20th of Sydenstar

Nicodranas. The first city you reach once you leave the empire. A city of color and beauty. Crime is quiet here as both Dwendalian and Concord forces enact their justice. Nicodranas is the “Escape” for all who flee the empire. Some permanently others just for a tropical vacation. I love this city. The bear claws are made with cinnamon.

I was walking the open streets of the Open Quay this late morning. The Open Quay was a district that the Clovis Concord didn’t own. That was because a long time ago it was bought by the wizard Yussa Errenis. A secretive man he protected his corner of the world for a long time and is a future ally of the Mighty Nein. If I had woken up here with wizard powers I would have approached him for study. This guy is just that cool. I was now outside his tower to try and meet him.

The wizard didn’t like visitors. That's not to say he didn’t have friends or colleagues. It's just he didn’t have an open-door policy. That was literal because there was no visible door on the outside of the tower. It was 90 feet in diameter and over 400 feet tall. There was an illusion placed on it to make it seem smaller the farther away you were. Now for the way inside. I knocked on the wall and waited. Eventually where once a wall was an invisible door appears and an old goblin man pears out.

“Ello? Can I help you,” Wensforth said.

“Hello sir. I am here to speak with Master Errenis,” I said.

“Do you have an appointment,” Wensforth asked.

“I do not. I require an emergency consultation,” I said.

“If you are having some kind of emergency you should go to a temple and seek clerical aid,” Wensforth said.

“It's direly urgent but I might be stepping on the toes of some powerful beings. I want to consult with someone of power before I try and speak with the gods. When I kill a creature I capture their souls. I then have the power to turn into those beings. A couple of weeks ago I killed a minor dragon,” I said and turned my head. I blew out a small amount of cold air that frosted the tower next to us.

“I see. I will inform the master. Wait here," he said.

The door closed but didn't disappear. I enjoy the rest of my Bearclaw as I admire the city. It's beautiful. When I imagined the Clovis Concord I thought all the cities would look like this, but that was an unfair comparison. Nicodranas was just described that well. The Neon didn't go to any other city on the coast so I thought all of them were like this. My disappointment was finally cleared as I enjoyed the ocean air.

The door opens and Wensforth appeared. "The Master would like to speak with you," he said.

Excellent. I step inside the tower and walk in the windowless den. It was cozy—the perfect room to sit and enjoy a book. I took a seat and heard steps coming from the stairs above. Yussa was a male elf with brown tan skin. He wore ropes with gold trim and white coloring. He is an older elf as I can see the slightest hint of wrinkles on his face. He moves to sit in the seat across from me.

“Wensforth explained a little of the condition you spoke of but I would like to hear it from you. I do not normally take guests but your situation has worried me,” Yussa said. He had the perfect poker face. Stoic and void of most emotions.

“I am Edsom Lewis. Two months ago I killed a chicken while working for a butcher and then that night he appeared in the most lucid dream I had ever had. I woke up with the ability to turn parts of myself into a chicken or become a full chicken. Since then I have killed many other animals, beasts, monstrosities, a sea dragon, and most recently humanoids during a fight with cultists,” I said.

“And can you turn into these people you have murdered?” Yussa asked.

“Theoretically. I have not made the connection needed with any of them to turn into them. I find that a little morally unethical at the moment. In order to gain a form I make a connection with a beings soul. Also, animals or creatures that haven’t attained sapience yet can gain it by looking at my memories. They exist as orbs that you can view,”

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“Your memories exist as physical objects? Where is this happening?” Yussa asked.

“I call it the Soul Dream. A hag called it something similar to a divine plane. I don't believe she was lying to me but other than myself the only people that go there are those I kill. So in a way, it's an afterlife," I said.

The elven man sat there a moment wide-eyed. I just told this man I was probably a demigod so his surprise was reasonable. He continued to eye me probably considering many things. Now the next curve ball.

"I should also mention I am not from this material plane. I arrived here after I died in my own world," I said. I knew I could trust Yussa with this secret and telling him something this important should go a long way to gaining his trust.

"I need a moment. Wensforth, I need more tea and bring us lunch," Yussa said and took a deep breath. "Start at the beginning please."

I told him I died due to a stabbing in my old world. I have left out all the information I knew about this world but I am sure he will eventually figure that out. I summarized the events of the last two months.

"Why join up with pirates if you worked with the Zhelezos?" Yussa asked.

"I have learned of the Myriad’s corruption of the Concords and wanted to see the opinions of the other side. In my world people turned to crime for two reasons. They desired power in some way or they had no other choice. I wanted to see which the Revelry were and whom I could ally with," I said.

"Why come to me with this information," Yussa asked.

"My time here has been short but I have done my best to stay informed. You have been an open archmage and trusted protector for a long time," I said.

Wensforth brought us out the food. It was an excellent meal. "Thank you Wensforth," I said.

"Oh of course. Master Yussa, anything else?" Wensforth asked.

"No Wensforth. You may leave us," Yussa said. Once the goblin had left he turned back to me. We continued the conversation. I explained to him the rules of the Soul Dream. How I could change the world and create magical effects like truesight. That connection with a creature's soul allowed me to recreate their powers for myself. I then went over that battle with Becket. I told him about who I worked with and what I did.

“I had heard about Admiral Joy and the rumors of what he did, but Concord business is not my business. Are you sure that this Alyson told you the truth?” Yussa asked.

“I did catch them in the middle of a slave trade with the Caustic Heart. I feel safe with my decision. My problem now is I lack the power or knowledge of how to judge these people I killed,” I said.

“The weight of a person's whole life can not be determined with a simple game of truth or lie. I do not have the ability to help you with this,” Yussa said.

“I figured as much. I am probably going to need divine help for that. What I wanted to ask you about was planar travel and creatures with the natural ability to do so. The residents of the Soul Dream have asked me to gain this ability so that I might attempt to physically reach the dream. They want this so that I could bring books and other sources of entertainment for them,” I asked.

“There are a number of creatures that can do so. Mostly they are beings from other planes. The Elemental Genies can do so. Cambions from the hells and some other devils can. The mind flayers have been known to have this ability but that depends on if they have souls. I have heard conflicting reports on that one,” Yussa said. I knew of a Genie that was close. Two actually. But they were good people so I won’t be killing them.

“Do cambions and fiends have souls?” I asked.

“Yes and no. They are more like physical forms of souls. And with how the cultists didn’t appear in your domain you might not get their abilities,” Yussa said.

“What of Genies?” I asked.

“They do have souls. When they die they return to the elemental plane they are from and become reincarnated. I know of a few but they are not suitable targets,” Yussa said.

“Well damn. I know of mindflayers. I can say they are my last choice for a target. Any idea where I might find some?” I asked.

“Mind flayers often live in colonies with an Elder Brain at its center. Colonies can be found in many places but a mindflayers main food source is brains. If there are any on the surface it would be near a location they can feed. Occasionally lone mind flayers will leave a colony for some reason or another. I know of none” Yussa said.

“Well thank you anyway,” I said.

“Hold on. I might know of a creature with that ability,” Yussa said.

“Oh. I am all ears,” I said

“A Nightmare is a horse made of shadows that is often ridden by evil creatures. Usually undead or fey. They naturally have the ability to move into the ethereal plane. But Greater Nightmares can move further than the ethereal plane. I know of one such beast close by. It won’t be an easy hunt. It has a powerful undead warrior as its rider,” Yussa said.

“I'll take it. Where am I headed,” I asked.

“The Savelir woods. The rider and his mare roam the forests so you will need to hire a hunter. I recommend going to Uthodurn in search of one,” Yussa said.

“Thank you Master Yussa. Your information has been of great help,” I said.

“It was not without payment. I have learned much about a strange new plane ahead of many others. When you gain access to planeshift I request your assistance with creating a tuning fork for your realm,” Yussa said.

“I would love to host you in the Soul Dream. Consider it done then. I will see you another time Master Yussa Errinis," I said and bowed.

Leaving Tidepeak Tower I moved towards the Opal Archways. It was a little bit past noon right now and I had some time to kill. I snuck into an alley and left as a seagull. I had one destination in mind. The Lavish Chateau. Home of the Ruby of the Sea Marion Lavorre. A beautiful ruby red tiefling woman. A singer and courtesan by trade she is one of the more powerful people on the coast. She doesn’t scheme or make threats but simply builds connections. She has many friends and admirers. This is good because her daughter Jester is the number one troublemaker maker this side of Exandria. A follower of the Traveler and a future member of the Might Nein.

I sat around on a building across from the Chateau. I probably shouldn’t be here but the fan in me can’t hold it together. I wanted to see them all and geek the fuck out. I will have to settle for watching Marion perform later. I sat there for a while bored.

“I might need to find an inn later. Ugh I hate sleeping on rooftops,” I said to no one I thought. But then I heard a response.

“Oh my god! What are you?” A voice said.