[Spiritual Matters]
"Hmm. No. I didn't hear that." Where did the shaman hear what she does know? "So what does bring you to our neck of the woods?"
Morty's Goblin Homes
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
Isaac shrugs. No matter, then. He can explain.
"When you consecrated this place in the name of your people you evicted the spirit who was occupying it. Now he's homeless and is haunting people since he doesn't have his creek."
Isaac shakes his head. "And I'm not pointing fingers or anything, but I was hoping you might have a solution since you managed to kick him out the first time." Preferably without just making it someone else's problem like the hobgoblins did, knowingly or not.
Isaac shrugs. No matter, then. He can explain.
"When you consecrated this place in the name of your people you evicted the spirit who was occupying it. Now he's homeless and is haunting people since he doesn't have his creek."
Isaac shakes his head. "And I'm not pointing fingers or anything, but I was hoping you might have a solution since you managed to kick him out the first time." Preferably without just making it someone else's problem like the hobgoblins did, knowingly or not.
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
The shaman quirks her head, as if in surprise.
"It latched into someone? It's stronger than we gave it credit for. We thought it would disperse into the silent wind. Who is it haunting and why?"
The shaman quirks her head, as if in surprise.
"It latched into someone? It's stronger than we gave it credit for. We thought it would disperse into the silent wind. Who is it haunting and why?"
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
Isaac is a little embarrassed to say it outright.
"Well. It's haunting my girlfriend. It claims that it likes her spirit. I think it's just that she's in the same profession and they have one or two ideals in common at best. He seemed like a piece of work, to be honest."
The spirit was rather blatantly racist.
Isaac is a little embarrassed to say it outright.
"Well. It's haunting my girlfriend. It claims that it likes her spirit. I think it's just that she's in the same profession and they have one or two ideals in common at best. He seemed like a piece of work, to be honest."
The spirit was rather blatantly racist.
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
The old hobgoblin shaman, meanwhile, seems curious. Not an expression you expect to see on someone you wanted to help you.
"How curious. It retained enough of its drives. We underestimated it. Tell me. Who is your girlfriend, who is this spirit and why is it drawn to her?"
The old hobgoblin shaman, meanwhile, seems curious. Not an expression you expect to see on someone you wanted to help you.
"How curious. It retained enough of its drives. We underestimated it. Tell me. Who is your girlfriend, who is this spirit and why is it drawn to her?"
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
"The spirit was a knight in life, I think an elf? I don't know what kind of elf. There's a bunch. I was sensing a capital L on the word Lady though when he talked about who he served. Iknika is an apprentice to a local knight so it decided that they had similar values. Though I'm not sure they do because he's been really racist to basically everyone the entire time besides me."
Isaac would still help him. It's the right thing to do. But he doesn't respect the spirit knight. At all, really.
"The spirit was a knight in life, I think an elf? I don't know what kind of elf. There's a bunch. I was sensing a capital L on the word Lady though when he talked about who he served. Iknika is an apprentice to a local knight so it decided that they had similar values. Though I'm not sure they do because he's been really racist to basically everyone the entire time besides me."
Isaac would still help him. It's the right thing to do. But he doesn't respect the spirit knight. At all, really.
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
"Truly. So your girlfriend isn't a fellow elephant-person, I take it? And he's racist towards everyone except those?" The old shaman seems to be sharper than she perhaps appears. "Though my boy, I must tell you that there was no 'life' for this spirit. It may think it's the soul of a true knight, but that's not likely. It's an idea of an elven knight, a concentrated memory. An unusually resilient one, at that."
"Truly. So your girlfriend isn't a fellow elephant-person, I take it? And he's racist towards everyone except those?" The old shaman seems to be sharper than she perhaps appears. "Though my boy, I must tell you that there was no 'life' for this spirit. It may think it's the soul of a true knight, but that's not likely. It's an idea of an elven knight, a concentrated memory. An unusually resilient one, at that."
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
"You can never tell with these things." Isaac replies to the revelation, shaking his head. There's too many kinds of spirits.
"Humans, actually. I have a smaller shape for when I need to fit in doorframes." he shrugs as this detail is not important. "Do you have any idea how we might cease its hauntings? It can think which means I don't want to just...kill it. But it can't go haunting young apprentices without their consent either." He considered asking one of his "grandparents" to shoo it away but the Grandmaster and his wife didn't know much about combat in life and probably would not actually be able to disperse a warrior spirit.
"You can never tell with these things." Isaac replies to the revelation, shaking his head. There's too many kinds of spirits.
"Humans, actually. I have a smaller shape for when I need to fit in doorframes." he shrugs as this detail is not important. "Do you have any idea how we might cease its hauntings? It can think which means I don't want to just...kill it. But it can't go haunting young apprentices without their consent either." He considered asking one of his "grandparents" to shoo it away but the Grandmaster and his wife didn't know much about combat in life and probably would not actually be able to disperse a warrior spirit.
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
"Eh. Don't take it too personally. The elven knights of the Autumn Lands don't much like anyone." The old shaman starts walking around Isaac, her assistant following along. "We used to live there too, but they hunted us and chased us out. Called us savages and monsters. But if you don't want to scatter it to the winds... you'll need to find it a new sanctum. Somewhere it can mind its own business instead of haunting people. Banishing it would be difficult anyway, if what you've said is true."
"Eh. Don't take it too personally. The elven knights of the Autumn Lands don't much like anyone." The old shaman starts walking around Isaac, her assistant following along. "We used to live there too, but they hunted us and chased us out. Called us savages and monsters. But if you don't want to scatter it to the winds... you'll need to find it a new sanctum. Somewhere it can mind its own business instead of haunting people. Banishing it would be difficult anyway, if what you've said is true."
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
"Where are we going to find that? He's too much of a stiff to stay at Elephant Rock, that's for sure. It's also kind of reserved for the locals. I don't think even I'm allowed there. So yeah, I don't really know where to start on that one." he admits, walking behind the shaman as well.
"Where are we going to find that? He's too much of a stiff to stay at Elephant Rock, that's for sure. It's also kind of reserved for the locals. I don't think even I'm allowed there. So yeah, I don't really know where to start on that one." he admits, walking behind the shaman as well.
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
"Finding an appropriate sanctum isn't going to be easy. The proximity of this one was among the reasons our tribes chose this place to settle down." This might not be what Isaac wanted to hear. "Your other option is to reach an accord with the spirit. So to speak. As stubborn as it might seem to you, it is malleable, like all spirits. It might be possible to have its essence strengthen your girl, instead of haunting her and making rude commentary. If it latched on to her, it clearly means its values resonate with hers strongly enough." She jabs her staff in Isaac's direction. "And she may be more spiritually sensitive than most of our underground cousins."
"Finding an appropriate sanctum isn't going to be easy. The proximity of this one was among the reasons our tribes chose this place to settle down." This might not be what Isaac wanted to hear. "Your other option is to reach an accord with the spirit. So to speak. As stubborn as it might seem to you, it is malleable, like all spirits. It might be possible to have its essence strengthen your girl, instead of haunting her and making rude commentary. If it latched on to her, it clearly means its values resonate with hers strongly enough." She jabs her staff in Isaac's direction. "And she may be more spiritually sensitive than most of our underground cousins."
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
"Hm. Is that more like a negotiation or is it more of a ritual sort of thing? This spirit doesn't seem to work on laws that I've been trained in." Isaac asks, staying on track and ignoring that the shaman has seen through his purposeful not clarifying who Iknika is. He's not a great liar but he is much better at simply shutting up.
"Hm. Is that more like a negotiation or is it more of a ritual sort of thing? This spirit doesn't seem to work on laws that I've been trained in." Isaac asks, staying on track and ignoring that the shaman has seen through his purposeful not clarifying who Iknika is. He's not a great liar but he is much better at simply shutting up.
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
"It's a bit of both. A highly ritualized exchange in which the spirit is convinced to change. Spirits are malleable. His devotion to knightly ideals can be channeled to her benefit. It might not work, but your alternative is finding another appropriate sanctum."
"It's a bit of both. A highly ritualized exchange in which the spirit is convinced to change. Spirits are malleable. His devotion to knightly ideals can be channeled to her benefit. It might not work, but your alternative is finding another appropriate sanctum."
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
"Sounds complicated. Is it something you can teach me? Or will I have to get an expert like you to walk me and Iknika through it?"
From the sound of it bringing the hobgoblins and Iknika together might be a little rocky.
"Sounds complicated. Is it something you can teach me? Or will I have to get an expert like you to walk me and Iknika through it?"
From the sound of it bringing the hobgoblins and Iknika together might be a little rocky.
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
"Teach you? That would take a while." The shaman chuckles. "You seem like a bright lad, but I don't think you have that kind of time. I could conduct the ceremony. But I don't know if any other shamans around here are up to scratch. Do you know of any other such 'experts' as you put it?"
"Teach you? That would take a while." The shaman chuckles. "You seem like a bright lad, but I don't think you have that kind of time. I could conduct the ceremony. But I don't know if any other shamans around here are up to scratch. Do you know of any other such 'experts' as you put it?"
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
"Um." Isaac actually doesn't know a whole lot of people in his field.
"Well I could ask the Grandmaster. But he's like. A ghost. I don't know if they can really do all that while a ghost. But I guess it is a spirit we're talking about."
"Um." Isaac actually doesn't know a whole lot of people in his field.
"Well I could ask the Grandmaster. But he's like. A ghost. I don't know if they can really do all that while a ghost. But I guess it is a spirit we're talking about."
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
"You'd be surprised." The shaman chortles and taps the ground with her cane. "He might just do. Can you bring him here? Between the three of us we might just figure it out. Though it might be best if I don't go underground to talk to the spirit. A hobgoblin shaman in goblin tunnels... tricky business."
"You'd be surprised." The shaman chortles and taps the ground with her cane. "He might just do. Can you bring him here? Between the three of us we might just figure it out. Though it might be best if I don't go underground to talk to the spirit. A hobgoblin shaman in goblin tunnels... tricky business."
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
"Hm. Normally they appear in dreams outside the Rock. I can bring one of the stones from the temple and that MIGHT be enough for him to manifest elsewhere?" Ghosts are weird like that.
"So I'd bring that, along with Iknika and her passenger. That's not too bad."
"Hm. Normally they appear in dreams outside the Rock. I can bring one of the stones from the temple and that MIGHT be enough for him to manifest elsewhere?" Ghosts are weird like that.
"So I'd bring that, along with Iknika and her passenger. That's not too bad."
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
"That's the first step, yes. Then... we'll see." The shaman gets a little more somber. "Things rarely go as planned with spirits. And this process isn't tried often. We will simply need to do our best."
"That's the first step, yes. Then... we'll see." The shaman gets a little more somber. "Things rarely go as planned with spirits. And this process isn't tried often. We will simply need to do our best."
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
"Fair enough. I know these things aren't always an exact science. Um. Same time tomorrow, then?"
He's certainly not going all the way to Underside and back in one day, that's for sure. To say nothing of a detour to Elephant Rock to get a...rock.
"Fair enough. I know these things aren't always an exact science. Um. Same time tomorrow, then?"
He's certainly not going all the way to Underside and back in one day, that's for sure. To say nothing of a detour to Elephant Rock to get a...rock.
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
"Yes, come back at this time. This should be very interesting." The shaman cackles. Hard to say if it's concerning or not.
"Yes, come back at this time. This should be very interesting." The shaman cackles. Hard to say if it's concerning or not.
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
About the same time the next day, Isaac returns (still in his loxodon shape and robe for the sake of formality) holding a large, honestly rather heavy brick that is tied to the ghost of the Grandmaster of Elephant Rock. The ghostly loxodon appears as a heavyset old monk in a well-worn robe not unlike Isaac's current one. He likely spent the entire trip here regaling Iknika with tales of the heroes chosen before Isaac (and slapping the spirit-knight upside the head when he makes comments uncouth for a lady's sworn warrior). Hopefully the sentries were told to expect them.
About the same time the next day, Isaac returns (still in his loxodon shape and robe for the sake of formality) holding a large, honestly rather heavy brick that is tied to the ghost of the Grandmaster of Elephant Rock. The ghostly loxodon appears as a heavyset old monk in a well-worn robe not unlike Isaac's current one. He likely spent the entire trip here regaling Iknika with tales of the heroes chosen before Isaac (and slapping the spirit-knight upside the head when he makes comments uncouth for a lady's sworn warrior). Hopefully the sentries were told to expect them.
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
Iknika does listen to the tales intently. Aside from her interest in knightly stories in general, it distracts her from the constant complaining of the spirit hitching a ride with her. The elf knight has no specific grievances, but the entire situation is suspicious to him.
When they arrive in the hobgoblin settlement again, the sentries do indeed expect them, but they don't seem pleased to see Iknika. The goblin is visibly uncomfortable under the scrutiny.
"I told you they don't like us," she tells Isaac as they ascend the path to the shrine.
"With good reason! Though these savages are hardly better than you are... I did not miss them once we saw them out of our lands." This likely earns him another slap upside the head. "I hope you have a good plan, my lad."
Iknika does listen to the tales intently. Aside from her interest in knightly stories in general, it distracts her from the constant complaining of the spirit hitching a ride with her. The elf knight has no specific grievances, but the entire situation is suspicious to him.
When they arrive in the hobgoblin settlement again, the sentries do indeed expect them, but they don't seem pleased to see Iknika. The goblin is visibly uncomfortable under the scrutiny.
"I told you they don't like us," she tells Isaac as they ascend the path to the shrine.
"With good reason! Though these savages are hardly better than you are... I did not miss them once we saw them out of our lands." This likely earns him another slap upside the head. "I hope you have a good plan, my lad."
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
"Well, their shaman doesn't seem to care. And that's the only one that matters today." Isaac shrugs.
"What lands? You're a spirit. You never had lands." Isaac asks.
He should be able to lead the group back to the grove on his own if the sentries let them pass.
"Well, their shaman doesn't seem to care. And that's the only one that matters today." Isaac shrugs.
"What lands? You're a spirit. You never had lands." Isaac asks.
He should be able to lead the group back to the grove on his own if the sentries let them pass.
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
The spirit continues to protest, but it's likely unheeded. Iknika, meanwhile, is reassured by Isaac. He's right; if the shaman accepts her presence that's what matters.
The old shaman is indeed waiting for them in the shrine. A circle was made of pieces of wood and bone, with three positions on its edges and one in the middle. Incense is burning, its smoke having a strong, sweet smell that makes one's head spin. No other hobgoblins are visible here.
"Welcome, welcome. You must be the grandmaster the lad mentioned. And you must be his girlfriend." She points her staff at the ghost and then at Iknika. "We will take positions at the edges of the circle. You, young lady, will sit in the middle. You will need to repeat a chant after me. Our goal is to lie the spirit bare and expose its essence. The ideas from which it's formed. Then we can persuade it to express them in a way that's more to her liking, instead of harassing her."
The spirit continues to protest, but it's likely unheeded. Iknika, meanwhile, is reassured by Isaac. He's right; if the shaman accepts her presence that's what matters.
The old shaman is indeed waiting for them in the shrine. A circle was made of pieces of wood and bone, with three positions on its edges and one in the middle. Incense is burning, its smoke having a strong, sweet smell that makes one's head spin. No other hobgoblins are visible here.
"Welcome, welcome. You must be the grandmaster the lad mentioned. And you must be his girlfriend." She points her staff at the ghost and then at Iknika. "We will take positions at the edges of the circle. You, young lady, will sit in the middle. You will need to repeat a chant after me. Our goal is to lie the spirit bare and expose its essence. The ideas from which it's formed. Then we can persuade it to express them in a way that's more to her liking, instead of harassing her."
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
Isaac nods after a brief wave of greeting.
"Ho! That is correct. I am Isaac's guide, mentor, honorary grandfather, and other such things. You may call me Grandmaster. It was my real title in life, I assure you. Worked very hard for it. I think this is debatably outside the scope of my work, but I wasn't about to say no. You ah, just stick the stone on the edge, Isaac. Make sure it's not IN the circle. I'm not here for any sort of spirit surgery, thank you very much."
Properly speaking, the loxodon of Elephant Rock generally stick to their own realm and only venture outside of it on very specific kinds of business. Even their dead. They are facilitators of others' destinies. They ensure the heroes of other realms get to save their world and get home for supper to tell about it.
...Iknika is not a chosen hero but she assuredly has her own destiny. And perhaps the Grandmaster simply doesn't mind doing a favor for his favorite not-actually-grandson.
Isaac chuckles and tries to find a nice spot for the stone. The Grandmaster has to stay within about ten feet of it here in the Nexus, being bound to the temple. This would be easier if they had the meeting in a dream...
Isaac nods after a brief wave of greeting.
"Ho! That is correct. I am Isaac's guide, mentor, honorary grandfather, and other such things. You may call me Grandmaster. It was my real title in life, I assure you. Worked very hard for it. I think this is debatably outside the scope of my work, but I wasn't about to say no. You ah, just stick the stone on the edge, Isaac. Make sure it's not IN the circle. I'm not here for any sort of spirit surgery, thank you very much."
Properly speaking, the loxodon of Elephant Rock generally stick to their own realm and only venture outside of it on very specific kinds of business. Even their dead. They are facilitators of others' destinies. They ensure the heroes of other realms get to save their world and get home for supper to tell about it.
...Iknika is not a chosen hero but she assuredly has her own destiny. And perhaps the Grandmaster simply doesn't mind doing a favor for his favorite not-actually-grandson.
Isaac chuckles and tries to find a nice spot for the stone. The Grandmaster has to stay within about ten feet of it here in the Nexus, being bound to the temple. This would be easier if they had the meeting in a dream...
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
"If everything works as planned, our world and the spirit world will bleed together and the spirit will appear to us as it exists on that plane. Or as much as we can perceive it in that form." The shaman points at Isaac from her place. "Since your grandfather and I will be maintaining the effect, it will be your job to go in and help your lady love shape the spirit to a more useful expression. It won't require a lot of mystic expertise. Just your wits and knowing what she needs."
"If everything works as planned, our world and the spirit world will bleed together and the spirit will appear to us as it exists on that plane. Or as much as we can perceive it in that form." The shaman points at Isaac from her place. "Since your grandfather and I will be maintaining the effect, it will be your job to go in and help your lady love shape the spirit to a more useful expression. It won't require a lot of mystic expertise. Just your wits and knowing what she needs."
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
"Going into the circle? Or into the spirit world itself?" Isaac asks, idly turning his staff in his hands. The mace-end makes it look a little threatening but it's been a very long time since Isaac actually swung it at anything.
"I know what she needs, at least."
"Going into the circle? Or into the spirit world itself?" Isaac asks, idly turning his staff in his hands. The mace-end makes it look a little threatening but it's been a very long time since Isaac actually swung it at anything.
"I know what she needs, at least."
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
[Spiritual Matters]
"Your mind will go into the circle, not your body. But yes." The shaman taps her cane against the ground. "You will go... to the edge. Where our worlds bleed together. We can't go to the spirit world itself, nor could we survive if we did."
"Your mind will go into the circle, not your body. But yes." The shaman taps her cane against the ground. "You will go... to the edge. Where our worlds bleed together. We can't go to the spirit world itself, nor could we survive if we did."
Re: Morty's Goblin Homes
Spiritual Matters
Isaac can't help but mentally comment how metal that sounds.
"Alright. I understand. It can't be any worse than the Faerie. And I've survived that." He steps forward to take his place at the circle.
Isaac can't help but mentally comment how metal that sounds.
"Alright. I understand. It can't be any worse than the Faerie. And I've survived that." He steps forward to take his place at the circle.