Spirits in the Material World

[Bjorn]

Bjorn bows his head.  "I thank you for your words, o Flame.  If it should come to be that I might pay the price you ask, then surely will I gladly do so.  I thank you for heeding my call."

When Kerwhizzle has gone, Bjorn sits still, staring at the fire with narrowed eyes, deep in thought.

[Brian]

Din sighs heavily, then shakes his head.  "You are going on a journey," he says, opening his pack up and sorting through it.  "You may be a spirit, but Bjorn's body will need food."

Focused on his task, Din gives Bjorn several parcels of dried meat, a number of vegetables, and two waterskins.  Then he looks up.  "Much of what spirits do is beyond me.  But should you need it, take this also."  And then he hands over a gourd sealed with a carved wooden stopper.  "It allows mortal men to see spirits; the same gift that Bjorn gave to the man who came from beyond the church lands to speak with him."

[Bjorn]

"Thank you, Din," Bjorn says, shaken from his reverie.  He frowns.  "Before you leave... does it rain often upon the plains?  Do your people hunt well in the rain?"

[Brian]

"It rains on occasion," he answers, shaking his head.  "Mostly at night; we don't hunt, then."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn nods at that, his eyes sweeping the terrain.  "Then were it to rain without end for many days, it would not be good for your people.  So be it.  I will see if I might bargain with the spirits of the void."

He ransacks his other-self's memory, trying to figure out what the spirits of the void might be.

OOC: KNO: Cosmology at 15-.

[Brian]

"I have one question, though," Din says hesitantly.  "What is a spirit of the void?  I don't recall Bjorn ever mentioning them."

Utilizing his Cosmology skill, Bjorn reasons that Void spirits are:
OkibiOhki rolls 3d6 cosmology for Bjorn and gets 10.

The void doesn't fit into Bjorn's mental map of the cosmos as given to him from Fire-Bjorn's memories.  But with a little thinking, it makes sense that as the spirit implied ... they live outside the shroud that protects each of the spheres.

Something like the great spirits from beyond.  At Bjorn's strength, he could only pull a small one over -- but maybe that's for the best.

[Bjorn]

"An excellent question," Bjorn replies, looking over at Din with a crooked grin.  "Would you like to find out?"

[Brian]

"I...."  Din licks his lips nervously.  "Will it be dangerous?"

[Bjorn]

Memories from his other-self let Bjorn answer.  "No," Bjorn replies.  "The spirit may not act without a bargain to give it access."

[Brian]

"T...then, yes.  I am curious."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn nods at him, and reaches out, calling for a spirit beyond the edges of the shroud.

[Brian]

A winking mote of non-light appears, shimmering in the air overhead.  To Bjorn's eyes (and presumably Din's, as well), it looks like a three dimensional model of a black hole, complete with motes of shimmering energy being sucked into it.  It doesn't produce any actual draw of wind, though.

"As I am summoned, I arrive," the spirit says in a curiously chiming, breathy voice.  "From beyond the shroud, I am called.  It has been rotations beyond counting since we have been reached for; tell me, shaman, why is it that I am summoned now?  What bargain do you seek?"

[Bjorn]

"O spirit," Bjorn replies, "those in this world who know of the spirits, who listen to them and speak to them, are sore-pressed by those those who would tear them away.  To see that this not happen, I have need to ask of the spirits of this world that they do things against the laws of nature.  This they might not do, except by your command.  What might I do to convince you to aid me in this cause?"

[Brian]

The void spirit wobbles in consideration for a while, then says, "Everything spirits do should in some way work towards furthering the greater balance of nature, except by bargain.  Only be undoing damage against nature can such a favor be bestowed."

A humming noise is emitted from the void spirit.  "However," it says slowly, thoughtfully, "there is an imbalance in the void.  A thing there that is not of the void, beyond the shroud.  If you bargain to receive this thing, and place it within the confines of this sphere, then a greater service will be done to restore nature.  And then, perhaps, we can see to addressing your desires to alter conditions here within a reasonable limit."

[Bjorn]

"I work towards balance, o spirit," Bjorn replies prompty, "at all times and in all ways.  If there is something I might to do restore symmetry, then I would do so willingly."