SPECTRE and SHADOW Conference (storyline)/2025-10-11 - Lecture 6 - Souls (log)

Lecture #6 of the 2025 SPECTRE and SHADOW Conference was led by Giedrius Ravencroft. It was initially presented as a lecture on hampsters on behalf of PAWS, however at its start, Giedrius revealed that he had arranged for the PAWS event to overlap with SPECTRE and SHADOW simply because he still wanted to do a presentation associated with the group for their conference. Instead of hampsters, he discussed new details that he had discovered into his research into the use of soulstones and transferring souls into other forms.

Log has been heavily edited to remove ambient messages from 5000 pets.

[Evermore Hotel, Library]
Towering bookshelves are crammed with grimoires, tomes, and scrolls adorned with mystical symbols shimmering in the dim light of softly glowing orbs.  Tables scattered throughout the library are covered with open books, their pages fluttering as if stirred by an unseen breeze laden with the musty scent of aged parchment.  An enormous tapestry hangs above a grand stone fireplace carved to resemble the gaping maw of a colossal dragon frozen in a perpetual roar.  You also see a giant ovate leathery winged cockroach, a two-toned cerulean weevil, an innocuous house spider, a coy forest spirit that is flying around, a yellow-eyed silvery lor mandrake sprouting lavender-grey ghostbells, a volatile luck spirit that is flying around, a long-haired tortoiseshell cat with an ebon face mask, a slender brown fox, a sleek polychromic teadragon with lacy opalescent wings, a pale amber mosquito, a glowing red-gold fire puppy with a luminous white face and belly, an obese drunken chinchilla, an innocuous house spider, the Serene disk, a bur-eyed twisted witchwood mandrake sprouting midnight belladonnas, a black-tailed black ora damselfly bedecked in fiery orange wings with scarlet veins, a blue-eyed seal point cat sporting white whiskers, a grizzled white puppy with a scar-covered hunchback, a faded red phantom puppy bleeding whorls of sanguine mist, a black-lacquered witchwood bar framed by mist-enshrouded iron cauldrons with some stuff on it, a branch-like ghostwood basket perched on a base of raven-carved marble, a polar bear skin rug and an overstuffed dark leather couch.
Also here: Manager Blodeuyn, Aurelyn, Oogey who is sitting, Thalita, Nilandia who is sitting, Aihan who is sitting, Ermias who is sitting, Bathcwyn Missoni who is sitting, Hospitaller Yukito, Vulpine Chaser Perigourd, Sister-in-Arms Delindra who is sitting, Magister Raelee, Aifric, Rivienne, Fleurs who is sitting, Land Pirate Maylan who is sitting, Serene, Miss Lissaya who is sitting, Master Giedrius, Lady Erienne, Vexlia, Gardener Brigit who is sitting, Lady Meliyara who is sitting, Small Game Huntress Kialeigh, Brave Soul Alek who is sitting, Madam Felisaithne who is sitting, Ceibhfhionn
Obvious exits: out

Giedrius says, "I suppose, then, it is time for the lecture that everyone has been waiting for, of course."

Several pudgy calico-patched hamsters sit upon Giedrius's head, squeaking fiercely as they collide into one another.
You see Master Giedrius Ravencroft the Hamster Specialist.
Due to the inked vellum mask he wears, it is difficult to determine his race...or even whether he is living or dead.
He is very tall.  His features are hidden beneath a lacquered vellum mask half-washed in silver foil, though his ebon-lashed glacial blue eyes shine through.  He has short, silver-shot grey hair combed straight back to the nape of his neck.  Little else about his appearance is easy to distinguish.
He has an ebon-inked inverted triangle on his neck.
He is in good shape.
He is wearing a night-dark jacquard overrobe peppered with short white hairs, a wide ashen leather belt with suede-looped glass vials over an open-front lunar silver silk robe with a lusterless raw silk underrobe dyed a deep violet-black hue underneath, and a pair of black suede boots fit with a small pouch on each side.
Numerous plump hamsters of varying coloration perch on his shoulders, peek out from the sleeves of his robe, or scurry around his boots.

You give a sidelong glance at Giedrius.

Maylan turns to Giedrius and cheers!

Meliyara gazes with interest at Giedrius.

Yukito turns to face Giedrius.

Lissaya removes a two-toned cerulean weevil from in a bur-eyed twisted witchwood mandrake sprouting midnight belladonnas.
Lissaya carefully places a two-toned cerulean weevil on the floor.

Oogey says, "Oogeys lizard will poop on oogery not the dancing floor."

Ermias just went over and threw himself down on the couch.

Felisaithne turns towards Giedrius, a skeptical look on her face.

Ermias takes a drink from his honeyed lemon pilsner.
Ermias looks rather relaxed.

Thalita says, "Hamsters."

Lissaya removes a giant ovate leathery winged cockroach from on a bur-eyed twisted witchwood mandrake sprouting midnight belladonnas.
Lissaya carefully places a giant ovate leathery winged cockroach on the floor.

Fleurs blinks.

Lissaya nods to a bur-eyed twisted witchwood mandrake sprouting midnight belladonnas.

Perigourd furrows his brow.

Giedrius moves to stand before the people gathered in the library.

Missoni says, "Oh, then I need Jellybean."
Missoni plucks a pudgy elephant shrew from a round basket woven of fireleaf branches, the creature yawning as she wakes it up.

Ceibhfhionn stands up.

Fleurs says, "Oh, we're really getting a hamster lecture."
Fleurs gazes in wonder at her surroundings.

>mychar considers going up to her room.  Because she signed up for a SPECTRE and SHADOW Conference, not PAWS and hamster tomfoolery!

You fold your arms over your chest.

The tortoiseshell cat purrs loudly as he saunters toward Aifric.  He bumps into her legs several times before walking away.

Speaking to a long-haired tortoiseshell cat with an ebon face mask, Aifric pleads, "Please do not chase the hamsters.  They are not food... right now."

Oogey lets out a cheer!

Missoni thoroughly musses the elephant shrew's fur and it squirms out from under her hand, glaring at her as it begins to try to attend to its matted fur with an affronted air.

Ceibhfhionn just went over and threw herself down on the couch.

Several hamsters scurry down Giedrius's arms and then disappear up his sleeves.

Missoni gazes with interest at Giedrius.

Maylan pats the drunken chinchilla on the head, the rodent submitting to the condescending gesture with an irritated hiss.

Giedrius says, "For those of you who are new, I am Giedrius Ravenscroft."

Speaking to a blue-eyed seal point cat sporting white whiskers, Felisaithne says, "Wait until tomorrow afternoon, and then they will be fair game."

Felisaithne starts chortling.

You gaze in amusement at Felisaithne.

Aifric snickers at Felisaithne.

Ceibhfhionn whispers something to Thalita.

Giedrius says, "If you are not new and you do not remember, given how very memorable I am, then there may very well be something wrong with your soul."

Giedrius squints.

Meliyara laughs softly, trying to hide her amusement.

The tortoiseshell cat lets out a meow coupled with a purr as he looks to Aifric.

Lissaya raises her eyebrow, the twisted silver rings set within only enhancing her skeptical expression.

Ermias takes a drink from his honeyed lemon pilsner.
Ermias looks rather relaxed.

Giedrius says, "It's likely not my fault if there is."

Speaking to a long-haired tortoiseshell cat with an ebon face mask, Aifric says, "Oh, you want uppies?  Okay, uppies, then."

You mildly remark, "Isn't everyone here new to PAWS?"

Aifric leans down and calls to the tortoiseshell cat, who saunters eagerly up to her.  Aifric deftly scoops him up and cradles him against her side.

Meliyara appears to be struggling to keep a straight face as she glances at you.

Giedrius admits, "Honestly, I was going to talk about hamsters, in my lecture "Obese, Fuzzy, Adorable Furballs: Are Hamsters Too Cute For Us to Live?"."

Giedrius says, "Since I have a captive audience, I will instead revert to the lecture series I had planned prior to my unceremonious removal from SPECTRE and SHADOW."

Raelee takes a moment to observe Giedrius.

Giedrius clears his throat.

Ermias squints at Giedrius.

Ermias takes a drink from his honeyed lemon pilsner.

Giedrius amusedly says, "Such a fortuitous crossing of paths."

Yukito nods slowly.

Felisaithne stares at Giedrius.

Fleurs blinks.

Blodeuyn frowns.

Thalita dryly says, "Of course you are."

You ponder the meaning of Giedrius's existence.
You wryly muse, "Indeed."

Ceibhfhionn says, "And there it is."

Ceibhfhionn nods.

Brigit leans back.

Giedrius fails to fully fight off a smirk.

Fleurs asks, "Isn't this illegal?"
Fleurs squints.

Missoni looks at Giedrius blankly, at a loss to express herself.

Ceibhfhionn says, "Oh Geddy, you are so predictable."

Perigourd scratches at his beard.

Speaking softly to Fleurs, Ermias says, "Help.  Constable.  Murder."

Fleurs agrees with Ermias.

Yukito chuckles.

Ceibhfhionn removes a silver flask of violet liqueur from in her auroralaen robes.

Ceibhfhionn takes a drink from her flask of liqueur.
Ceibhfhionn looks rather relaxed.

You think to yourself, "I wonder if he will be kicked out of PAWS, too, after this."

Giedrius says, "Memory has a way of bleeding away from souls.  It is tied up in some fashion in their physical incarnations."

Giedrius says, "Here, in Naidem, the unliving--what they recall, even introspect, is here and there."

Aifric cocks her head at Giedrius.

Giedrius corrects, "Er, what we recall, as fellow unliving, that is."

Meliyara smirks as a haughty expression flits across her face.

Maylan nods quickly!

Perigourd glances at Blodeuyn.

Giedrius explains, "Last year I spoke to this conference of souls taking forms in other planes."

Missoni nods slightly.

Giedrius says, "If you missed it, that is a pity. But you are blessed to be here today and hear the rest."

Perigourd glances at Missoni and folds his arms over his chest.

Lissaya raises her eyebrow, the twisted silver rings set within only enhancing her skeptical expression.

You gaze with interest at Giedrius.

Giedrius paces back and forth.

Giedrius continues, "Much as a lich mediates its power through a phylactery, the soul might be used through a soulstone as a transplanar conduit."

Aihan ponders.

The tortoiseshell cat licks at Aifric's arm with his tongue.
The tortoiseshell cat in Aifric's arms squirms.

Felisaithne rubs her chin thoughtfully.

Felisaithne traces a series of glowing runes while chanting an arcane phrase...
Felisaithne gestures at an ebonwood pawprint talisman.
A diminutive black cat pads into the room and circles Felisaithne's feet a few times before stopping at her side.

Giedrius pointedly adds, "But the lich also retains, after a fashion, some semblance of its memory and identity."

Felisaithne nods to the black cat.

Perigourd smirks at Missoni.

The black cat nimbly jumps into Felisaithne's open arms and nestles into the crook of her arm.

Felisaithne pets a diminutive black cat, which bristles slightly at her touch.

Thalita removes an ether-warped virid soulstone from in her black ora waistchain.

Giedrius pauses for a moment, looking over the audience.

Meliyara rubs her chin thoughtfully.

Ermias waves to Giedrius.

Thalita smirks.

Giedrius rolls his eyes at Ermias.

Missoni glances appraisingly at Giedrius.

Ermias takes a drink from his honeyed lemon pilsner.

Giedrius says, "There is this question, then, of the relation of the soul to its physical host."

Fleurs can offer Giedrius only a blank expression.

Erienne agrees with Fleurs.
Erienne glances at Giedrius.

A skeletal black cat says, "I heard there was boredom happening in the library, so I decided to investigate."

Giedrius states, "It might merely serve as the enslaved animating force of the undead."

Thalita put an ether-warped virid soulstone in her black ora waistchain.

Giedrius ponders.

Giedrius explains, "But here in Naidem the soul of elves become gjengangers."

The tortoiseshell cat in Aifric's arms arches his neck up and licks her.
The tortoiseshell cat in Aifric's arms squirms.

Brigit glances at Giedrius.

Giedrius says, "Their features shift constantly between young and old, which is a testament to the fluidity of form in this realm."

You nod in agreement.

Giedrius says, "What interests me at the moment is this relation of memory to physical incarnation."

Raelee looks thoughtfully at Giedrius.

Giedrius says, "When people die their soul departs, and their memories fade away."

Brigit softly asks, "Your question does memory continue?"

The tortoiseshell cat in Aifric's arms squirms.

Aifric leans over and gives the tortoiseshell cat a kiss on the head.

Giedrius glowers darkly at Brigit.

Giedrius says, "Questions at the end."

Brigit waves to Giedrius.
Brigit laughs!

Giedrius says, "One might presume from this that the physical form is the host of memory, that the mind needs both soul and supporting animate matter to have cohesion."

Perigourd glances sharply at Giedrius.

The black cat in Felisainthe's arms squirms and suddenly lets out a loud hiss, baring his teeth in no particular direction.

Delindra furrows her brow.

Giedrius says, "The lich clings on with the remnants of its once mortal skeletal body."

Giedrius paces back and forth.

Missoni leans forward and rests her chin in her hand, a thoughtful expression on her face.

You shake your head.

Felisaithne pets a skeletal black cat, which bristles slightly at her touch.

Giedrius animatedly remarks, "Yet we have reason to think it flows the other way, that the mind is restored when the body is reincarnated through the soul."

The tortoiseshell cat pushes off of Aifric and jumps to the floor from her grasp.

Yukito raises an eyebrow.

Meliyara absently chews on her lip, appearing to ponder possibilities and potential nuances.

Omrii just arrived.

Giedrius clarifies, "More specifically, when Lorminstra returns the soul to the valence of Elanthia, soul becomes Elf once again."

Speaking hushedly to Omrii, Ermias says, "Hey welcome back.  This is our talk on hamsters, with a slight detour."

Omrii grunts at Ermias, amused.

Fleurs stares at Giedrius.

Giedrius says, "But when the same soul comes to Naidem, it becomes gjenganger, with varying memory and identity."

Yukito nods slightly at Giedrius.

Brigit leans against an overstuffed dark leather couch.

Giedrius animatedly says, "The soul in some sense has the physical incarnation encoded within it in its interaction with being made whole in any given mode of reality."

Giedrius ponders.

Giedrius says, "We may ask if we can manipulate the capacities of mind by subjecting the soul to other valences."

Ceibhfhionn takes a drink from her flask of liqueur.

Giedrius continues, "In the same vein we may ask if manipulating the soul is a way to change physical forms."

You think to yourself, "Of course it is.  I have helped with this process more than once."

Giedrius thoughtfully notes, "After all, one may wonder how it is that the various kinds of undead take on their peculiar forms and characteristics, which must be rooted in causes."

Giedrius glances around the room.

Ermias takes a drink from his honeyed lemon pilsner.

Ermias looks rather relaxed.

Giedrius explains, "There are any number of undead, such as dark apparitions and firephantoms, which betray their horrific origins in their manifestations."

Giedrius paces back and forth.

Meliyara nods knowingly.

Giedrius says, "Were I to take the Luukosian soulcrafting black arts to fuse fragments of souls together from multiple sources..."

Delindra frowns.

Raelee leans over and whispers, "One wonders if he is storing souls in thost hamsters..."

Yukito squints.

Giedrius continues, "... for instance, the construct Athamael, with its own composite identity..."

Nilandia nods in agreement at Aihan.

Giedrius paces back and forth.

Giedrius ponders, "... what would happen if we were to make it incarnate a form in a realm such as Naidem?"

Missoni looks thoughtfully at Giedrius.

Giedrius glances around the room.

Maylan shrugs her shoulders, lifting her wings slightly.

You quietly whisper to Raelee, "I had thought that a possiblity.  It's entirely possible, and within the realm of what I have seen - and have helped - happen before."
You ponder the meaning of Giedrius's existence.

Aihan takes a moment to observe Giedrius.
Aihan twists his head slightly, cracking his neck.  He looks relieved.

Giedrius counters, "On the other hand, you have something like the twice-born fellow Paidreg, a once baronial provost from Vornavis, whose soul was destroyed with Luukosian deathwort."

Raelee nods slowly at Giedrius.

Giedrius explains, "And the thing which calls itself Paidreg now is a kind of tulpa that was formed from the disparate memories of him from others."

You murmur, "That's a name I haven't heard in a long time."

(Nilandia simply watches Giedrius, her expression inscrutable.)

Missoni furrows her brow.

Yukito gazes at Giedrius.
(Yukito sits up straight.)

Giedrius talks animatedly with his hands as he paces before the crowd.

Lissaya shrugs at Omrii.

Giedrius inquires, "What becomes of such a form when transmogrified by another reality?"

Speaking to you, Missoni murmurs, "He visited court a few weeks ago."

Speaking surprisedly to Missoni, you ask, "Athamael?"

Speaking quietly to Missoni, Perigourd says, "I would have preferred the hamsters."
Perigourd grunts.

Speaking to you, Missoni says, "Oh. No. Paidreg."

Rivienne looks thoughtfully at Giedrius.

You quietly say, "Ah."

Speaking to Felisaithne, Aifric whispers aloud, "Well, that's just horrifying."

The drunken chinchilla forages around, finding an old discarded bone which it pounces on and devours with rodent glee.

Speaking to Giedrius, Maylan asks, "Aren't you supposed to know the answers to these, fella?"

Felisaithne nods in agreement at Aifric.

Giedrius asks, "Would it be smashed on the rocks of irreality without a soul?"

Giedrius shares, "This is my conjecture, which *would* require experiment.  That we might take souls from our world and choose them for their incarnated qualities."

Yukito snorts!

(Alisaire turns her attention back to Giedrius.)

Giedrius says, "We might take the soul of a human, the spirits of a wolf and a hamster, rip them up and fuse them together...."

Giedrius nudges a peeping hamster back into his pocket.

Fleurs stares at Giedrius.
Fleurs exclaims, "You were banned from experimenting!"

Maylan blinks at Giedrius.

Erienne agrees with Fleurs.
Erienne glances at Giedrius.

Delindra frowns.

Giedrius waves a hand at Fleurs, dismissing her indifferently.

Thalita smirks.

Giedrius adds, "Then we use the power in this pseudo-soul, mediated from its vessel, bringing it to a realm such as Naidem to see how it manifests physically."

Felisaithne squints at Giedrius.

You say, "No, no.  This is a fascinating prospect."
You nod encouragingly.

Raelee says, "... banned by this organization.  One can never be truly banned from experimenting."

Ermias takes a drink from his honeyed lemon pilsner.

Nilandia surreptitiously glances at Aihan.

Erienne looks at Giedrius blankly, at a loss to express herself.

Missoni passes a hand over her richly toned, olive brown face.

Meliyara nods in agreement at Raelee.

Giedrius says, "We may be able to fashion the physical form of such a creature through artful guesswork."

Delindra folds her arms over her chest.
Delindra fidgets.

Giedrius wonders, "Then if we were to summon it back to Elanthia in this twisted form, what more might become of its memory and its summoned properties?"

Meliyara coyly taps the sharpened blackened eahnor tip of her silver talon ring against the corner of her bottom lip, gazing out at something unseen.

Giedrius ponders.

Giedrius pauses for a moment.

Lissaya gazes with interest at Giedrius.

Rivienne leans back.
Rivienne frowns.

Ceibhfhionn says, "Perhaps we should have turned you over for harsher judgment."

Giedrius suggests, "We might then consider this from the other direction."

You give a sidelong glance around the room.

Giedrius gives a sidelong glance at Ceibhfhionn.

Erienne says, "I knew he was here under false pretenses."
Erienne nods once.

Fleurs agrees with Erienne.

Speaking to Giedrius, Perigourd says, "There are liches who have trascneded bodies and maintained their memories."

Giedrius says, "Instead of manipulating or infusing memories to fashion a form, as constrained by whichever reality, we may ask about the memory and identity caused by that incarnation."

Erienne scowls at Giedrius.

Fleurs says, "Hamsters."
Fleurs snorts!

Alek raspily says, "I'm glad I didn't eat any of his hamsters now."

Erienne asks, "Are they even really hamsters!?"

Fleurs says, "Maybe he's been testing already."
Fleurs squints at Giedrius.

Giedrius asks, "Which is to say, what cosmic knowledge might be revealed, by incarnating the same souls into other existences?"

Felisaithne grins at Alek.

Giedrius proposes, "Suppose I were to keep a disembodied soul in a contraption, subjecting it to an overlapping coexistence of other valences."

Ceibhfhionn says, "It might have been better if you had, apparently."

Erienne scowls at Giedrius.

You gaze with interest at Giedrius.

Giedrius says, "Or if I were to keep it tethered to our reality, but had it veering through many others through the veil."

Speaking to Giedrius, Erienne asks, "Suppose you already have?"

Missoni furrows her brow.

Thalita leans forward.

Speaking to Giedrius, Raelee says, "... imagine what it could learn."

Erienne glances at Raelee.

You say, "Imagine what it could do."

Erienne gets a blank look on her face.

Perigourd shakes his head.

Oogey says, "Lotsa big words Oogeys head gonna explode."

Giedrius ignores the pointed questions directed at him, continuing to pace as he talks.

Giedrius inquires, "What gain in perception, alien modes of understanding, perhaps even memories might occur?"

Thalita murmurs, "Like the eyes of a vesperti."

You give a sidelong glance at Thalita.

Erienne slowly empties her lungs.

Speaking quietly to Thalita, Raelee says, "... a good point."

Giedrius asks, "What if it were the case that there is collective memory to a world?"

Speaking to Oogey, Felisaithne says, "None of them, in the order he is presenting them, is worth knowing, I assure you."

Oogey grins at Felisaithne.

Giedrius glances around the room.

The tortoiseshell cat lets out a meow coupled with a purr as he looks to Aifric.

Giedrius says, "Such that it is not so much that the individual identity inheres in the soul, as it is forged in its having been thrown into the world and forced to exist."

Missoni lets out a long, contemplative breath.

Giedrius points out, "There is a tantalizing hint of omniscience in this which makes any given demon or Arkati seem hopelessly provincial."

Alek raspily says, "Maybe those are hamster webs out there."

Giedrius smirks.

Meliyara gazes with interest at Giedrius.

You nod slowly.
You say, "You speak of Naidem."

Giedrius notes, "This is interrogating the profound philosophical questions of our very existence."

Giedrius nods slightly to you.

Giedrius postulates, "There is immortality to be had in mastering this kind of soul magic--of potentially limitless knowledge and apprehension."

You nod once.

Speaking to Erienne, Fleurs says, "There he is going on about immortality again."

Erienne nods at Fleurs.
Erienne shakes her head, totally at a loss.

Giedrius thoughtfully adds, "Not only immortality, but the potential to achieve, even exceed, the creations of those some of you call gods."

Lifting one crooked finger to his lips, Ermias bites a hangnail off and spits it out.

Giedrius shifts his weight.

Perigourd tightly grips the sides of his leather belt as he meaningfully leans forward and glares.

Giedrius wryly remarks, "I do not presume that you fully understand the immensity of what I suggest."

Omrii distractedly grunts in agreement.

Oogey says, "I am Oogey, therefor Oogey is."

Brigit softly says, "Brigit lives."
Brigit snickers at Oogey.

Giedrius declares, "But this is the work, and I will carry it on."

Giedrius concludes, "That is all."

Giedrius folds his hands behind his back.

Raelee nods slowly at Giedrius.

Speaking to Giedrius, Felisaithne says, "You really should have stuck to your hamsters."

Felisaithne sighs.

You ponder the meaning of Giedrius's existence.
You applaud.

Thalita says, "Ambitious as always, Giedrius."

Meliyara looks thoughtfully at Giedrius.

Yukito ponders.

Speaking to Giedrius, Fleurs exclaims, "You were forbidden from carrying on!"

Lissaya glances around briefly before applauding.

Giedrius asks, "Questions?"

Speaking to Giedrius, Raelee asks, "If the work is to continue, what is your next step?"

Ermias raises his hand.

You nod approvingly.
Speaking to Giedrius, you allow, "You were right.  I did enjoy this presentation."

Giedrius nods to you.

Speaking to Thalita, Erienne says, "You should be wary of him, earlier he said he was going to seek you out."

Perigourd grumbles.

Omrii raises his hand.

Missoni murmurs, "Well it is fascinating."

Delindra folds her arms over her chest.

Yukito raises his hand.
Yukito rubs a palmstone carved of woodland green jade in his hand.
A ghostly raven flies into the room, circling above Yukito once before landing at his side.

Speaking to Felisaithne, Aifric says, "I would have preferred hamster talk, yeah."

Speaking to Raelee, Giedrius says, "Well, I suppose I need to carefully craft the experiments meant to test my theories. I am still in the early stages of such work."

Perigourd glances at Missoni.

Felisaithne nods in agreement at Aifric.

Delindra frowns.

Giedrius says, "Though, as ever, Naidem affords me opportunity I do not have the rest of the year."

Oogey says, "Boom."

You ponder the meaning of life, the universe, and everything.

Delindra frowns.

(Brigit paces.)

Speaking to Raelee, Giedrius says, "I believe I will start with attempting to pull things back and forth between Naidem and Elanthia, using the soulstones I mentioned."

Serene bites her lip.

Raelee nods at Giedrius.

Speaking to Ermias, Giedrius asks, "Ermias?"

Delindra frowns.

Speaking to Giedrius, Perigourd says, "What you're proposing is torturous to innocent souls."

Fleurs agrees with Perigourd.

Speaking to Giedrius, Aihan asks, "Naidem offers you an opportunity for soul harvesting?"

Delindra nods at Perigourd.

Oogey frets.

You give a sidelong glance at Perigourd.

Ermias softly asks, "Yes more a comment than a question, but posed as a question.  So are the hamsters a hobby, or just a cover?"

Speaking to Delindra, Meliyara whispers aloud, "How many coffee pots are you up to now?"

Speaking to Perigourd, Giedrius says, "Then I will find guilty ones. There are plenty."

Fleurs says, "We need to protect the innocent... hamsters."
Fleurs squints.
Fleurs sighs.

Speaking to Perigourd, Missoni says, "Surely he only uses willing souls. Surely."

Delindra shakes her head.

Speaking to Giedrius, Perigourd says, "You may find much more than that."
Perigourd folds his arms over his chest.

Lissaya glances skeptically at Missoni.

Missoni bites her lip.

Ermias helps himself to a caramel-drizzled blossom of crisp apple chips.

Speaking to Ermias, Giedrius says, "A combination of hobby and work."

Speaking to Ermias, Felisaithne says, "I would guess the hamsters are his failed experiments."

You ask, "Are they your previous step?"

Perigourd glances skeptically at Missoni.

Giedrius remarks, "They are very adorable."

Delindra worriedly asks, "Are you doing this to the hamsters?"

Felisaithne scowls to herself.

Ermias softly says, "Most unexpected."

Maylan asks, "Okay okay. An elf, a maid, and a cleric walk into a bar. What sorta denzien would they make if combined?"

Ermias ponders.

Omrii glances at Maylan.

Oogey says, "A troll."

Giedrius points at Omrii.

Speaking to Omrii, Giedrius says, "You are next."

Omrii glances at Giedrius.

Speaking to Maylan, Meliyara suggests, "A mop-girl."

Maylan looks thoughtfully at Oogey.
Maylan nods at Oogey.

Omrii quietly asks, "There recently was a crossing of souls from one realm to this one.  Many were unique individuals, what would you expect if one crossed over who already existed here?"

Maylan nods at Meliyara.
Maylan raises an eyebrow in Omrii's direction.

Brigit glances at Omrii and rubs her chin thoughtfully.

Giedrius looks thoughtfully at Omrii.

Thalita says, "Based on your lecture last year, I should think the souls are really only gaining other aspects of their full cosmic identity, rather than the provincial memories of any given incarnation and plane."

Giedrius nods at Thalita.

Rivienne asks, "Gaining or regaining?"

Omrii glances at Thalita.
Omrii ponders.

Speaking to Omrii, Giedrius says, "I do not believe that the soul would exist in two places at once."

Serene touches one finger to her lips.

Brigit softly says, "I'm not the one you are asking, however the plane of existence should not matter, the existence itself within the same universe should suffice , if we are going beyond that all bets are off."

Speaking abruptly to Giedrius, Omrii says, "Yes, that was a concern."

Thalita says, "Things their limited perspective in one form would not have allowed them to know without transformation."

Omrii begins to twitch.

You raise your hand.

Speaking to Omrii, Giedrius says, "As such, it would not be a concern."

Speaking to Yukito, Giedrius says, "You're next."

Yukito nods.
(Yukito holds up three fingers.)

Yukito holds up one finger.

A ghostly raven says, "Firstly, let's not reduce people that are walking and talking, with consciousness as if they are not beings of determination. Paidreg is aside from the discussion, by previous logic. He died, he returned again, even if not quite the same. If he were here, he'd definitely present properly as a denizen BECAUSE it is simply another form of that soul."

Giedrius nods at Yukito.

Perigourd takes a moment to observe Yukito.

Yukito holds up two fingers.

A ghostly raven says, "Second, I have no idea of this mixed being, this construction, Athamael. But if they are self determinate, they should also out of the question in sensible study. If only because the self determination is likely going to get in the way, yes."

Yukito ponders.
Raelee glances at a ghostly raven.
Yukito holds up three fingers.

A ghostly raven asks, "And lastly, I'd start with a demon, personally. They pop up all the time. See what it would be like to drag their soul to this realm. Very few of them seem to be able to communicate in any way, which doesn't preclude intelligence and determination, but is a start. And... wouldn't we want to draw from an entire other realm for the most information?"

Yukito nods firmly at Giedrius.

Omrii appears distracted as his eyes darken for a moment.

Felisaithne pets a ghostly raven, which nuzzles her hand softly.

Brigit agrees with a ghostly raven.

You ponder the meaning of Yukito's existence.

Oogey says, "Ack lotsa big words."

Ermias offers Oogey a caramel-drizzled blossom of crisp apple chips.

Oogey accepts Ermias's crisp apple chips.

Ermias nods sympathetically at Oogey.

Oogey raises his crisp apple chips skyward!

Speaking to Yukito, Maylan says, "That's not how you count. You should ask Oogey fer help."

A ghostly raven says, "Sorry for the rapid fire. I did not wish to waste time."

Yukito grins at Maylan.

Delindra worriedly asks, "Now we want to mess with demon souls too?"
Delindra fidgets.

Oogey bows to Ermias.
Oogey gobbles down his crisp apple chips in one enormous bite.

Ermias nods gratefully.

Kialeigh glances at Oogey.

Yukito bites his lip.

Aifric looks thoughtfully at a ghostly raven.

Oogey takes a drink from his Troll's Breath grog.
Oogey says, "Oogey like grog and chips."
Oogey grins at Ermias.

Ceibhfhionn says, "Articulate corvids, spider infestations, Geddy dear with hamsters.  This may be my favorite vacation in years."

Ceibhfhionn takes a drink from her flask of liqueur.

Fleurs gazes in amazement at Ceibhfhionn.

Felisaithne grins at Ceibhfhionn.

Oogey starts chortling.

Yukito grins impishly at Ceibhfhionn.

Meliyara grins impishly at Ceibhfhionn.

Oogey raises his Troll King's Tears in a toast!
Oogey says, "Oogey will drink to that."
Oogey takes a drink from his Troll King's Tears.
Oogey gasps for breath.

Giedrius says, "First, I appreciate the lecture. Second, I appreciate the lecture. I will take both under advisement."

Yukito begins chuckling at Giedrius!

Thalita smirks.

You chortle.

Ceibhfhionn snickers.

Speaking to Yukito, Giedrius says, "The parallels between Naidem and Elanthia, and the easy access to souls that have already gone through part of the process... well, it is most conducive to my work."

A ghostly raven says, "Oh yes. I imagine it came across as preachy. Apologies."

Speaking to Yukito, Giedrius says, "But it is a good idea to also add demons in. I will do so in future experiments."

Yukito nods at Giedrius.

Missoni glances appraisingly at Giedrius.

Delindra flails her arms about.
Delindra stares off into space.

A ghostly raven says, "I think it would bear fruit."
A ghostly raven says, "That's all from me."

You nod in agreement.

Perigourd grunts.

Speaking to Aihan, Giedrius says, "Yes, it does offer me such an opportunity."

Lissaya surreptitiously glances at Perigourd.

Ceibhfhionn says, "Oh good.  Geddy wants demons now."

Aihan shakes his head, clucking his tongue.

Speaking to Aihan, Giedrius says, "They are somewhat less...tethered here, I feel."

Perigourd asserts, "No demons."

Giedrius says, "Though, it has its own difficulties..."

Zethes just arrived.

You say, "And thus.. imprintable."

Giedrius waves his hand in a dismissive gesture.

Giedrius says, "As we learned last year."

Thalita says, "Demons are beautiful."

Zethes just went over and threw herself down on the couch.

Kialeigh says, "We're in the right place for it."

Ermias glances at Zethes.

Ermias waves to Zethes.

Speaking to Thalita, Ceibhfhionn asks, "In his hands though?"

Zethes dramatically drapes an arm over her forehead.

Delindra frowns.

Her hand lowered, Missoni gives Zethes a subtle wave.

Speaking to you, Giedrius says, "The hamsters have helped me with my work, yes."

Zethes takes a drink from her of ice water.

Speaking to Giedrius, Aihan says, "I would caution you to step back while you still have not crossed a line you cannot return from."

You chortle.
You nod knowingly at Giedrius.
You say, "I did have another question."

Raelee raises her hand.

Ermias helps himself to a herb-crafted skewer of grilled squid rings.

Zethes waves.

Brigit removes a filigreed faenor-slatted jade satin fan from in her tapestry-weave backpack.
Brigit lightly fans herself with her faenor-slatted fan.

Fleurs waves to Zethes.

Speaking to Delindra, Giedrius says, "I am not currently doing what I described to the hamsters."

Delindra mouths, "...currently?"

Kialeigh says, "Perhaps because they breed like rabbits."
Kialeigh says, "Easily replacable."

Missoni furrows her brow.

Delindra stares at Missoni.

Speaking to Maylan, Giedrius says, "A gjenganger. The maid and cleric are irrelevant to their form."

A ghostly raven says, "Oh, please, go a step too far. Never learn anything being safe ALL the time."

Brigit removes a sparrow-inked fan covered in gilded arboreal brushstrokes from in her tapestry-weave backpack.
Brigit balances her open sparrow-inked fan on her fingertips and then, suddenly, it flips through the air in a jade-washed blur.  Tumbling twice, it lightly lands back where it started.

Speaking to Aihan, Giedrius says, "You worry about your soul and I will worry about all of mine."

Yukito smiles amiably.

Zethes nods at Fleurs.

Missoni fidgets, glancing at Delindra.

Zethes smiles.

Perigourd's entire body tenses as he clenches his fist.

Speaking to you, Giedrius asks, "What was your other question?"

You say, "While earlier in your presentation, you had focused on the body itself, a corporeal form, as an anchor."

Speaking to Giedrius, you ask, "Do you anticipate continuing your focus on the corporeal anchoring of souls - the lich and Athamael comparison - or will you also assess the potential for incorporeal reconstitution?"

Giedrius ponders.

(Nilandia continues to watch Giedrius with a seemingly impassive expression.)

You add, "The latter is possible."
Alisaire smiles pleasanty.

The brown fox lets out a single, small bark as he glances in your direction.

Yukito nods slowly at Perigourd.

[There is a sudden flurry of pet activity.]

Kialeigh glances out.

Delindra glances down.
Delindra nods approvingly.

Missoni tilts her head down.

Omrii glances around the room.

Kialeigh says, "Such pleasant little things."

Ermias softly says, "Most agreeable."

Ermias smiles.

Ermias takes a bite of his grilled squid rings.

Perigourd surreptitiously glances at Yukito.

Blodeuyn says, "Send them to the garden."

Lissaya glances at a ghostly raven and slowly exhales.

Speaking to Blodeuyn, Fleurs asks, "They did better than Elaahra, who is still... missing?"
Fleurs casually observes her surroundings.

Speaking to you, Giedrius says, "That was actually what my lecture was about last year. It is my eventual goal, though I found some difficulties with it that I have yet to overcome."

Giedrius says, "Aside from being interrupted. Rudely."

Perigourd gives a sidelong glance at Giedrius.

Giedrius glances meaningfully at Lissaya.

Lissaya adopts an agreeable expression.

You thoughtfully say, "I see."
You say, "Perhaps you can share some of those difficulties later."
You incline your head.

Raelee nods to you.

Speaking to you, Giedrius says, "I find the corporeal gives a bit more ... to..."

Giedrius ponders.

Lissaya mouths, "You're welcome."

You ask, "To grab onto?"

Giedrius waves his hand as he looks for the word.

Giedrius nods to you.

You nod.

Raelee looks thoughtfully at Giedrius.

Giedrius says, "I had a specific word in mind, but that will work."

Maylan says, "It's squishy."

You say, "The incorporeal .. reconstitutions I am most familiar with had some hurdles."

Aifric looks about with a puzzled expression on her face.

Zethes amusedly asks, "Who let Giedrius back in?"

Zethes clasps her hand over her mouth.

Giedrius says, "Perhaps after perfecting that, I will be more aligned with the flows in order to replicate it on something with less... physical substance."

Zethes says, "Oh, that was out loud."

Zethes chuckles.

Giedrius gives a sidelong glance at Zethes.

Fleurs says, "There were no authorities to stop him."

You say, "The mind struggled with not having a physical form. But that was also likely tied to the individual."
You wave your hand in a dismissive gesture.

Fleurs nods at Zethes.

Kialeigh begins chuckling at Zethes!
Kialeigh says, "He was probably invited as one of the pets."

Speaking to Zethes, Ceibhfhionn says, "Apparently he took up hamster husbandry and soul infusion or somesuch."

Zethes amusedly asks, "Hamsters?"

Speaking to you, Giedrius says, "I did not make it far enough for that hurdle, but I will make note of it being an issue."

You nod at Giedrius.

Yukito nods slowly at Giedrius.

Zethes says, "And you lot think I'm the crazy one."

Speaking to you, Giedrius asks, "It sounds as though I may need to convince it that it has form, even if it does not?"

Ceibhfhionn says, "And now he wants demons."

Speaking to you, Raelee says, "This truly opens so many questions..."

Fleurs says, "He entered under false pretenses of giving a hamster lecture."

Ceibhfhionn says, "He may have you beat, Zeth, I must say."

You ponder.
You say, "Of a sort."

Zethes chuckles.

Giedrius allows, "I have had a bit of trouble if the form changes too greatly."

Speaking to Ceibhfhionn, Kialeigh says, "Sounds like a perfectly sound plan."

You say, "The incident I am most familiar with, which I helped bring about, involved a physical host as a sacrificial subject."

Zethes says, "Please forgive my lateness... I thought a pet convention was happening."

Meliyara looks thoughtfully at Giedrius.

Giedrius furtively glances toward the hamster on his shoulder.

Maylan complains, "I still wanna learn about hamsters."

You say, "But that host was just a temporary anchor to bring back the soul."

Yukito ponders.

Aihan says, "So did we, for the most part."

Felisaithne nods at Zethes.

Yukito glances at a ghostly raven.

You say, "After that.. the form remained incorporeal, the mind largely still present."

Giedrius says, "Perhaps the memory of what it was versus what it has become has a dissonance it struggles to reconcile, I do not know for certain."

You nod in agreement.

Yukito bites his lip.

Kialeigh says, "Yes, teach of the resilence of hamsters."

Felisaithne says, "We are, er, are supposed to..."

Giedrius nods to you.

Kialeigh asks, "Hardy lil things or do they die rather easily?"

You say, "Hm. It would take more time to go into detail into the matter.  Perhaps later."
You incline your head.

Giedrius says, "I have time for one more question."

Speaking amusedly to Felisaithne, Zethes says, "Oh, you are new."

Raelee raises her hand.

Giedrius nods at Raelee.

Speaking to Felisaithne, Zethes says, "I have a sense of ... cats about you."

Felisaithne flashes a wide grin at Zethes.

Felisaithne says, "A keen sense, indeed."

Zethes says, "I wonder who they were before."

Felisaithne nods at Zethes.

Speaking to Giedrius, Raelee says, "Perhaps the aspect I find most intriguing is the potential to access the knowledge and memories of other versions of ourselves, in other realities..."

Zethes stands up.

Zethes takes a drink from her of ice water.

Aifric glances at a long-haired tortoiseshell cat with an ebon face mask.

Speaking to Giedrius, Meliyara asks, "What is the most effective way to control the manifestation of a soul in another valence?"

Yukito signals, "Let's kidnap him later, in the ballroom? Let me come with you. I'll bring rope."
Yukito glances between Raelee and yourself.

Speaking to Giedrius, Raelee says, "... for having that ability would answer some questions I have been holding for some time..."

Speaking to Zethes, Aifric asks, "Who what was before?"

Giedrius looks thoughtfully at Raelee.

Omrii glances at Raelee.

Orralith wanders in.

Orralith paces to her right, moving in a circle around Felisaithne.

You gaze in amusement at Yukito.
You quietly whisper to Yukito, "I don't think rope will be necessary."

Speaking to a long-haired tortoiseshell cat with an ebon face mask, Aifric says, "Were you anyone else before?  I've only ever known you as Princess Doughnut..."

Speaking to Aifric, Zethes says, "The cat, dear, the cat."

Speaking to Giedrius, Raelee asks, "But it does bring me back to the subject of Paidreg Venquinor.  The man as he is now insists he is an entirely separate being from the original.  How would you explain the link between both versions, outside of the outward appearance and shared memory?"

Speaking to Orralith, Felisaithne says, "Ahh, and you have returned.  Please make note that we will not be re-inviting Giedrius to further PAWS meetings or conventions."

Felisaithne glances at Giedrius.

Zethes says, "What an odd name for a cat."

Felisaithne scowls.

Speaking to Giedrius, Raelee says, "Two versions in one world, versus... multiple versions in multiple worlds..."

Ceibhfhionn tilts her head to one side, as if listening to something unseen.  She whispers to herself, "Burn and yearn.  In the night.  In the dark."

Yukito signals, "I honestly hope not. He might not want to talk, and I'd like to hear what he was to say. I'd just PREFER it not be Paidreg, and want to nudge that idea off the table."

Speaking dubiously to Zethes, Aifric says, "Princess Doughnut has always been a cat."

Speaking to Meliyara, Thalita says, "It sounds like he is mangling things together and still seeing what emerges from accident."

Orralith blinks at Felisaithne.

Giedrius glances at Thalita.

Ermias takes a bite of his grilled squid rings.

Speaking to Thalita, Giedrius says, "That is a way to put it."

Missoni murmurs, "Kicked out of two conferences, now."

Speaking smoothly to Giedrius, Thalita says, "Experimentation."

You gaze in amusement at Felisaithne.
Speaking to Felisaithne, you allow, "It was an excellent effort at an event."

Orralith asks, "Why?"

Speaking to Thalita, Meliyara says, "Even such accidents can provide valuable information, after all."

Ermias grins at Missoni.

Zethes chuckles.

Thalita agrees with Meliyara.

Yukito snaps his fingers.

Fenthywick just lunged in.

Kialeigh grins at Oogey.

Yukito signals, "That's what that dwarf did... he was sewing people together. In Mist Harbor."

Ceibhfhionn glances at Fenthywick.

Speaking to Orralith, Felisaithne says, "He took... ooportunity... to spout nonsense in the time when he was supposed to lecture about hamsters."

Oogey grins at Kialeigh.

Fenthywick glances appraisingly around the room.

Delindra frowns.

Perigourd nods emphatically at Felisaithne!

Speaking to Felisaithne, Orralith asks, "I have to give my lecture now, can... we do it after?"

Zethes says, "I believe I'm to give a discussion now."

Aifric whispers aloud, "Didn't he say he was expelled from SPECTRE and SHADOW, also?"

Zethes glances at Orralith.

Speaking to Raelee, Giedrius says, "That is an excellent question, particularly if you are seeking knowledge of other... versions, as you say."

Orralith glances at Zethes.

Maylan nods at Aifric.

Fleurs nods at Aifric.

Speaking to Fenthywick, Ceibhfhionn says, "Hello, tall, monstrous, and handsome."

Speaking to Meliyara, Omrii mutters, "Especially when no choice is given and a realm collapses."

Fenthywick squints at a ghostly raven.

Orralith nods at Aifric.

Speaking to Giedrius, Raelee says, "It is an excellent question, I agree."

Yukito signals, "I can't recall if we killed him or not, but... he'd definitely be able to at least stich. He was successful at that."

Zethes says, "Hmm."

Fleurs exclaims, "He's been experimenting illegally!"
Fleurs folds her arms, grasping her shoulders.

Meliyara looks thoughtfully at Omrii.

Giedrius looks thoughtfully at Raelee.

Speaking to Orralith, Felisaithne says, "Indeed, I just wanted to make sure more than one of us knows to try to remember for later."

Speaking to Orralith, Zethes says, "I'm happy to share the space."

Orralith smiles at Zethes.

Orralith nods at Felisaithne.

Speaking to Fenthywick, Ceibhfhionn says, "We really do need to speak about that third eye of yours some day.  In private."

Speaking distractedly to Fleurs, Giedrius says, "I do not require SPECTRE and SHADOW to approve my experiments."

Fenthywick blinks at Ceibhfhionn.

Speaking to Aifric, Felisaithne says, "He did, indeed."

You wryly say, "Indeed."

Oogey says, "Oogey liked the skin talk. Oogey just put gobs of troll fat on his lizzie. He has smoothie skin now."

Missoni grins wryly at Ermias.

Speaking to Giedrius, Fleurs says, "You certainly are not supposed to come lecture about them."
Fleurs gets a blank look on her face.

Brigit stretches.

Speaking to Giedrius, Aihan says, "You just really want validation."

Speaking to Fleurs, Giedrius says, "I mentioned hamsters."

Speaking to Ceibhfhionn, Fenthywick agrees, "Yes... of course."

Giedrius adds, "And wolves."

Aihan cocks his head at Giedrius.

Conversation continues briefly into the start of the next lecture.