Chapter 7.16 - Spirit Given Form

"Isil. Jan. Please. I am going to need you to explain what is going on. I know I am a pretty intelligent person, but go slow. It is taking a bit for my mind to wrap around what I am looking at."

Serin was in the Cathedral with Isil Grier, the elven representative, patriarch, and the highest leveled archdruid as well as Jan Kopek, the Lancer Gole that primarily worked with parasites and forged. And a lot of dead bodies. Jan was the first to speak.

"It was another experiment into determining more of our newest arrivals, which we will call the 'Spirit Folk'. We were trying to determine how to breach their information, but it is as if their thoughts, and the system which this world works, is different for them. It was as if this information was boxed and repackaged. Imagine if you were told you need to take all the treasure in your personal supply, and fit it in exactly 4 barrels."

Serin imagined, "that would be a nightmare. But that does not explain why there is a human skull walking around on a body made of pieces of other human bones, covered only scraps of a black cloak."

The scene Serin described was comical. Small skeletons wrapped in black cloth were, quite literally, stacking body parts in a wheelbarrow. Jan nodded, "it is initially unsettling, but after I explain, and you check their plate, it might answer your question. Also I locked the doors and informed Gius that tonight's service was cancelled." Gius was the name of the Cathedrals head cleric.

"So in an effort to understand, I discovered I could ask, well, I could [compel] one of the spirits to follow me into my lab. My goal was to use my powered magic circle as a way to unpack the information that was within the spirit folk. Getting the spirit to the lab went well, however…" Jan seemed to look a bit embarrassed.

"As I was setting up my circle the spirit went over to one of the excess human corpses I have in the corner waiting for disposal. The spirit went into the corpse, it exploded, and out popped this small creature, covered in blood. I then threw it a black cloak one of my interns left me."

Excess corpses. Interns. Black cloaks. There was a lot for Serin to pick at for this story. But he decided to accept it at face value. He trusted his citizens. Then he realized something,

"Wait, why was an Intern from the Collective there? Your lab is a national secret Jan." Serin asked, referencing the technological vassal state that often sent interns over to Shurik's lab.

"He wasn't actually in the lab. I meet him out back and hand over one or two Content a month that they purchase. And Red is from from the Corvid Society. They need living bodies for their assassination classes. I need money to pay lab assistants. I am only one man."

"Ok. I am not pulling that thread today. Let's go back. So you now have a small walking skeleton, covered in icor and a cloak. What happened next? Because there are definitely more than one of these walking around here right now."

Jan smiled, "It communicated. Not in words or [messages] of course, but I could still understand what it wanted. So I loaded up the rest of the content, dead bodies, and body parts and took them to the cathedral."

Serin then understood why there was now about a third of the spirit folk dressed as little miniature depictions of the fabled grim reaper. This also explained why blood and guts were strewn across the ground.

"Alright. And why are all their coverings ripped and tattered?"

"Well I only had one cloak so they wanted to share."

"Did you not bring more cloaks with you?"

"I did! But there was only one black cloak and they seemed very much 'dead' set on keeping to that aesthetic."

Serin was not amused by the pun. "Alright. So that explains that. What about the other, ahem, spirit folk walking around?"

Serin motioned to the other beings that waddled around.

Jan smiled, "Well, I contacted Isil since we work on the opposite ends of the spectrum of nature, and he was glad to stop by."

Isil interjected"No I wasn't. It was very unsettling when I got here, especially since his message was 'help, it's an emergency. Meet me at the cathedral and tell no one.'."

Serin looked at Jan, Jan shugged.

Isil took over the explanation. "Anyways, after my initial shock and cool off, I went to check the plates of the spirit folk that look like cute little walking grim reapers."

Isil displayed the information presented. It wasn't the full plate, but was a summary that a stranger might get using the [identify] spell.

[Spirit Folk - Spirit of Decay: All of Life's bounty must face the inevitability of decay, once again returning to the earth. The Spirits of Decay are attracted to death, and those destined to die. Some say that they help guide the souls of the departed to their next life. However it is apparent that they work in concert to return the nutrients of unused bodies back to the earth.]

Serin then used his [Greater Identify] to better review the information.

[SpiritFolk: Spirit folk are a collection of sentient spirits that inhabit a collection of materials to make their host bodies. They tend towards individualism and unruliness, however they also tend to work in very specific fields that cater towards their more eclectic sensibilities.

Mute: Spirit folk communicated by sending partially formed ideas.

Single Minded: The Spirit folk diligently and tirelessly work at the tasks they want to do.

Borne of Emotion: Spirit folk are born when another spirit folk bears witness to a moment of extreme emotions. The emotion that they see determines the new spirit's form.]

This made sense, because even after exploding corpses all over the cathedral, which was now 'closed for cleaning', they worked to neatly collect and pile the organs. One of them pulled on the pants leg of Jan, who responded. "Yes we will take them to the recycling center. I must inform our city's leader of your intentions." That seemed to calm the creature who waited, albeit a bit impatiently.

Serin looked, "I get it, they want to keep working. But what about the others?" Serin pointed to the other spirits.

Isil started pointing. "Well the one that looks like a small bipedal collection of plants, vines, and lichen with a face are the 'spirit of the wildling'. They seem to be asking where there are children to play with." Serin looked. He pushed additional essence and overpowered his [precognition] skill, and with everything he could see, he did not see these spirits ever harming a child.

They all stood in front of Serin. There was no other word for it. They looked 'cute'.

"I know we are stretched thin with teachers at the Academy. Maybe these little ones can act as teacher's assistants." The spirits of the wildling jumped up and down in excitement. He sent a [message] to Lady Eris, the Headmaster at the Academy.

[Lady Eris, I have found volunteer teaching assistants. Meet me at the Academy Have a drink of mead before you arrive, and bring the bottle. Also, don't scream.]

[...Understood?]

Serin then looked, "And what about the flaming boulders?" Serin pointed at small golem-like creatures with what looked like molten metal flowing through them. They were not hot to the touch, however. Which was good, because the pews nearby were made of wood.

Isil smiled, "Ah the Spirits of Passion. They like working with stone and metal. They also keep asking me about 'marriage', but I get the feeling they want to help me find a wife, not become a wife."

Serin understood. Then he looked confused. "Wait Isil, you have a wife. Matron Grier is still very much alive, just currently serving a 40 year sentence."

Isil shook his head. "In our culture if you shame your family it causes a break. We believe we do not want to continue her bloodline, so she will not bear anymore young. She may be Matron Grier, but she will not bear anymore children of mine. Or any of elven blood. However, as Patriarch, I am still expected to sire more children. Especially since we just split our Grove Colony."

Serin wanted to really pull this thread, but this would have to be a story for another day. "Fair enough. We will make Master Cellic aware of their request for assisting in matrimonial ceremonies, as well as have one here at the cathedral.

"Alright. That explains that. Three new varieties of a new race and we already have assignments for them all. Less effort on my part."

"Yes and No." Both Jan and Isil said together.

"Come again?"

"They all have assignments, but there are four varieties here, not three." Jan said.

Serin looked. "Let me see if I miss anything. I see you two standing here, a few strange little plant people begging to play with children, shortstacks of metal trying to wingman Isil, tiny grim reapers, and a few Content milling about and…"

Serin then figured it out. "Oh. Oh no."

Jan nodded. "Yeah."

Serin then forced [greater Identify] upon the Content.

[Spirit Folk - Spirit of the Heart]

"It seems that they are perfectly good volunteering to keep the Cathedral clean. Which is great because several dozen bodies exploding makes quite the mess."

There was no distinguishing them from humans. Except these were mute. And tended not to listen.

"Get them some type of uniform. So Jan doesn't accidentally harvest them and people realize that they are neither human nor content.

Serin thought to himself, 'they can't just be OK with this. There has to be more drive. More purpose.'

Serin thought, 'I really could use a drink.' and as if on cue, Lady Eris arrived, let out a scream. Serin used [telekinesis] to catch the bottle she dropped before it hit the ground.

"Perfect timing."

Serin sent a [message] to all the other Representatives.

He had a suspicion that the spirit folk might change in time. But for now, he accepted the face value answer he was given. Too many things going on at once.

One of the spirit folk that looked human brought him a goblet. It was a goblet formed of stone, meaning that these people could cast magic. When they wanted to.

Serin poured himself a drink as he had the premonition that these creatures were the beginnings of many small problems.

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