A Skull Full of Souls

“No don’t! That’s Carrie-Anne! Someone catch her!” Candii wails as Moranth hits the vulture with a spell. She rushes forward. A vain attempt to catch the falling bird.

“Oh, I see. My mistake. I’m not used to friendly things screeching and barreling towards me out of the sky. Here, let me just…” Moranth gestures and speaks a word. Suddenly, a ghostly avatar of his hand appears under Carrie Anne’s limp form and gently catches her. The hand lowers the bird into Candii’s waiting arms.

“Oh my sweet bird, shush now, you are safe. Oh dear, this has been hard on you.”

Rick looks at Krop. “Since when has that ill-tempered bird been anything like sweet?”

Candii spins and glares. “Just because she dislikes you, doesn’t mean she-like, has no feelings. She’s not moving, and her eyes won’t focus. Moranth what did you do?”

Moranth fidgets. “Hmm? Oh, just a little paralyzing spell. She should be fine in a minute.” He turns and eyes the others. “I see that you’ve been conscripted. It shows no sign of duplicity, so I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you’re aiding the guards in whatever is happening at the prison. Please report.”

Rick looks at Krop and the Bulfonian shrugs and makes an after you wave of his hand. Rick nods and begins. “Gday bloke. Well, the skinny is that our bird there had a right fit the whole time Julius was imprisoned. We got a bad feeling and decided to calm her down by paying a visit to the clanker. Well, we got within a few blocks of the joint and the bird goes mad. Then, not even two minutes later, the constabulary does their best imitation of a disturbed anthill. Bells ringing and guards swarming every cranny. Well now, our bird is indicating that her companion Julius is obviously in the middle of the action, and we know him well enough that we know he wouldn’t cause a ruckus like this without reason. So we convince the guards to conscript us and we go in. Well, I won’t bore you with the unnecessaries, but three prisoners were not in their places. And they were our crew. Julius had vanished, mid-word, by our rogue’s reporting. They got worried and broke out to check on him. Which, you know, is legal for adventurers who suspect others to be in danger so long as they go back into custody when the immediate danger passes. Which they did, I might add. So, the reports say that Julius said something about a squirrel that did some kind of transformation before he got hit with a silence spell. On investigation of the cell, I found evidence of stone shaping and followed the warping out here. We were just running out of trail when you showed up and zapped our pet.”

Candii groans and covers her face with her hands. “This is why I make the reports.”

Rick nods. “Right? It’s hard yakka to do all this talking.”

Moranth holds up his hand. “So the alarm was because someone kidnapped your skeleton?”

Rick nods, then shakes his head. “Yes–no–I don’t think the alarm was ever triggered for Jules. I think it was triggered because Big Moe was looking for Jules and someone noticed him. Also, I can tell you're a ranked guildie. But who are ya?”

“Ah yes, I am guild master Moranth head of this chapter of the guild and the surrounding region.”

Candii frowns. “I knew you were high-ranked, but why would-like, the biggest boss of the area, want to personally debrief me?”

Rick flutters over to her chest and points at her chest. “I can think of a couple of reasons he might be interested in your briefs.”

She screeches in embarrassment and tries to swat him out of the air. “You did not just say that in front of the Regional Guild master, bitch!”

Krop sidles over to Moranth. “Hrrwwrk, sorry about them, our party’s never been great at decorum. Any chance you can wake Carrie up? She was looking for Julius and as she’s his familiar, she might know where he’s been taken.”

Moranth chuckles. “You wouldn’t believe how many parties have similar problems. Something in the mindset of those who choose the life of adventure makes acting restrained and respectfully difficult. No need for any treatment. Look, she’s rousing now.” It is true. Candii is screaming and trying to hit Rick with a broom she summons from nowhere. All while gently cradling the bird in her other hand. Carrie-Anne begins twitching and flapping. She makes slurred squawks every time Candii’s motions jostle her. Moranth looks at Krop. “Interesting facts about familiars: First, they don’t actually die. In this case, it would remove her from the situation as if she’d died, but she’d return just as soon as Julius resummoned her. Second, she’s not really a vulture. She’s a–” He waves his hand and a small pulse of energy erupts from him and travels in every direction. His eyes flick to several places, almost seeming to peer through walls before they focus again on Carrie. “--Fey being. One of the minor formless entities that float in the ethereal, seeking sources of power from which to feed.”

Krop blinks in confusion, Moranth sees his expression and continues. “Oh, not like that. While an entity like that is too mindless not to feed if allowed, its strength in such a formless state is less than a mosquito’s.” He ponders for a second before continuing. “Think of them as little hungry clouds of mist. They can’t really hurt things and can be rebuffed easily. Also, they are hazy and basically intangible, so they’re hard to destroy or even notice. But every once in a while, A summoner like Julius here casts a spell. In his case, I expect the classic Call Familiar spell. And some nearby little fey cloud got lucky enough to get sucked in and shaped by the spell. The cloud gains significant strengths by filling this shape. It gives them some consciousness, a corporeal nature, a natural mana source, and many other small boons. Meanwhile, the summoner gains an absolutely loyal servant. One that is able to deliver spells, obey orders, and accomplish many other useful tasks. One that subsists on the tiniest trickle of their mana and cannot truly be destroyed, only temporarily dissipated.” He smiles at the bird even as it glares at him. Now very much awake.

Krop raises his hand. “Hrrworrk, But, Carrie-Anne has a personality and free will. She commonly sides with the party against Julius when he gets out of hand. Hwwwwoooork, So how is she perfectly loyal?”

Moranth raises his eyebrow. “Fascinating. The answer is as simple as it is remarkable. Julius decides the shape of her container upon casting. If she acts with free will, it is because he made her capable of it. That’s well within the scope of the spell, but no mage would consider fiddling with their loyalty under normal circumstances. It risks you getting betrayed or at least poorly obeyed at inopportune moments. That, and such unformed entities find nothing onerous about being bound. To them, it’s just the price for such an extravagant feast and elevation of their capabilities. Plus, Fey, Celestine, and Abyssal entities like that aren’t always morally aligned with you, and they may commit undesirable actions if given autonomy.” He stares even more intently at Carrie, who still tries to glare back, but is growing increasingly unsettled by this monster of a mage's analytical regard. Also, she really wants to take them to Julius.

“Hrrrcroak, so why is that fascinating rather than just odd or substandard?”

“Hmm? Oh, because it’s more than just free will. All fey, all the being types actually, have instinctual predilections. In the fey’s case. Their species have a deep connection to the concepts of balance, conflict, and exchange. They are also wild or feral, and thus highly motivated to seek things that help them grow and propagate. Just as the celestines are connected to order, preservation, and purity. The Abyssal are of Chaos, entropy, and corruption. Their instincts would push them to try to take power from others, for the fey that would be things like using their native magics to trap you with your own words, promises made, joking offers, and colloquialisms taken as literal. She should be trying to get you and others to agree to give her power. Or by killing, all can grow by taking a tithe from the lives of their foes. Thus, it would be considered foolhardy. And yet…” He stares at Carrie-Anne. Who continues to behave as nothing more than a sapient vulture worried about her summoner. “Your missing friend just keeps getting more interesting. I believe that he somehow shaped the vessel with a desire for a true companion. Maybe he was lonely and instinctively imbued a spark of true sentience into her. It’s almost as if…”

Moranth peers at her. Staring deeply into her as if he could read the animating spirit that flows through her. “Tears of the dead gods! She’s got a soul!” He reels back, his shock forcing him upright with sheer surprise. “I take back what I said about her not dying if killed. I’ve no idea what would happen to her soul! I must get this Julius back. I could fill an academic Journal on his alterations of this spell alone.”

Carrie twitches and stares at him as he says Julius’ name. She scraws and struggles trying to get free.

Moranth blinks at her and then nods. He takes a few seconds, chanting and gathering power as he creates an orb of green light in his palm before it turns into a circlet of light that he then places on his brow. “Can you hear me, little bir–I mean Carrie-Anne? Sorry, it’s difficult to filter thoughts.”

Carrie-Anne freezes and tilts her head. “I can hear him. How strange, he did not talk. I wonder how to talk back.”

A chuckle rumbles through her mind. “Just like that little–Carrie. Just think your words.” Rick, Candii, and Krop all watch as surprise, confusion, alarm, and then excitement cross the bird’s surprisingly emotive face. Moranth smiles and holds up a finger to them. “Carrie-Anne, do you know where Julius is? Is he unharmed? Can you show me?”

Carrie-Anne’s eyes light up and she bounces eagerly. “Yesyesyes Ifoundhimaliveunderspiky buildingnearby! HissparkisdarkandIworrybutIcoughtaglimpse!”

Moranth’s eyes bulge and he winces away. His hand raises as if to block a jet of liquid from hitting his face. “Please, be calm. You’re too loud and thinking too fast for me to understand.” He blinks a few tears out of his eyes and coughed awkwardly. “She uh–She got a little excited and loud when she realized she could talk. It was hard to understand most of it, but it’s pretty clear she knows where he was taken, at least. I couldn’t understand where, but let me try something.” Once again, he smiles at Carrie. “How about this? Can you remember the building that he was under?”

“Yes.”

“Good, now picture how it looks, what you saw of the structures surrounding it. That’s it. Good. Now remember the path you took to get from there to us. Great work. Focus on it as if you were trying to remember every sight every blink. perfect–Ah, oops. I am sorry for that. I thought you were sent by the kidnappers to impede the investigation. Alright, I know where we need to go now. Is there anything else you wanted me to know? Anything about Julius or the place we’re going?

Carrie thought about it. Her mind focuses on how deep underground he felt, on how his connection kept dimming and darkening, and how tired she feels.

“Ahh, I see. Thank you. And here, I daresay it isn’t a perfect substitute for your bond with Julius, but it should keep you functioning for the day. You’ll have to return to me to refill it if we can’t free him by then.” Moranth pulls a shiny blue stone full of glittering gold and flakes of silver. A hole has been drilled through it. He speaks a spell, and it glows briefly with a blue nimbus before fading again. He pulls a little leather strap out of a pocket, threads it through the stone, and ties it around her neck. Almost immediately, she relaxes a little. She still worries about Julius and wishes to find him, but the feeling that her entire existence is at stake calms. She gives Moranth’s fingers a nibble and nuzzle of gratitude, and takes to the air. Circling the group.

“Not to crack the whip or anything, mate. But where’s Julius?” Rick asked.

Moranth turns to look meaningfully at Candii. “Under the cathedral of Salvatore’s Service.”

She sighs. “Sometimes I-like, hate it when I’m right.”

Moranth nods and frowns. “There’s a conflict of interest here.”

Rick crosses his arms. “And you're planning on doing something about it?”

Moranth stares thoughtfully at Rick. “Actually yes.”

“Gonna tell us to naff off and let someone else handle the run-up?”

“Not exactly.” Moranth turns to the scribe and guardsman, Rothschild. “You two, please report to your commanding officer. Tell him we’ve tracked down the suspected location of their missing prisoner. Tell him Guild master Moranth has issued a command for a full search and seizure action on his authority and will be present for the raid. My instructions are that we will meet here in exactly 10 hours to execute. also, inform him that the missing prisoner has been confirmed abducted against his will and is not to be assaulted so long as he does not attempt to resist custody.”

Rick glares at Moranth as the two depart. “Ten hours? You trying to give me a reason to go rogue? Might I remind you that they were aiming to kill us out in those woods? Sod that for a game of soldiers! I’m thinking of going in now.”

Moranth’s eyes flash dangerously, and suddenly Rick remembers that this man might be the first genuine threat he’s faced since the forest. While I understand your impatience, please do remember that I outrank you to a terrifying degree and that I’ve been nothing but supportive and helpful.

The tension between these two powerhouses suddenly became a physical sensation, and Candii and Krop were both forced to their knees as they gasped to breathe through the pressure. One second became two, and two became ten. Tiny sparkles of static filled the vision of the two suppressed adventurers as their wills began to fail. Finally, the tension vanished, and its absence was so jarring that Candii overcompensated, standing up so fast her feet lifted off the ground, and she overbalanced, falling onto her behind. Still tightly clutching the agitated bird.

“Alright, cobber, that’s fair. You explain what those ten hours buy my friend, and I’ll decide whether we do this your way or now.”

Moranth glares at Rick. Part of him is alarmed that he’s preparing to face off with an immortal maximum-category army killer. As a wizard, he generally prefers to face his enemies after spending a couple of weeks researching them and building tools to lock them down. Another part really wants to slap this impulsive little man with a few of the guild commands to show him what happens when you disobey someone who so completely outranks you. But his empathy and professionalism win out. “Acceptable. First that Lapis I gave to the familiar stores a copy of the spell used to summon her. She will slowly drain its power as if it were the power Julius is supposed to supply. But there’s a limit to do it safely. It will slowly–over weeks–corrupt her bond until eventually binding her as my familiar. Assuming I’m forced to refresh that spell, and he can’t reconnect with her. But that isn’t all it can do. She can absorb its energy all at once to gain some of the benefits of the spell. Now, as she’s always been a vulture–to the point of gaining a soul– this might be a bit uncomfortable, but the familiar spell can shape-shift her into any reasonably sized beast she might choose. At my current strength, I can create nine more of those stones. Meaning she should be able to scout large swaths of the underground and better prepare us. A secret society like this is guaranteed to have escape routes. If we charge in now, we all but guarantee that they’ll smuggle your friend away before we ever get close.

Rick nods. “Go on.”

“Well, I should note that every time she activates a transformation, she will use a day’s worth of energy and thus reduce the time it will take for my stopgap measure keeping her alive to change her alignment with Julius. Even using all the stones, she should still belong to Julius for several days, but each day’s worth of degradation will have consequences after seven. I don’t know what they are. I just know that as the bond weakens, it will cause complications. Nonetheless. If I create those gems, she can find Julius and return. Meanwhile, you will stake out the church from above ground and glean what you can. Finally, about eight hours from now, I will have been rested and my mana restored. We will reconvene to plan the raid and execute it and I will personally help get him back. Hopefully, before any lasting harm is done but after we’ve achieved, a much better chance to find and save your friend.”

There’s a significantly heavy silence. Moranth silently prepares a shield spell. “I still don’t like it, but you're mostly talking sense.” There was a collective exhalation from all sides. “Except for one thing. I can go invisible, mate. I’m going in to scout too.”

Moranth thinks about it. “Only if you swear an oath.”

Rick shrugs noncommittally. “State the oath. Then we’ll see.”

“Swear that you will only intercede directly during your run, only to prevent any immediate loss of life. Furthermore, swear that even then your goal will be to escape and bring reinforcements rather than bloodshed. Please understand. I’m not worried about them. It’s you. They know who you are and that you may come after them. Be aware that they probably have countermeasures made explicitly to stop you. I mean, I do, and I’m on your side.”

Rick chuckled. “Very wise. You’re a bad enemy to have, aren’t you?”

Moranth thought carefully about that question. “I can’t remember the last time someone survived going against me. But I do recall it wasn’t in the last century. Do we have an accord?”

“Sure do cobber. I hereby swear to abide by your terms while I am scouting the compound.”

“Even if you are detected?”

“Even then.”

“Then we have an accord.”