A Sliver of a Haunting (Reaver)

[Liam]

Timestamp: Spring 65, 511 AV Location: Silver Sliver Tavern The Silver Sliver tavern, one of Ravok's most popular meeting places for all levels of Ravok society, from the paladins of the Ebonstryfe to the beggars on the street, they all came to enjoy the sights and sounds of the tavern. Liam walked through the wall into the tavern, his eyes scanning the area before him. He was invisible and nobody saw him as he eyed the tray of food a waitress was carrying to a lucky patron. Liam found himself wishing he still had a sense of smell as he stared at the plate which he imagined had a wonderful aroma. All about the tavern people were eating, drinking, reaching for waitresses, talking, laughing and having an all around good time. Liam could not see any Ebonstryfe in the tavern which was probably a good thing, he wasn't ready to deal with yet. No, Liam's mischief which he labeled training would have to be limited to the common folk for the time being. He had been planning this for a few days now, not that it was a particularly complex plan. Mostly it was just going to be knocking things off people's plates, tipping drinks, things of that manner. But he wanted to practice his other ability too, so Liam had spent the past few days tracking a rat... yes, a rat, so that he could figure out where it's nest was. Lucky for him it was just one building over, and so Liam turned and exited the Silver Sliver then entered the building next to it. The place was old and run down, a perfect hiding spot for a rat. Liam went to where he knew the rat usually fled to during the day. It was almost dark but Liam was lucky, the rat was still in the building. Concentrating his form down to rat size, Liam plunged into the rodent and quickly took control. Like the fish he had possessed before, the rat did not have the strongest will and it wasn't hard for Liam to get it to do what he wanted. Liam urged the rat forward and it's body complied. He took a few practice steps and then, confident he could control it long enough, Liam ran out the hole in the wall the rat used at an entrance and over to the front door of the Silver Sliver. Liam did not have to wait long, after less than a chime the door opened and a drunken patron stumbled out the door. Liam quickly darted in and looked around, picking his target carefully. Well.. Not really, he simply ran to the nearest occupied table, scampered up the wooden chair and hopped onto the table. The surprised patron had little time to react as the rat/Liam wiggled his nose then ran across the table to the mug of ale resting nearby and hopped up, dunking his little rat head in for a drink. The critter did not like this, not one bit, and Liam could feel his control waning, but he held on long enough to see what the patron would do.

[Reaver]

Reaver has had a rough time this season, and it was time to unwind a bit. He found himself in the tavern once again, which was becoming a more frequent stop for him. The barmaids seamed to remember him easily, but given his strange attire, that should be expected. He caught one his server by surprise today, by ordering an ail in addition to the water. It sat there for a good while, untouched. Reaver had forgotten he no-longer had his stomach. He was rather hoping a patron would take it from him. OOCI took liberties with how long you waited for that reaction, I'll edit if needed. The patron wasn't at all what he expected, however. The patron was small, white, furry, had a long tail, and very VERY afraid of being seen by people. WHY would it have done such a thing? He sat there, still, silent, staring. He slowly rubbed his left arm, carefully, not to disturb the rat. He was hoping it would wait there, sit for a while, and it seamed to do just that. Thirty seconds, it felt like forever. The rat was almost calm. He reached out, but not with his physical hand. His invisible astral hand reached around, then grasped the animal. With it now held it began to struggle. He reached out his other hand, and grabbed it proper. Lifting it by it's tail, he examined it further. During his examination, he re-attached his arm's astral form to it's physical form. He looked around, it didn't appear anyone was looking his way, so he probably wasn't noticed performing his little stunt. "Hello, friend. Fancy a drink with me? I won't bite." Reaver didn't even know rats liked ale. Something new today, wonderful. He moved the rat closer to the drink, curious as to if it would drink again.

[Liam]

The rat did not drink any more ale, nor did it stay put or respond to Reaver in any way. In fact, the moment the astral hand had picked the critter up it started freaking out. Liam abandoned it once Reaver had taken hold of it, caught off guard by the use if magic. Reaver wasn't being aggressive, but it was a magic Liam was unfamiliar with except in ghosts like himself. As soon as Reaver put the rat down it scampered away in fear, leaping off the table and darting across the room causing all manner of chaos just from it's mere presence. Screams and shouts were abound as people leaped on tables or ran in terror as the equally terrified rat scampered about looking for a way out. This didn't end until one of the tavern's waitresses mustered the courage to smash the rodent with a drink tray, ending the threat. People cheered, the waitress disposed of the evil creature which had threatened them all so daringly, and things returned to normal. Liam studied Reaver for a moment unseen in his chair across from the Nuit. The man was rather strange in his mask and blue armor, and Liam wondered why he bothered to protect himself so when he was in a simple tavern. Liam considered the magic he had just witnessed. He had not the power to move things without touching them yet, though he knew that with practice he would be able to. Currently he had to use his hands, which he now did. Liam reached for the mug which Reaver had moved, channeling soulmist into the invisible hand, and then pulled the mug back to it's original location on the table. To Reaver it would appear as if the mug had moved of it's own accord. Even moving such a small object was taxing on Liam at his current skill level, though his energy was far from depleted at the moment. Liam awaited the reaction of the armored man before doing anything else. So long as Reaver did not run screaming from the room Liam speak to him. Suddenly Reaver found the chair across from him occupied by the semi-transparent image of a ghost. Liam had chosen to manifest in his least threatening form, that of his late twenties when he was a farmer. His body was matured, but not yet old. He wore simple linen clothing, stained from the dirt of the farm, though his body still had the muscles of a warrior. This was the second most common image Liam chose to appear in, usually preferring the image of his youth. Liam regarded Reaver a moment longer before speaking plainly. "I am not familiar with magic like that, except in my own kind. What is it called, if you do not mind my asking?" If anybody other than Reaver had noticed his sudden appearance out of thin air they did not register it with any kind of reaction. More than likely they were all too distracted by the rat incident to care about ghosts.

[Reaver]

Reaver stared at the rat, disappointed in it's... return to the ordinary. He tilted his head to the side, and set it down. It ran like any rat would, though the lack of mercenaries in the tavern lead to quite the little show. He had a number of fierce glances from across the room today, though they did not linger. The poetic victory of the bar-maiden was enough to set the room back to it's usual temper. He sat, still once again, looking around the room. Once again tired of things remaining as they are, he reached for his drink. He looked to his hand, as it grasped the air. It was not there before. His mind wandered back to a glass vial of particular interest, and he checked his pockets once again. Content, he sighed. "Perhaps a ghost this time." As if fate, that's when he watched the form across from him appear. He glared at the simple farmer across the table. Such acts spoke of children, not adults. Was this man a heavy drinker in life? Reaver returned the regard of the ghost with his own. "I am not familiar with magic like that, except in my own kind. What is it called, if you do not mind my asking?" "I know not of what you speak, I simply made a rat very angry. If you don't mind, I have a better conversation waiting outside." Reaver stood with that, leaving his payment for the drink, and taking the bottle he bought with him. Their tip will be the drink tonight. Should the ghost still be visible, he would make a gesture to follow. Should it not, he hoped it caught the hint. The barmaid who killed the rat gave him a mighty glare on his way out, but he returned it with a bow, as if to a queen. As she tried to decide on her reaction, he made his way past her and out, furthering her anger. He made his way around the bar, to his boat waiting in the shadows. Sitting, he waited a moment, hoping for a sign. After, though, he untied it and began talking to the air. "Still with me, sir? ...or do I need another drink?"

[Liam]

Liam was unsure as to whether or not he had offended the man. Many were often put off by his straight forward nature, and he hadn't even bothered to introduce himself. Was he forgetting how to interact with the living already? It was true he had been spending more and more time under water messing with fish and blessing fisherman with good luck, but was he really losing his connection with humanity? He should have introduced himself first, or maybe not taken the man's drink. Although the man was supposed to see it, unfortunately he had been looking away. Liam watched Reaver get up and pay for his drink, taking the bottle with him, and followed curiously when the man gestured he come along. In life Liam might not have followed a random stranger back to his boat, but it wasn't as if there was anything Reaver could do to him so he had no worries. They went around to the backside of the bar, stopping at a boat Liam had noticed earlier when he had first arrived. So the boat belongs to him.. rare to see a man with his own boat. Most people just pay for rides. But then again, it is rare to see a man in blue armor also. Liam stepped onto the boat, or rather he simply appeared on the boat when the man questioned his presence. He didn't realize he had vanished again. Still taking on the image of a farmer, preferring to stick to one look per mortal he interacted with, Liam nodded his head. "I'm still here." Did the man perhaps think Liam was simply a hallucination? It would be amusing if he did, but that would not serve Liam's purpose of finding out what strange magic the man had used. If the man would even talk at all about it. "You mentioned you had a better conversation outside? I assume you didn't want to discuss magic in front of all those people? I apologize for being so forward about that... I guess.. I forgot the formalities of being alive. My name is Liam, by the way, Liam Ward." Liam usually didn't give his last name, but he doubted this strange man knew anything about him. He wasn't familiar with anyone in blue armor from his life, so he was pretty sure Reaver wouldn't know him. However, depending on how well versed the Nuit was in the mercenaries of Ravok, Reaver might know that a mercenary by the name of Liam Ward had rebelled against his Ebonstryfe employers and gotten himself killed in a bloody fight about two years ago. It had been something of a spectacle and people had talked about it for a few days, but unless Reaver had an acute memory for random street fights in Ravok it was unlikely he would be known to the man.

[Reaver]

Reaver was glad to hear when the ghost replied, and began to prepare his magic once again. it was time he found out once and for all if he could interact with ghosts. The ghost finished talking before he was ready, as he was taking his time. He decided to continue the conversation, keeping his left arm under his cloak. "Ah, nice to hear you again. Welcome to my boat, Liam Ward." Reaver bowed as he knew, properly. He was still sure to keep his physical arm veiled, as he didn't want it to be obvious he couldn't use it."Yes, magic is a feared topic in this city, though the guard tend to fancy it when their superiors use it. A tough tradition. My name is Reaver, and the fancies of life tend not to suit me much either. I prefer the way they were... before." He paused there, contemplating how old this ghost may be. How long has he been dead? "That magic was... a simple one my father taught me. I have not been practicing lately, so I know not how well I could use it. Tell me, how does your art work?" Reaver asked the question somewhat abruptly, as he didn't want to catch himself giving too much information to an entity that could spread it so quickly. He continued to work his astral arm, slowly, from it's place. He would love to find this out, he just needed the ghost to sit still a while longer.

[Liam]

Liam did not notice the astral arm slowly working it's way toward him, intent as he was in studying the strange mask on Reaver's face. What did Reaver mean when he said before? Before what? What was Reaver hiding, he wondered. The magic had been taught to him by his parents, but that still didn't tell Liam anything about it. When Reaver asked about Liam's own ability he figured it would do no harm to explain it. Perhaps if he was willing to talk about his own abilities Reaver might speak of his. "My power is likely different from yours. The living draw their magic from Djed. I do not have djed.. well, none that is useable anyway, so if I wanted to use magic I would have to possess somebody. The power I used to move your cup though is not really magic. It is simply the condensing of the soul mist that makes up my body to a point that it can interact with solid objects. ..at the moment I can only really interact with things at close range, I have to touch things. But I have heard of ghosts who can stretch and even split their soul mist, allowing them to pick up items from afar and move them about." Liam paused. Perhaps he should not have mentioned that his own power was not yet strong. What if this strange man were a ghost hunter and had brought him out here to destroy him? Or maybe he was even a member of the Ebonstryfe, come to hunt Liam down before he can cause any trouble. Liam doubted any of those things were true, as there were only a handful of people who even knew he was still around, but still Liam scolded himself for not being more careful. This stranger was rather peculiar and might be dangerous. "Well, now that I have explained my own power I believe it is now your turn. How was it that you were able to move something without actually touching it?"

[Reaver]

Reaver's soft smile was hidden behind his mask. He had all the time he needed with that rather fine answer. He reached out his astral arm, and attempted to flick the ghost in the nose. "Magic, of course." Having found out if he could touch a ghost, Reaver began pushing his arm back into proper place. He knew to remember the results of his experiment. Noting the ghost's face, he rolled his eyes and continued the explanation. "I did touch it, the... same way you did in part. I used Djed to push out my... Astral Body. Or, part of it. I then interact with the world using that. We both use a part of ourselves to manipulate the world, as far as our... energies can reach." Reaver couldn't think of anything to add to that explanation, after all, it was the same as the one he just got. "Soul Mist, I wonder how similar that is to an Astral Body. Are they one and the same? Tell me about this 'Soul Mist' you have. I'll keep your secrets if you keep mine, yes?"

[Liam]

Liam started in surprise when he was suddenly flicked in the nose. It didn't hurt him like it would a living creature, it was actually worse. What appeared to be Liam's nose was actually just an illusion put in place for Reaver's benefit, one that could change into something else as he saw fit. Any damage to Liam, no matter where it was, was a damage to his very essence. While the flick had not done much, it did hurt and it was a pain Liam had never experienced before, having believed himself to be pretty much untouchable. At first he thought Reaver was attacking him, but then the strange man continued speaking as if nothing unusual had happened. Liam realized the damage was minimal and should have been beneath his notice, but who was this man that thought he could just go flicking people with invisible fingers whenever he wanted. It wasn't something Liam was willing to tolerate. But Reaver had already moved on, he was speaking of how his magic worked which seemed similar to Liam's own, though a bit different in that Reaver was using his astral body rather than soul mist. And then Reaver requested more information from him. He wanted to know more about soul mist, and Liam grew even more suspicious. He's trying to learn my secrets.. but why? He offers secrets of his own but how can I trust a man who won't even show his face. I should get rid of him.. he already knows to much. I have given him to much.. His mind made up Liam answered Reaver's question as he mentally prepared himself. "Soul mist is what I am. It is my blood, my body.. so far as I know I have no astral body to speak of. I am made up of soul mist." Liam was confident his plan would work. He just needed enough to get him in the water, the armor would do the rest. "It is a natural substance, however. Even the living can produce it if they have the knowledge to do so. It is usually not as pure as what comes from a ghost, but it can fuel us when we are weak or hurt. You could learn to produce it, perhaps. I know someone who can make it." And that was it, Liam was ready. Suddenly the ghost before Reaver vanished and a split second later he felt himself invaded by a foreign intruder. Liam was... cold would be the best word to describe it. His essence was like ice in Reaver's body as he spread out and attempted to steal control. On Liam's end it was a rather odd experience. Reaver felt like nothing he has ever possessed before. It was as if he was missing something... something vital. But his body still functioned and as Liam spread out he found the same triggers of control he would harness in any being. Liam did not attempt anything difficult, he didn't try to make Reaver slit his throat or harness his magic in some way. He simply tried to kick Reaver's legs in such a manner that it would flip Reaver over the edge of the boat and into the cool water's of lake Ravok. After that Liam would simply try to lock down Reaver's body so he could not try to swim, letting the heavy armor drag him to the bottom where he would drown. At least, that's what Liam hoped would happen. He had no idea that Reaver did not need oxygen to live. OOCLiam has 22 in possession. Also Reaver will be able to speak to Liam in his mind now, so if Reaver does end up underwater he will still be able to communicate, though he might not realize it at first. Up to you. Also, these are just attempts. If you believe Reaver could stop Liam feel free to fight back. Whatever you wanna do.

[Reaver]

Reaver listened with genuine interest, he was learning so much. He even mentioned someone who knew how? It was a grand day, as he was about to ask about this person, he found the ghost had left. His passing thought was cut short. The conversation was going smoothly, so wh~cold. It was suddenly very cold. He tried to dismiss it, but found the cold spreading quickly. He went to clench up tight, as the human reaction tended to protect his delicate body well. He found out that everywhere that was cold... he couldn't move. As his legs felt the cold, they kicked... sending him off his boat into the water. He reached out with his right hand, that hadn't felt the cold yet, only to miss the rope that was dangling under the water. It was cold like the rest, and now unmoving. Reaver decided not to talk to himself, and ruin his lungs with water like the last time he was sinking unexpectedly. His thoughts started with the ghost that used to be before him. Well, that was unpleasant. Did I offend the poor lad? He didn't act like any farmer I met, I wonder what it was that changed him so. Maybe I smell worst then I thought. He sank there, unmoving, as he went over the various means he had available to return. Now that I'm here, how do I get back to Ravok without my boat? Taking a ferry is expensive, and swimming is hard. Should I learn or just give in? Maybe I'll cut a tree down and use a log, that should work. It won't take me too long, just energy. Reaver felt himself hit the bottom. Thinking about it, why can't I move? Do ghosts have magic beyond moving things? I almost recollect knowledge of them being capable of doing other things... I will certainly ask the next ghost I encounter.

OOCOdds are, the ghost would hear him rant on, I suspect.