"And what's the plan now? Do we wait until the ghost appears again somewhere, or do you want to set up an ambush for Breathnacht?"`
"No matter which one we take, it needs some planning." Gertrud tells.
"But what are the things you found and what does it offer to get a ghost?"
Once they get back and meet with Gertrud Jewel feels stronger. Having an adult that treats them not as just kids helps so much, especially when dealing with weighty issues. "There was a lot of stuff there, and there was a book explaining a ritual that might do the trick. But a lot of it seems really hard. I hope we can do it. And it will probably take trapping Breathnacht."
She shows Gertrud all of the weapons and stuff, and returns to studying the book. "We'll need some special herbs to burn as incense. And the book calls for the people of the community to be present during the ceremony. It's special to Erastil so that's probably pretty important. I wonder if the net will hold him for long enough? We don't want to just beat him and make him run away again! But if we try and draw the symbols before hand there's no way he'd come anywhere near them!"
"What does the ritual do? Banish Breathnacht to hell?" Clara inquires.
Gertrud looks over Jewel's shoulder. "For Pharasma that might be, but for Erastil? Jewel. What would you say it is, the ritual does?"
Jewel thinks for a moment before answering. "I don't know about Pharasma.... Is Pharasma an evil god?"
"But I've read some of the book about Erastil, and just did a quick read of this book of rituals. See, there are lots of things a person can do to get in trouble, especially if they are a worshiper of Erastil. And remember that Mr. Dawnbreeze said that Breathnacht was a heretic? He said that he was corrupted by his greed for power and used death magic, and worshiped an evil god. So I think we have to read about each of the things that a person can do wrong, and figure out which one matches what Breathnacht did, and then do the ritual for that. But.... The book says that the right ritual and prayers will bring the person back to having the goodwill of Erastil. Maybe after that Mr. Dawnbreeze will let him be buried at the shrine like he wants."
"I don't know if that means he'll be gone, or maybe then he'll be a good ghost like Dawnbreeze, and helpful like Dawnbreeze is, sometimes...."
Sorry for my going quiet.
My power has been out since Monday (and is still out). Will catch up when I can. Please bot me until then
"No, Pharasma is not evil. But all who die have to appear before her, before they are sent to the realm of the deity they fallowed in life. And she gets really pissed if someone grabs a deceased out of the line to walk on Golarion some more as an undead." Gertrud explains.
"I can't tell what exactly those rituals do. But have you found it in the description? And can Breathnacht be forced, or can he resist the ritual? Would be a shame if we'd get all the ingredients and work all the magic, just for him to laugh us in the face."
"I guess it's like Golarion got talent anyway. With your life being the performance you give. Just that you are pretty sure who is gonna choose you when you followed a god in life." Gertrud jokes.
Jewel looks in the book again, flipping to a page that she hadn't studied yet. "I'm not really sure, but if he wants to be buried in the shrine Mr. Dawnbreeze sure won't allow it until Erastil has accepted him. I'm looking for something like being tempted by the power of necromancy and worshiping an evil god to gain that power. Then we just try to figure out the prays and such to get Erastil's forgiveness."
"You know, some of these are almost like begging Mom to not punish us when we've done something bad. I wonder if Breathnacht has to say the prayers.... He hasn't been very cooperative lately. Maybe he'll wise up if he's caught in the net? Maybe we should try it close to Dawnbreeze too? Maybe he'll know if the ritual worked and we can release Breathnacht safely. Otherwise if he's lying and we release him that chance is just wasted!"
"You know, that might be a good trap too! We can't decide for him where he'll attack next, but maybe if we tell him we've worked it out with Dawnbreeze and we can bury him proper he might come to the shrine.... ?? But maybe we need to go to the river and try to find a few pieces of his burnt bones."
Hearing the conversation between Mrs. Johnson and Tarjun she asks, "So if you don't choose a god one might choose you after you die? What if it's an evil god? Can you refuse!?! Maybe we should choose a god to follow, just to be sure."
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"Dawnbreeze ain't been a whole lotta help," Tarjun grumbles. "But we can try."
Tarjun doesn't share his sister's concern:
"What would they do with the babes and the ones who ain't got sense to know what religion is, then? Remember ol' Mizz Bernham? Couldn't do anything but eating soup, that's what his nephew said. Had been that way all her life, couldn't know what people were talkin' about, and how Mr. Bernham got angry at kids who called her mean names? Well I'd like to tink she went someplace nice where people are nice and bring her apple jam the way she liked. Ain't her fault if she never could talk with us."
"Maybe she's with the god of vegetables. Is there a god of vegetables?" Clara joins the discussion.
This fallen soul has to provide incense made of myrrh and elemi, holy anointing oil and a goat as a sacrifice for the ritual. The incense is to be burned as an offering.
The fallen soul has to renounce their evil ways and pray for forgiveness from Erastil.
The oil is for anointing the redeemed soul.
The goat is to be prepared as a feast for the community to celebrate the return of a lost soul.
Jewel continues scanning through the book until she finds something that looks right. As she studies it, carefully, her expression gets sad. "Oh.... This is bad. This is...." She glances around at the others. "This is gonna be hard. We can help with the ritual, but Breathnacht is going to have to do it. We're going to have to catch him, and explain this stuff to him. And HE is going to have to say the prayers. It's going to be like trying to get Clara to apologize to Tobar for being a mean little sister.... Or maybe even harder!"
She grins at the last, but then seriously points out the section of the book. "And where would we get this stuff? It sounds like it might be expensive too! And how do you anoint a soul? I think we will need to gather up any pieces of his skeleton that we can find."
"Hey, I'm not a mean sister, I'm not little, and I won't apologize!" Clara pouts.
"If we'd manage the ghost to materialize some way, we might be able to anoint without having the bones." Gertrud comments.
"But those ingredients, I think we can find in the woods. It is not easy to find the right plants, but I think they all grow here."
"They are some trees. And the stuff we need is the resina of those trees. If you want to go search, we have to check in my library for pictures. I don't think describing them to you will do the trick." Gertrud offers as an explanation.
"How do you build a trap for a ghost? I guess he won't come out for cheese?" Clara asks.
"First things first." Gertrud stops the little girl.
"Tarjun has found the tree in the book. It says it grows in dry areas. So not along the water."
"We have no real dry areas here. Closest thing would be the rocky hights of that you can see over there, that stick out of the woods. Hopefully we find one there."
Gertrud points to an elevated point in the distance, maybe a day's travel away.
Jewel agrees with Tarjun and works with him committing the pictures of the plants to memory. "We'll have to trap him with the net once he comes to attack us. And we better stay together so if he attacks before we're ready we can beat him quickly. The magic of the weapons should help but we need to guard Clara for her healing magic. Tarjun, that club might be really effective against him. But don't block Clara from using the flames of her septer."
"I wish we knew what the other septer did, and how to use it. It didn't talk to anyone did it? Like Caspar spoke to Clara, and me when Clara was hurt." She holds it out to let everybody examine it.
Clara grabs the scepter from Tarjun and works her magic on it. But it denies her the knowledge. Andgrily she starts waving the thing around and cursing at it. Until it finally goes off.
The scepter starts glowing with a white/golden glow and the light washes over everyone standing around.
"Clara, stop it, you don't knwo what it does..." Gertrud calls out as she notices what her daughter is up to, but she is too late.
Jewel sees Clara trying to activate the new scepter and ducks. When she sees the light, but not much more she just shrugs. "How is a flash of light going to help? It wasn't bright enough to blind anything and it wasn't focused in any direction. I can't see Caspar being jealous of that!"
"I think it's cool. Can't tell why though." Clara tells looking excited at the scepter.
Looking around at anyone in excitement Clara's glance over the group stops at Jewel. "Weren't you wounded a moment ago?"
Jewel stares at Clara for a second, realizing what she is saying. "Yes! In the excitement we didn't heal everybody. I only had two cure spells prepared. I used one on the skelly and saved the other to help you after that thing hurt you so bad."
"But you didn't even have to touch me! That light.... It must have been the light. It heals and you don't even have to touch the person. That's useful! I wonder if it is limited. Did you ever ask Caspar if he is limited to a specific number of uses? Like charges on a wand, or used per day, or week.... ??"
"Caspar tells, he's an endless well of magical power, that will still flow, when the world has dried out." Clara passes on.
"But to me that sounds like he is full of himself." she whispers, holding Caspar behind her back to not hear it.
"I can't believe I have to talk to kids. Is there no grown ups around who will take things in their hands?" the stick retaliates.
"Don't look at me." Gertrud fends off the try to take the kids out of charge.
"Can we go now search for that tree?" Clara asks, pointing at the picture in the book.
"One think at a time. It's quite the travel, and I don't think you shoul dstay out at night. I'll see if I can provide you with the tools to not get lost on the way for tomorrow."
"Let's visit Shelly and Will for supper, shall we?"
Later that evening Gertrud will draw a rough map with the standing out points of the area and an arrow pointing North. And searches for her old compass to go with that.
Jewel chuckles to hear Caspar openly speaking now. The thought of a magic stick being strange hadn't occurred to her before Tarjun mentioned it....
"Yeah. That grave started this.... But I don't know if Caspar is alive exactly. He's magic! But.... Hmm, well, I'm not sure."
"Caspar! Yes we are kids. But we are also the assigned Guardians. And since we're kids and you don't age you'll be around to help us out while grow up, and later while we grow old. And maybe you can help us pick the next guardian?"
"Of course I am!" Caspar replies. "Just because I'm immortal, doesn't mean I'm not alive."
"And true, it looks like I need to guide you." The smug answer only thinly veils the pride.
I'm sorry that I haven't posted for awhile. Life got really, really crazy and I just didn't have time and/or net access. I should be able to catch up on all my games tomorrow