Chapter 1-41- Golden Orbs (1/2)
Baltimore was an hour or two down the road.
Technically, it was further than that, but only if you obeyed speed limits. Sleipner set his own pace, and cars were just shadows on the road he was traveling along the Veil. I was sure we were doing 200+ mph, but such is life.
“Given that we’re coming out of Philly, is there any reason it wasn’t made the new capitol?” I asked, leisurely watching the shadowy landscape of the East Coast stream past at ridiculous speed.
THE LANDBOUND SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY. THE CHURCHES AGREED THAT WAS BEST, AND THEN THERE WAS A SAHAUG INCURSION IN GEORGIA. SUDDENLY EVERYONE THOUGHT THAT BEING NEAR THE WATER AND BETWEEN TWO SHROUDZONES WAS A STUPID PLACE TO HAVE A CAPITOL, OR SO I HEARD TELL.
I snickered despite myself. “You work with the Norambound?”
THEY TEND TO BE RATHER RADICALLY BRUTAL ENVIRONMENTALISTS WITH OUTSIZED EGOS AT HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE CONVEYING THE WISHES OF THE LAND. He paused thoughtfully. IT IS IMPORTANT, AND IT ALSO GETS A LOT OF THEM SHOT. THEY KEEP FORGETTING THAT THE LAND ISN’T GOING TO GET UP AND STEP ON PEOPLE WHO KILL THEM. THAT’S THEIR JOB. THE DRUIDS TEND TO BE WISER IN HOW THEY ACT...
“That’s because they aren’t obligated to fight. Warlocks are.”
YES. It was the undeniable truth of being Pactbound. You got power, and in return, you fought, whether you liked it or not.
“I thought the planet would mostly be suppressed under the Haze. Who is granting Landbound?”
THERE ARE SPECIAL LOCATIONS ON EACH CONTINENT THAT PEOPLE CAN GO TO AND ATTEMPT TO GAIN THE ATTENTION OF THE MOTHER LANDS. THE DRUIDS ATTEMPT TO KEEP THEM SECRET, BUT THEY AREN’T THAT HARD TO LEARN OF THROUGH THE RIGHT CHANNELS.
The only places where you might be able to Commune with the land? Yeah, those would get known in certain places rather emphatically...
The smaller the spirit, the less suppressed it was. Cities shouldn’t have a problem under the Haze, but major Elemental spirits definitely would...
“Who granted you your Stormpact?”
DJINN. STAYS IN HEAVENBOUND HALL, SPONSORS SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO DON’T QUITE MEASURE UP FOR HEAVENBOUND. VERY WARY OF BEING CAPTURED AND BOUND BY SOME TWAT WHO WANTS TO MAKE HIM COUGH UP WISHES.
“A noble djinn got caught here?”
APPARANTLY A RIVAL EFREETI NOBLE IS ALSO TRAPPED HERE, AND WINDGRAF MOCHTAL IS USING ALL HIS WISHES TO MAKE CERTAIN HIS RIVAL CANNOT GRANT ANY.
Mochtal? Graf Koshtal’s older brother? What were the odds?... His Clan would have completely forgotten he existed at this point, so there was nobody coming to rescue him...
An Efreet is here. Interesting... I considered the implications of that.
Ah, yes. “You said Daoists were a force here.”
He stiffened slightly at the wariness in my voice. YES.
“I need clarification on that. The Path of Daoist Immortals?”
He took another deep breath. YES, he confirmed.
“Shit...” It slipped out despite myself. “Are you aware of the origins of the Daoist Immortal Path?”
I ONLY KNOW IT IS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE CHI-BASED MARTIAL SYSTEM OF THE DRAGON WARRIORS AND ADEPTS. IT SEEMS TO BE MORE CONCERNED WITH TRANSFORMATION OF THE BODY.
“And soul,” I added softly, and his face turned slightly back towards me.
THAT SOUNDS OMINOUS...
“It turns them into Native Outsiders with a racial prerogative of Defy the Heavens and Master the Dao.”
I SENSE MORE TO IT THAN THAT...
“The quickest way for Daoists to gain power is to steal it from the Powered. Their human soul is consumed by the Golden Orb they form within themselves as they advance their cultivation, eating them and replacing their human host's body and soul with their own. They pursue power and no accountability to others above all things, and seek to change the world to accommodate their own system of power, and no others.
“In the end, they want to bring down the gods and replace them. The societies they form are barbaric lands of gilt over savagery, where strength is all, the mighty dwell in splendor, and mortals live in primitive lives no higher than medieval-era tech, at best, the better to let the Qi in the world rise.”
QI? NOT CHI?, he queried immediately.
“Qi. They seek to drive out chi and mana as inferior energies that displace their Qi. Thus, they seek to murder the Powered, steal their power, and convert, burn away, or otherwise limit spiritual and magical power from the world, leaving only their own way behind.”
IS QI A HIGHER ORDER ENERGY?, he inquired.