Spirits in the Material World

[Brian]

From Chapter Two -- for Bjorn

You come to your senses shakily, almost falling over.  Someone seizes your elbow, however, and steadies you.  The sky overhead is blindingly bright, though there isn't a sun in sight, or any clouds, either.

At your feet is a wide stone circle, pebbles and rocks placed over the course of hours or days into a mandala with intricate swirls and shapes throughout.  The man supporting you is a swarthy fellow, just a bit taller than you, wearing nothing more than a ruffled collar of feathers, and a loincloth.  A staff lies just outside the circle at your feet.

Nearby, several others -- all looking like African villagers, with the exception of the fact that there's no tatooing, no ritual scarring, no piercings, and everyone is wearing just enough to maintain decency.  Loincloths for the men, and simple tunics with abbreviated skirts for the women.  A good number of men and women lean on spears expectantly.

Beyond the circle is a collection of grass huts, and past that ... grasslands as far as the eye can see, studded with the occasional tree, and a few birds dotting the sky as they wheel about.

"Bjorn?" the man steadying your arm asks.  "Was the medicine strong enough?  Did the spirits speak to you?"

[Bjorn]

This is only the second time this has happened to Bjorn, which just goes to show: you adapt really quickly to waking up in a stranger's body.

Instinctively, now, the first thing he does is to reach out for his waking connection to the Dream.  Here, though, it works... oddly.  There is no double-awareness, no duplication of any perception; it is, instead, if the world becomes more real, no different, but filled with brighter colours and crisper sound.  Within seconds, he feels, rather than just knowing, the truth of what the Brotherhood said.  This is a Dream severed from reality.

On a subconcious level, Bjorn starts to process what this means, and how, with his new awareness, he will be able to take advantage of it.  But in the meantime, he has more pressing concerns.

Bjorn looks up from the horizon, and his other-self's eyes have changed into the pools of mist that mark the connection the Dream.  "The spirits spoke to Bjorn," he announces gravely, "and they asked of him a favour.    Bjorn has agreed to be my vessel, that I may fulfil my purpose and his."

[Brian]

There's a shocked silence, and then the one who is holding onto Bjorn's elbow says, "A spirit walks among us in your flesh?" in utter amazement.

"It is mighty medicine indeed," someone from the crowd remarks.

Then the elbow-holder says, "O, spirit who walks among us!  We beseech you for aid!  Will you tell us how to answer the Church-men's demand?"

[Bjorn]

"Speak more," Bjorn says.  "While I ride Bjorn's flesh, Bjorn's mind sleeps.  What he knew is closed to me.  But tell me of your worries, and what is in my power to do, I will."

[Brian]

An uneasy glance is shared among the crowd, but finally, the elbow-guy says, "I am Din, and I am Bjorn's student.  Bjorn called to request your aid because the men of the Church have asked that we change our ways.  They don't want us to roam the fields, as we have for generations beyond the sphere's edge.  They wish that we would join their folds, their cities.

"That we would follow their ways.  And then they promised us that if we did not come to them for salvation, they would send their soldiers against us, to rid us of the pestilence of our heretical ways."  Din's anger becomes more and more apparent as he goes on, and the rest of the men and women nod unhappily.  "But," he continues, trying to sound polite, and keep the anger from his voice, "we have always been friends with the spirits.  We don't want to turn away from them.  So we request your aid.  How can we answer the Church-men?  What can we say that will not destroy us?"

[Bjorn]

"It is not what you might say that will prevent your destruction," Bjorn replies, "but what you will do.  To submit to their demands will end what you are.  To say no will bring war.  So then, war it must be.  But the fight must be on your terms, and not on theirs."

[Brian]

"But....  The Church-men have soldiers, guns....  They have the Templar, too! How will we fight them?" Din asks anxiously.  He swallows.  "Can you lead us, and show us how to do this?"

[Bjorn]

"Yes," Bjorn replies.  "I cannot guarantee victory; the future is not fixed.  But I will fight alongside you, and your dreams will be mine."

As he has spoken, there has been a niggling sensation in the back of Bjorn's mind, a connection to the Dream that is new to him.  Through the conversation, he's been probing at that link, trying to make sense of it, and his efforts have finally succeeded.  Looking about, he asks, "Is there a source of fire nearby?"

OOC: Default Influence spending: 3 CP on Eyes of Supernatural Possession, 6 CP on Anchor Sense, and another 6 CP on Mental Defenses.

[Brian]

There is quick nodding -- the crowd parts to reveal the camp's central firepit.  Right now a large, very beaten brass cauldron hangs from a tripod over it.  "This way ... uh ... mighty spirit," Din says, indicating the barely-smoking flames.

[Bjorn]

"You might call me Gestur."  Bjorn's lips almost quirk. Disturbingly appropriate.  He kneels down by the firepit, and fans into a decent blaze.  When the fire is of a decent height, he closes his eyes, and reaches out through the Dream, calling to a spirit of Fire.

[Brian]

"Gestur," the people say in a single voice, awe evident in their tone.  The summoning is easy, simply reaching through the dream -- and the fire -- and finding a spirit.  The fire flares up abruptly, eyes like holes in the flame, and a mouth of flickering embers peering intently at the witch-doctor.

"I am summoned," the fire-spirit crackled.  "What is it that I am called to do?  What price do you offer me for my favor?"

[Bjorn]

Concious of his audience, Bjorn switchs to Japanese -- since he really doubts his French is up to the task.  "I would like information, friend.  I come from outside this world, and there are things I must know; and this is a world whose totem is fire, and so I would ask them of you.  What price will you ask?"

[Brian]

The fire flares briefly, then in perfectly concise (crackling) Japanese, it replies, "You please and flatter us!  We would have your people sing us praises, and we will tell you of this world."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn nods and stands, turning to Din.  "I have asked this spirit to speak to me of secrets, which I hope will help us in our fight.  Graciously, it has agreed to aid us.  Would you and yours sing a song of thanks for it?"

[Brian]

Din blinks, then nods, speaking quickly to the children and the women.  The men go off to the side -- it appears that this is a well known ritual.  The song sounds appropriately tribal, but has subtle and complex resonances, and even without actual words seems to convey some meaning....  For some reason, it reminds Bjorn of the rising sun.

"The best song," the fire spirit says in satisfaction, still crackling in Japanese.  "What do you wish to know, you who have called me?"