Ghosts, Goats, and Guys (Moritz)

by **Alice Weaver** on May 14th, 2022, 3:01 am

The ghost really was left out in the cold with the Kelvic they felt. They guessed it was not enough to simply bruise and batter someone's soul once when they asked you for it. Maybe Spiritists only remembered those who battered their souls multiple times…

The ghost let out a sigh from her shell as she felt the air rush from Cavan’s lungs, filing away the warm and moist air that brushed across the lower portion of his face. It was the little things they found themselves cataloging as it was these things that were so important to the living. It also didn’t hurt to remember these things when using a body they couldn’t feel anything in. It would make the whole act more convincing when they didn’t forget to breathe at regular intervals or not react to the fly that bit them with an appropriate amount of faked pain.

With a shrug, they followed after the young Spiritist as he moved among the tables of goods, oh so easy to track with his mop of rainbow pink hair. At a regular interval, they had to remind themselves to take a step back as they found themselves too close to Moritz. Their time as an ethereal being had corroded their sense of personal space. The thought made their nose scrunch up in disgust. They were getting too complacent and too free with Cavan. Cavan should be a treat, a study material, and a base to build a better body. This shopping trip could have quickly been done without him.

The internal reprimand was finished and internalized as they continued after Moritz.

“A search for something a friend wants? Do tell what that thing is…unless it’s private of course,” Alice hastily amended. “Oh wait. That would be something you are interested in right? Bah. Whatever. I’ll catch on to the reverse-lie speech soon enough.”

“And the bow was a spur-of-the-moment purchase,” They laughed lightly at Moritz calling it a spear. It truly hammered home how weird of interaction this all was. “Cavan, this body, has some…leftovers from its previous owner I suppose. He was a swamp man before from what I could tell. Knows basic survival skills and the likes,” They made a dismissive gesture with their hand

“He also has flashes of almost memories that link to a deep want. The bow was one of those and I chose to indulge it. It is concerning on a certain level that he’s gone but not truly and I think I have been using this ‘gift’ much too freely. The next time we met it will most assuredly be in my ethereal and very dead form.”

They needlessly elaborated their purchase for no other reason other than they were genuinely disturbed at times how the body just knew things that Alice would have no reason to know. It seemed even a goddess struggled to perfectly core out a soul like a glossy red apple destined for a pie, so what chance did they have to even replicate such a feat? No, they must look for another way.

The shared body went into thought as they hummed a meaningless tune as they searched the table Moritz had wandered to.

by **Moritz Craven** on May 15th, 2022, 2:37 pm

Moritz shrugged in response to the ghosts words, understanding the bow purchase was something new and not something she had planned beforehand. So then, he reasoned, she did not likely know much about it. Which further increased the likelihood of what he thought earlier, that she was not handling it quite properly... However he did not really have much to say on the topic, and so simply continued along with other things.

He was interested to hear about her current possessed body. If true it seemed this body was not fully alive or at least not aware in the normal sense. Perhaps some accident or such had left him in this half alive state? But not completely gone nor empty, since she still seemed to be possessing it in a way, though perhaps less so than a normal fully alive body...

"Hmmm... Yes, very important to give in to ones casual wants and desires. I do it all the time. And I suppose a bow is good on its own, not like you need anything else to use it. So suitably addressed in regards to that desire. Good job!"

With that said Moritz took a few more steps, examining a table which had what appeared to be bolts for a crossbow. However the head of it was quite odd looking, some were quite large and blunt with others being quite small and pointed, which made him assume they were some kind of custom thing. Perhaps meant for specific uses?

As it was the woman had a bow but he was unsure she had a place to store it... Or arrows, or a place to store them... His earlier comment was made with the intention of pointing this out, showing the incomplete nature of her current purchases.

Moritz kept looking around in hopes of finding something for himself, but as he had failed in his search or a Voril weapon he did not immediately see anything else he needed. And it had not been that long since he purchased the daggers, and so did not need much more in the way of that. Perhaps later, when he got better with them and was more confident in using them. As it was now, he did not think he was there.

"As for me, I'm just looking for normal, average things. Nothing special. Things for a friend of a friend and the like. I've passed them up a few times when I found them, but perhaps now would be a good time to commit and get it."

WC: 424

by **Alice Weaver** on May 23rd, 2022, 7:40 pm

Their lips quirked at Moritz’s statement.

“I’ll have you know that I am aware I am missing a key few bits of making the bow function… I just need a few good ol’ arrows and a quiver and I should be good! It might be fun to learn to shoot but who knows. Maybe I’ll simply be a natural at it,” They grinned. “Worst case scenario I now have very pointy and scary sticks to throw around with soulmist if everything turns upside down.”

They trailed behind Moritz as they too glanced over the table festooned with projectiles fashioned of wood and metal. Something in Cavan flicked that these weren’t right, too short, stubby, and heavy for what they just bought.

Further down the street and stands, they wandered, dipping into stores to see if they could find this elusive ‘normal, everyday thing’ the kelvic was looking for. Somewhere along the line, they stumbled upon a spread of arrows pre-packaged into a leather quiver that slung across their back. They continued their conversation with Moritz as they made the exchange of miza.

“You know, have you ever tried to write things down? Or do your words still get all twisted as well? It might be something worth trying if only for some of the more salient points you might need to get across.”

They finished handing over the coin as they slung the quiver over their back, adjusting the bow to make it fit and hug their body tightly. A slight flash of light pulled their attention to the clover charm that came attached to the quiver for the barest moment, idly they noted to take it off and turn it into a bracelet or a necklace of some kind.

“Or,” The spirit offered. “After you find or don’t find what you are looking for we could go someplace quieter and I could take a poke around inside? I’ve gotten a decent clip better with possession and a second set of eyes never hurt anyone. And I picked up a certain mental skill that could possibly help you out if you want as well.”

“Though it will leave Cavan a bit…indisposed so we couldn’t go traipsing all over unless you have a nice place to stash him.”

They moved back up to follow Moritz as they lagged a bit behind in finishing up their purchase, “And maybe write down that thing you want to find for your friend. A Spiritist should never have to work alone!”.

Secret :

by **Moritz Craven** on May 25th, 2022, 1:31 am

Moritz simply smiled and shrugged as Alice explained she knew what she needed. Still, he had no way of knowing that. Particularly with her presenting things as a done job having just bought the bow and nothing else.

The thought of using soulmist though to directly manipulate and use the arrows... He was unsure how well that would work. Maybe daggers? Or something a bit more solid. He was less sure that soulmist could work the same as a bow, though perhaps it could to some extent? Not being a ghost he was less clear admittedly on the limits of ghosts moving things with their soulmist, so he had to admit once more he just did not know. But he felt it was likely not that simple.

Soon enough Alice had found some of the other items she would need, though he was unsure that was everything. It was certainly at least the minimum needed. A bow, arrows to fire from it, and a quiver to hold those arrows. Perhaps a skilled archer would know what else would be of use, but not being one himself he was unsure.

For now he was fine with working out his own weapons, at the moment daggers and other things but mainly daggers at the moment, though he conceded some day he might add on bows and things to his repertoire. But not wanting to spread himself too thin he did not plan to do so just yet.

"Generally I do write things, mostly in chicken blood and with a goose feather. Sometimes I even kill the chicken first before bleeding it, otherwise they do complain something fierce when you bleed them each time you need some more to write with. Its so nice to convey ones innermost thoughts across a piece of animal skin stretched tight which you will surely care about the next day to have written it down. I'll have to show you some of the lengthy volumes I have written."

In truth Moritz had tried writing things down, and Alice was not the first to offer it as a solution. One that did not work, but clearly everyone seemed keen on offering with the assumption he would not have tried it...

Really he did not feel much of a need to journal or otherwise write many things, not finding he had trouble remembering the things he felt were important and not caring overly much about the things he often forgot.

As they slowly moved on Moritz was left with a frown, meeting the spirit in a mans body and trying to work out what they meant. A poke inside? By a ghost... Trying to fix his head. Possession he knew, but he was unsure what that had to do with his affliction nor how that could help it.

Wait, if he was possessed, would the possessing ghost also end up being forced to lie? He honestly had no idea, though it would not really help him if it did not affect a possessor since they would then be speaking on his behalf and it would not be him speaking.

As for a mental skill to help... What the petch would that be?

"Eh, I do not really have an interest in possession anymore, that is so two seasons ago. Back in a bygone simpler age. Though having you mess around with my mind with some unnamed mental ability, that surely seems interesting and entirely safe. Cannot image there might be any downsides to that... Does not make me nervous at all that you did not even name or identify it... Any who, I think I will be busy looking for quite some time so I am unsure when we would be able to try such a thing. Perhaps next time? How is the second fourth of nineteenth, I believe I am free then."

In truth Moritz was more or less done, having failed to find what he wanted. Again. Which, he reminded himself, was not so unexpected. It was a rare item... Still, he was not one to give up, rather he stubbornly kept on at a task.

WC: 689