Chapter 118 – General
The General’s manor was based on the same layout as my own, and the Ravenharbor manor. The butler who led us into the manor looked to be another veteran. I expected that, if I looked into it, every guard and staff member in the General’s residence was a veteran who had grown too old to stand on the front lines, but was not ready to simply retire. It was a simple act, but one that would make it hard for traitors to slip into the ranks, while encouraging loyalty with the rank and file at home. It showed that their commander respected them, and didn’t just throw them away when they could no longer hold a shield wall or fight with the same stamina as younger men.
Ailuin Helecan
Elf Male
Level 42 Fighter / Commander
Titles: Survivor, Tough, Oathsworn, Baron, General
Sarya Sylmare
Elf Female
Level 31 Rogue / Spy
Titles: Survivor, Oathsworn, Captain, Spymistress
Brian the Warsinger
Human Male
Level 28 Bard / Soldier
Titles: Silver-Tongued, Virgin’s Bane, Captain
Three people awaited us in the dining hall, two elves and one human, all dressed in steel breastplates over chain shirts, and matching tabards in the colors of Dascora, same as the guards outside. I knew from my reading that this was the standard uniform for all the soldiers of the Northern Reaches, same as the guards outside. The only difference was that these three had cloaks to signify their being officers. I also saw that the two elves had Oaths through the Voice of the World, which seemed to link in the direction of the castle.
The elven man did not bow, but offered a military salute. “Lady Pureheart, it is good to meet you at last. I am General Ailuin Helecan, Commander of the Northern Reaches. With me are Captains Sarya Sylmare and Brian the Warsinger, two of my most trusted aides.”
I nodded my head respectfully, and said, “Well met, General Helecan. I have heard that you are the stalwart defense that keeps the Eclanans at bay to the north. Let me introduce my bound companion, Astruth, and my familiar, Zazriel.”
Introductions made, we all sat around the table. There was some small talk, as more servants, all grizzled men and women past their fighting prime but still having sharp eyes that missed nothing, brought in the food and drink. Roasted boar and a thick soup made of grain and meat, with some freshly sliced bread and cheese on the side. The drink was a fine-tasting mead, which was nice, since it was actually impossible for me to get drunk, or even tipsy. A sad side effect of an immunity to poisons.
Once the servants left, the general’s attention snapped back to me, and his tone grew more focused, and business-like. “So, Pureheart, I have heard much about you in the last few months. Two Heroes slain in your territory, and then an Inquisitor meets their end in your lands, just before you go venturing off across the continent, killing two bosses, and leveling at an unheard of pace, so that you are now likely the highest-leveled party on the continent, unless those Eclanan bastards have something hidden up their sleeves. I’ve wanted to take your measure for some time, now.”
“Because you wished to know if I was a threat to Dascora,” I said, plainly. “Just as you’ve heard about me, I’ve heard about you, General. And I can read more about you by how this compound of yours is set up. The Crown is sure of your loyalty absolutely, and your entire focus is on ensuring that the Theocracy never takes Dascora, like they’ve done other lands. And, I do not doubt that you have some plan to try and deal with me, should I prove a threat to that.”
“I am glad we understand each other plainly, then,” Helecan nodded. “The Windwater line was weak, and corrupt, but they never had the stones to risk the Crown’s wrath, or attempt to do anything that would truly weaken the kingdom. You, however, are clearly of sterner stuff, and require close watching.”
I chuckled, and said, “You know, most women would react badly to hearing that a much older man intended to watch them constantly. Peeking on a woman in the bath, or in her chambers? Tsk, tsk. If I didn’t know better, I would think you had impure intentions, General.”
Helecan barked a laugh, and nodded. “Good, you’re not the weak and easily offended sort, that most nobles are. And you aren’t put out by my suspicions of you. That means you’re either a supremely confident person, or that you are completely sure that I will not find anything that will show you are acting against the kingdom, even if I discover your secrets.”
“Everyone has secrets. However, since I am having dinner with Crown Princess Mariun tonight, I somehow doubt that any secrets I have which could possibly be a threat to the kingdom will remain secret for long. The King’s Spymistress has a well-deserved reputation, after all.”
“I see. Then, perhaps you will regale us with some of your stories? It is rare for so many notices from the Voice of the World to go out in so short a time, and rarer still for them to all be linked to the same person in some way.”
“Well, if I were to tell of my adventures, I think the first thing I’d mention would be some of the events which happened as I passed through Bikar. Starting with how I met the Hero of the Fist.”
The three soldiers’ eyes went wide, but the other two kept silent, letting Helecan speak. “So, you met the Hero who rose up, after the Goblin Hero fell at your hand. And, by the way you led things, I assume he is a resident of Bikar? An elf, like I am?”
“Aye. I’ll not share their name, since we promised to keep some things confidential, but, if you were to send word to them, then you would want to speak with the Bikari Farstriders of Men Thalor.”
Helecan obviously recognized the significance of that. “Then the Hero is as safe as they can be, until the true fighting begins. Good. It is rare for there to be three Heroes in such quick progression, but if this Hero can grow enough to reach Tier 2, then there is hope. Especially since he will be kept far from the Eclanan bastards.”
“Indeed. Though something that came from that meeting, and our working together to put a stop to some werewolves and wererats who were attacking merchants traveling between Bikar and Dascora will be of particular interest to you. The werecreatures were under the command of a Warpriest from the Theocracy. And he had several companions, including an Angel, under the effects of the [Soulslave Ritual].”
The general’s eyes narrowed slightly, and I knew I had his undivided attention. “I assume that this ritual is some variation of the curse used by [Slave Brands] and [Slave Collars]?”
“In effect, if not in means, yes. Those Soulslaves under the ritual’s effects are forced to obey the Soulbinder, however the ritual does not pass a curse on to the target, so protections and remedies to curses do not affect it. Instead, it affects the soul directly, and the titles it grants cannot be seen with [Appraise] unless one also has the [Perceive Soul] skill, or something similar. Making it a very dangerous tool for infiltrators.”
“Damnation,” the spymistress cursed. “That is a wicked trick. What can you tell us of the ritual, and its effects? You would not have mentioned it if you did not intend to share more about how it might be discovered, or at least countered, right?”
“Finding someone who can see souls is the best way to search for those under the ritual’s effects. If you have someone in your ranks who can summon angels, or gain one as a familiar, that would work, and Zazriel tells me that such services would be well within the bounds of what an Angel would consider to be acceptable uses of their talents, so you would be unlikely to earn their ire with such work. Beyond that, I can tell you that the connections between different souls take on different ‘colors’, at least to my eyes, though I cannot tell what others would see. The bond of a [Slave Collar] or different [Vow] and [Oath] skills would be a light blue, while demonic pacts would be red, and angelic ties would be golden. The bond between Soulslave and Soulbinder, though, is a pale green. Meaning that one who can see souls can detect it at a glance.”
The spymistress looked to the General, and said, “We’ll need to see about summoning and binding an angel when we get back. Probably need to look through any of the mage classes, and see if any of them have yet to take the [Bind Familiar] skill, and get them leveled up.”
“There’s also the [Familiar Binding Ritual], if you have someone with the [Ritualist] skill. Or I would be willing to use my [Scribe Scroll] skill to make a couple copies of the ritual that you could use. You’d still need to manage the summoning yourselves, of course.”
The general looked back at me. “And what would you ask for this service?”
“Market rate on the scrolls, since the ritual is one of the more common ones. But if we are really doing a trade, then I will say that I happened to collect the complete skeleton of a Lesser Dragon, and acquired the [Animation Magic] skill while subverting an attempt to cause discord between Bikar and Crystalshield. The [Create Undead] spell would allow me to turn that into a Greater Lesser Dragon Skeleton. While I don’t have any use for such a thing in my lands, I thought it might be a useful addition to the defenses in the north. Especially for searching through the mountains to keep spies from sneaking behind your lines.”
Helecan looked at me for a moment, and said, “I’m assuming the skeleton is from the boss of the Dragonskull Caves dungeon?” When I nodded, he said, “The complete skeleton is said to be a rare drop, something that only happens when you manage to defeat the dragon in a way that does not damage the bones in any way. Since powerful spells and attacks usually end up doing some damage to the bones, unless you are supremely careful, it is rare to see anything like that.”
“Well, much of the violence in the putting the dragon down came after my party and I had managed to drain his Strength to 0 temporarily. Unable to lift his own head, much less fight back, my Lesser Frost Dragon companion, Frostmaw, was able to rip out the dragon’s throat easily enough, avoiding the heavy damage that normally comes with fights against Dragons. A bit of work with my dagger, and a companion who ranked her water-based class to a blood-based one when we hit Tier 2, and we were able to drain him out fairly easily, while keeping his constructs from coming to his aid. Though I doubt others could do what we did, and especially not as easily. We had the perfect group for this, basically.”
Helecan’s eyes went wide, appraisingly. “You were able to disable and drain out a Lesser Dragon’s blood, presumably without casualties?”
“Yes,” I nodded. “Though, I should also mention that I did more than drain out his blood. After all, in another month I should be laying the egg for my firstborn heir, and then I’ll see what type of being they’ll end up as.”
“I am not certain I wish to know the mechanics of how, exactly, that worked.”
“Let us just say that my heritage, and the Level 50 skill for the Courtesan profession, made things that should have been impossible, possible. So, would you like to have an undead dragon to help keep the Theocracy at bay?”
“Please, let me get back to you on that one. I will first need to ensure that none of my people have been turned into Soulslaves, to make sure I do not accidentally hand over an important weapon to the Theocracy.”
“Of course. I will say that, if you slay the Soulbinder, the Soulslaves will become owned by you. If you choose to free them in that moment, you gain the Freer of Souls title, making you, and a few others immune to soul damage and control magics, as well as giving you the ability to free Soulslaves by paying ten times the sum of their mental attributes in MP. Which, depending on how far away the Soulbinder is, may be the only way to free them.”
“Well, now I am especially glad to have invited you here for a meal.”