A cell attached to boilers and a chamber full of Well Water. The boilers will need to convert the water to mist, and will need to insulate well, to prevent against turning vapors back into water. Alternatively, a magic prison built with Old City stone. It does not seem capable, or willing, to destroy old architecture quite how it rampages through the Dry Gutters and upper city without a care.

The latter will prove much more dangerous to acquire than the former.

Details: This will be a sortie, to draw its attention, and hold it still long enough for the teleportation to take place.

The arrow, should it find its mark and dispense mist within it, may possibly be enough to stun it in place long enough for either the teleportation to begin, or for shield bearers to get into position, and trap it in place. The idea itself was re-purposes from a salt dispenser munition that was made especially to be launched at phantasms, and cause them to vanish back to the shadows from the scattering of salt.

The teleportation will need to transport it to its prison.

Potions of Death Ward, Haste, DIsplacement, Clarity, Barkskin, and so much more, is mandatory for all participants.

[close]

With your permission, I would like to share this with the Astronomers of Q'tolip, as they have a desire to do so, and your knowledge may prove valuable to them. On whatever basis you would like to wage this exchange on, be it wealth or political favor, I leave that to you, you are my clients.

If you would like to carry out this plan, please pen me so I might adequately prepare.

Otherwise, we may conclude business here and I may forward you the bill, or the city to pay on behalf of its charted guilds and bodies of power.

Signed,
Mare Strider.