Solo The Discipline of Death

In which Aoren begins his steps into Spiritism

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The Discipline of Death

Postby Aoren on September 1st, 2014, 1:07 am

33rd of Summer, 514 AV

Aoren stepped into the classroom where his previous lessons had taken place. He had been attending the College of Djed for two seasons at that point. He had learned quite a great deal in that time. Professor Memry was a skilled teacher who had brought more insight into the weaving of Djed than Aoren had thought possible. Then again his experiences with magic had been limited mostly to what he had been able to perform himself. Before coming to the University he had possessed only the barest rudimentary understanding of what magic really was. He carried with him the supplies necessary for learning: scrolls, ink, quill pens, the materials he would be using to take notes and jot down his thoughts or observations. He learned quickly that the professor, while patient, very much expected that he retain the information she relayed to him.

Good morning, Aoren.” Aoren smiled to the elder woman seated comfortably in a cushioned high back chair. It was not unusual. The professor was often seated during their lessons as she was weak in one leg. The result of stretching herself too thin with one of the disciplines that she practiced.

Good morning, Professor.” She gestured for him to take up a seat just across from her. Aoren did as he was bidden. As he sat he took a look at the table that was situated between the two of them. Assembled on its surface was an array of odd materials he certainly wasn’t expecting to see. There were four bowls sitting in front of him. Three of the bowls contained food, eggs, flour and cheese respectively. The fourth bowl was empty but held two vials.

May I ask what these are for?” Professor Memry had been observing Aoren quietly for a few moments then. She folded her hands in her lap nodding to the materials.

These are the tools you will need to get started in the craft of Spiritism. You did intend to study it, yes?” Aoren blinked. He had been wondering when he was going to begin his studies on the Discipline of the Dead.

Yes, ma’am. But…food? How will that help me to defend against the undead?” Professor Memry shook her head. She tutted softly.

Aoren. I expect more from you. Do not debase yourself by saying such an ignorant thing.” Aoren looked down, chided. He chewed on his bottom lip not quite understanding how he had caused offense.

I apologize, ma’am. It’s just that I do not understand.” The professor rubbed her wrists gently before speaking.

How much do you know of Spiritism?” Aoren resisted the urge to shrug his shoulders. That would have been disrespectful and he had already caused one offense that day. He did not want to cause any more.

Very little. I know that Spiritists protect the living from the undead.” Professor Memry inclined her head.

That is partially correct. A Spiritist is a guide. I should clarify though, ghosts are not undead.” Aoren retrieved a sheet of parchment from his pack along with an inkwell and a quill pen. He opened the inkwell and began taking notes. He had learned to recognize when the professor was beginning a small lecture.
Last edited by Aoren on March 20th, 2015, 4:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Aoren
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The Discipline of Death

Postby Aoren on March 20th, 2015, 3:44 am

Ghosts, the primary reason that Spiritism exists, are a natural occurrence. They are the result of a soul that has not moved on in the cycle of life and death.” Jotting down a few notes, the Drykas quirked an eyebrow.

How does that not make them undead?” The elder woman smiled patiently.

A ghost is a soul that has lost its way. It has not circumvented the cycle of birth and rebirth through unnatural means. Rather, due to unfinished business or a traumatic event it has simply not moved on. An undead is a creature that has disrupted their natural cycle through unnatural means, such as with magic. Their soul is housed by a vessel that is in and of itself, soulless. A ghost is a soul by itself. To put it simply.” Aoren was careful to take note of the differences that the professor pointed out. He scribbled down her explanation in wording that he would remember.

And Spiritists protect against both beings?” The professor shook her head.

The purpose of a true Spiritist is to guide those who have lost their way back through the natural cycle. Yes, a Spiritist is a powerful counter to the havoc that either a ghost or an undead can wreak but that is not their core function. Spiritism is an ancient discipline. Its exact origins have been lost to the annals of history as far as anyone presently knows. As a magic it functions as more of a communion between spirits and the living than it does a weapon against them.” She paused. Aoren waited for the explanation that he knew would follow.

That does not stop many from using it as such though.” Aoren pointed to the bowls containing the different foods.

And those?

Ah, yes. The key tool at a Spiritist’s disposal is Soulmist. Soulmist is the ethereal material of which ghosts are made. The living are not naturally comprised of Soulmist and thus must craft it. There are five components to making Soulmist.” Professor Memry rose from her chair grasping a nearby cane. She made her way over to the table removing the two vials from the fourth bowl then taking up an egg. She cracked the egg on the side of the bowl emptying the shell then tossed the shell into a bin. She added a portion of the flour and then a lump of the cheese.

Combine these materials to create the base of your Soulmist. The final two ingredients?” Aoren dipped the tip of his quill pen into the inkwell then continued writing across the surface of the parchment. He looked up to see that the professor had drawn a knife out of her pocket. He arched an eyebrow then blinked in surprise as she slashed the blade of the knife across her palm. Immediately he felt the gentle nudge of Rak’keli to mend the woman’s wound.
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The Discipline of Death

Postby Aoren on March 20th, 2015, 3:46 am

Ma’am?” Professor Memry took hold of one of the vials then held her hand over it so that the blood began to drip into the vial. She looked up at Aoren, her eyes drifting to the gnosis gracing the right side of his face. She gave him a gentle smile.

I will let you tend to it here in a moment.” He nodded. When she was finished she extended her hand to Aoren. He rose from the desk reaching out to take the professor’s hand gently. Instantly the soothing gift of Rak’keli flowed through him and into the elder woman. He watched closely as the cut mended itself then released her hand once his work was complete. It always amazed him to see the work of the Goddess of Healers. The professor rubbed her palm gently nodding her thanks. She emptied the vial of blood into the bowl with the other ingredients.

Blood is the fourth ingredient. Specifically, blood with a concentrated understanding of djed imparted to it. You must understand that which you are trying to achieve in order to make it so, Aoren. Which is to say, you must know what a ghost, the undead, and Soulmist is.” She rest her cane on the edge of the table. Aoren clasped his hands behind his back observing the professor at work from beside her. With both hands she began to mix the contents of the bowl together.

What is Soulmist, then ma’am? I know that it is what makes up a ghost but what is it, specifically?” The elder woman spoke as she worked.

Soulmist is the manifestation of the ghost. It is the shell that houses the essence of their soul. In Auristics you were taught that mortals have the astral body and that this is what you are perceiving when you peer into other objects with the magic. For ghosts, Soulmist replaces that body.” Aoren had encountered a few ghosts in his life. It was one of the reasons that he had decided to pick up the discipline. One of the encounters had been pleasant enough. The other had been less so.

Come, as I knead this dough I want you to create your own.” Aoren nodded rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. He took up the bowl containing the rest of the cheese. He cracked the remaining two eggs dropping them over the cheese then disposing of the shells. He then deposited the flour into the bowl. The professor nodded to the knife which had been placed on the table. Aoren picked it up observing the blade for a moment. He held his hand over the bowl then steeled himself. With a downward press he cut across the center of his palm wincing then watched as blood began to well up out of the wound. He was prompted to mend the wound, compelled to heal but held off for a moment so that the blood could be collected in the unused vial. When enough had filled the vial, Aoren closed his hand concentrating on the gift that Rak’keli had given him. The gentle breath of the goddess brushed over him and when he opened his palm the cut was healed though the memory of it still remained.
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The Discipline of Death

Postby Aoren on March 20th, 2015, 3:48 am

Now mix it all together until it is a fine dough.” Aoren emptied the vial into the bowl then began mixing the concoction together with his hands. The both of them worked in silence for a time the only noise being the sound of their kneading and the din of a busy city beyond the walls of the University. When the dough finally came together the professor checked the consistency of his before she pressed on with the lesson.

The final step in creating Soulmist is that is must spend time in your body. You can either ingest it and regurgitate it or you can simply chew the dough. Personally, I find it much more pleasant to simply chew it. The taste is quite terrible and it takes a bit more time but it is better than vomiting the goop up later.” The woman scrunched up her nose before chuckling softly.

I would have to agree that sounds like the better option.” Aoren smirked with her. She took up a bit of the dough motioning for Aoren to do the same. He took up a bit of the dough that he’d made holding it in front of him.

As the dough rests in your mouth focus on the intent for which you have formed it. It bears a piece of you, the extension of your djed and your understanding of what soulmist is. Concentrate on that.” She raised the dough slightly in the air in a toast. Aoren smirked repeating the motion.

Bottoms up.” With that he followed the professor’s suit and popped it into his mouth. He grunted in distaste. The dough really did taste quite awful. Nonetheless he let it sit in his mouth. As it rest there he focused on what the professor explained. What was soulmist? It was the essence of a ghost’s soul. It was what gave them shape. He closed his eyes focusing on what that meant. Soulmist was what gave a ghost their shape. Did that shape change as their understanding of why they lingered changed? Could they change it?

Time passed and Aoren began to notice something change about the dough in his mouth. Instead of growing warmer to match his body heat, it was growing cold. He opened his eyes in surprise. The professor cleared her throat. He watched as she opened her mouth bringing up a hand to spit out a luminescent gel. It seemed light, almost fluffy in its texture. He could swear he saw a slight mist wafting about the goop.

Let’s see how you did.” Aoren brought a hand up to his mouth spitting the dough out. It was cold to the touch. Only half of the dough glowed with the eerie luminescence of the professor’s soulmist. He rubbed his tongue against the rough of his mouth frowning at the after taste. Professor Memry chuckled.
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The Discipline of Death

Postby Aoren on March 20th, 2015, 3:51 am

That is not bad for your first attempt, Aoren.” She set her soulmist into the now empty flour bowl. Aoren simply set his on the surface of the table next to the rest of his dough. Immediately he began to notice that the glow was fading from his soulmist.

What’s happening to it?” He nodded to the lump.

It is decaying. As you begin your venture into Spiritism, the soulmist that you initially create will likely not be of very good quality. That is to be expected. The more you work with the material, the more you come to understand about ghosts, the dead, and the undead in general the more potent it shall become. The beginning stages of Spiritism is largely little more than working to understand precisely what the discipline is. It will not be until later that you can achieve more profound things.” Aoren nodded. That was to be expected. It was the same with all magic. One had to start small and focus on the fundamental understanding of the discipline before one was able to truly wield it proficiently.

I want you to study my soulmist for a moment. I want you study it using your gifts. Note its properties as you understand them. I am going to make a pot of tea. We will need something to get that taste out of our mouths.” The professor laughed softly before grasping her cane. She hobbled off to the door to the room nodding to Aoren signaling that she would return in short order.

Aoren retrieved his parchment along with his writing utensils. He came to stand next to the soulmist that the professor had created. His own was just barely glowing at this point. It had decayed rapidly, which didn’t surprise him. He would simply have to get more proficient at creating it. Focusing his attention, Aoren drew upon the strings of his djed weaving them over his vision. He concentrated directing his focus solely to the gel that was in front of him. It took a few seconds but eventually the haze of a slight aura became visible to him and Aoren latched onto it. He worked on weaving together the outer most layer of his own aura to that of the soulmist. When he did, Aoren shivered.

Cold.

That was the first thing that he noticed about the soulmist. It reminded him of winter. Beyond that however he sifted through the layers of the thing’s aura studying the structure of it as best he could. Through the aura he sensed a sweetness to the soulmist. That confused him. It certainly hadn’t taste sweet while he was forming it. There was also a slightly pleasant smell though he couldn’t place the fragrance. After a few careful minutes of study, Aoren released the hold he had on his djed allowing the powers of Auristics to fade. He took up his quill pen and began writing his notes when the door opened. He looked up to see the professor accompanied by another staff member carrying a tray. The tray was set on the edge of the table and the other staff member departed with the professor’s thanks.
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The Discipline of Death

Postby Aoren on March 20th, 2015, 3:55 am

Tea?” Aoren nodded. She poured them both cups. He accepted his gratefully taking a sip appreciating the taste.

Professor, I noticed something that I don’t quite understand.” The elder woman resumed her seat in her cushioned chair. She studied Aoren over the top of her teacup, an invitation for him to continue.

Your soulmist, it was…sweet? Also it smelled different. Pleasant, almost.” Professor Memry nodded.

With Auristics you are interacting with the soulmist in a similar fashion that a ghost would. While not quite the same you are able to experience some of the sensations that they would by proxy. To a ghost, soulmist exists in varying qualities. The more powerful the Spiritist, the sweeter, more appealing the soulmist that they create. Using our normal, physical senses you are not able to perceive this. Using your magic ones, the ones related to your astral body, you catch a hint of these properties.” Aoren took note of what the professor had to say.

What exactly can a Spiritist do with Soulmist? You say it is the key to a Spiritist’s power, why?” The elder woman took another sip of her tea before nodding to the table.

Take up my Soulmist. Rub it onto the blade of the knife. Be careful not to cut yourself.” Aoren set his teacup down picking up the cold substance that the professor had created. His own was now little more than a grey lump. He grabbed the knife then worked on smearing it over the blade. As he rubbed the soulmist onto the blade it began to dissipate.

Continue to rub it in until it is all gone.” Doing as he was bidden he finished then turned to face the professor still holding the knife in his hands. She nodded to it.

That knife is now empowered with the ability to interact with ghosts. For a time. It can wound them. It can defend against them. It could even pin a ghost in place.” Aoren blinked. The knife appeared ordinary to him but he believed her.

Is that all one can do?” She shook her head.

You could smear the soulmist over clothing and thus render yourself impervious to ghostly assault, to a degree. You could imbue a set of items with the soulmist and arrange those items in a line. The ghost would not be able to cross that line so long as the objects remained intact. This is called a safe zone.” Aoren noted each possible use. He was certain that there were many more that soulmist could produce but he was certain that those would come with time and understanding. As if reading his mind, the professor took another sip of her tea.

I think that is enough discussion of theory for now, however. I want you to continue crafting soulmist using the rest of the dough. It is very important that you be able to craft it effectively. Soulmist is the foundation of a Spiritist’s craft, Aoren. Learn its uses, learn them well.” Aoren nodded. He would take that advice to heart. Coming to stand next to the bowl of dough that he’d created, Aoren took off another piece. He took a deep breath bracing himself for the taste.

I think I am going to need more tea after this.” The professor chuckled.

There will be plenty.” With that Aoren placed more of the dough in his mouth. He scrunched his nose but resisted the urge to spit it out. Focusing his thoughts he concentrated on imparting his understanding of soulmist to the dough. After several minutes the cold that he’d felt before permeated the dough. He spat it out into his hand. It was no better than the first try but at least he was consistent with his result. He looked down at the remaining dough.

A lot of tea. He was going to need a lot of tea. With honey.
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The Discipline of Death

Postby Keene Ward on April 4th, 2015, 3:10 am

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Grades


“For there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought.”
-Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene

Aoren

Skills
    Interrogation +2
    Investigation +5
    Philosophy +1
    Planning +1
    Rhetoric +2
    Socialization +2
    Cooking +2
    Writing +3
    Auristics +1
    Spiritism +5

Lores
    Ghosts: Natural Occurence
    Ghosts vs. Undead
    Ghosts: The Nature of Ghosts
    Aura: Soulmist
    Auristics: Arcane Empathy
    Soulmist: Properties
    Soulmist: Applications
    Soulmist Recipe: Eggs, Flour, Cheese, Blood
    Spiritism: Safe Zones
    Spiritism: A Communion Between Life and Unlife

Rewards/Consequences
Notes with Professor Memry's lessons


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