Talk:Contracts (skill)

Learning Messages

"You probably know, by now," says Raest, Hunter of the Heartwood, "That the Astral Realm is a part of Chaos, and that the Lady Omei rules it. You might not know about the creatures that rule it, though - the Nobles." He chuckles. "Hold onto that, and let's start by explaining the Realm itself."

Raest, Hunter of the Heartwood gives you a lecture on the nature of the Chaotic realms. He begins by explaining that the boundaries of the subplanes, as well as everything which lies within them, are comprised from the same, infinitesimally small 'individuals' - sentient bits of chaotic matter.

"Chaotic individuals can either join together willingly, or eat one another, to grow in size and power," explains Raest, Hunter of the Heartwood. "A small pebble contains tens of thousands. It stays a pebble because its individuals - or enough of them - want to be one."

"Of course, individuals change their minds frequently. That's what makes Chaos so chaotic." Raest, Hunter of the Heartwood gestures with his fingers, parting them as though to mimic an explosion. "Indecision and emotion play frequent roles in altering the reality of Chaos, and the Astral Realm is no exception."

"There's different names for collections of individuals, depending on how complicated they are. The more complex ones are entities - the same that Indorani and Oneiromancers call upon - and collections that are even more complex still are called masks." Raest, Hunter of the Heartwood draws a hand across his visage: "As in, their forms mask a consciousness we don't fully understand."

"Some of these masks," Raest, Hunter of the Heartwood goes on, "Are powerful enough to order and transform the world around them. On the Astral, this quality is called sovereignty, and the masks who possess it are called Nobles. We summon much of our power as Oneiromancers from their domains."

"...no favor comes without a price," Raest, Hunter of the Heartwood warns you. "That's what makes Contracts such a subtle art. The Nobles hunger for memories of the Prime. For sure fates, amidst the madness of their everyday existence, and they will drink you dry if you offer your secrets too freely."

Raest, Hunter of the Heartwood is silent a moment, to emphasize the grim point, and only then goes on. "That is why it's important, when you negotiate with the Astrals, to maintain your own sense of sovereignty. Your memories, your self, your soul, and your sense of fate, are all your own. Bargain *nothing* if you can't bear losing it and all recollection that you ever possessed it."

In the final part of the lesson, Raest, Hunter of the Heartwood begins to summon forth the most dangerous of Astral entities: the elemental maw. "When one of these open up underfoot," he explains, "Anyone who's on the ground is going to have a bad time. Here, let me show you..."

The summoning continues in the face of your mounting panic, until Raest, Hunter of the Heartwood breaks his focus abruptly. The suggestion of the maw, pressing at the edges of reality, fades - yet the memory of its hunger remains. "Don't try to summon one of these until you've memorized the spellbinder's words, Oneiromancer, or it could eat your entire metaphysical existence." He pauses again, to let the point sink in. "Got it? Good talk."