Outsiders And How To Summon Them! (Rituals Class 1)

The room is dim with the only light being several candles scattered throughout this circular room.

In the center of the room stands a half elf woman who appears to be speaking to a large demon that stands several feet taller then herself, contained within a shimmering red circle, numerous runes have been drawn along the floor in some deep red liquid.

The woman wears simple academy robes with her blonde hair tied back in a loose bun.

The demon looks very much as you had imagined them, large and muscled with ox like horns and cloven hooves.

The demon hands a stack of papers to the woman who takes them and shoos the demon off upon spotting the class.

The demon turns to ashes and the glowing circle containing it slowly dims until it matches the other runes on the ground.

Turning around she addresses the class in earnest now, stepping away from the circle, glancing at the papers every once in a while.

“Ah, welcome students, I am professor Fulani, I will be your instructor in rituals, similar to alchemy, conducting rituals is an exacting science and requires little or no inherent link to arcana”

Suddenly she stops her speech and uses a free hand to rub at her eyes, you could swear that in the darkness of the room, you can see strange eldritch plumes of smoke that follows the space in front of her eyes, presumably blinding her.

Suddenly she seems to be addressing someone or something else in the room. “The jokes on you Yydrulgar! I didn’t need these anyway!” She says balling up the papers and throwing them at a seemingly random part of the room.

After a brief period she collects herself and addresses the class once more though not looking entirely at the class.

“And… as you can see there are risks involved in every ritual, especially rituals pertaining to the dealing of those outside our realm of existence, including demons, aberrations, divines and exceptionally powerful spirits”

“Which is why you will not have to take part in todays exercises if you do not want to, you need only observe and learn”

There’s murmuring among the students, as several of them seem more then apprehensive at the thought of striking deals with outsiders.

“With that said who wants to strike a deal with a demon?” She says the small clouds of black smoke slowly dissipating from her eyes.

You and several others of your group step forward, interested in taking part in this, surely the teacher won’t allow things to get entirely out of hand right?

The teacher strides over to the circle that had previously held the producer of her speech, now only a pile of undisturbed dust.

“Take note of the symbols I’ve inscribed, each of them correlates to what the ritual is intending, this one for example dictates that this ritual is a pact, that one over there indicates that I wish to deal with a demon, etc…”

“At the start of each pact you must remember what your dealing with, demons are deceitful by nature, they won’t give you anything without gaining something in return, be it currency, entertainment or in the most dire of circumstances a soul”

She paces the room as she speaks slowly stepping around the summoning circle, examining the runes painted on the floor.

“The soul is a powerful thing to a demon, the same way that a mind is powerful to an aberration or a body to a spirit, never offer it unless they have something worth your afterlife”

“Before we begin, any questions?” She says stopping once again before the class, arms gelds behind her back.

Just then a question percolates to the top of your mind “What is the dust?” You ask.

She looks between you and the pile of dust before stating “There summoning salts, an alchemical ingredient that’s required for summoning rituals such as pacts”

Another question is asked a few feet to your right asked by a girl a couple years your senior “Are we allowed to end the ritual without making a deal?”

“Of course, you can also haggle during a ritual to, just in case you didn’t want to surrender your mortal soul for prewritten essay” she says sparking small chuckles from a couple students who probably were thinking about just that.

There’s a moment of quiet when no questions are asked before the Professor calls up one of the students a sheepish looking boy who shivers as he approaches the circle.

“Now, with the runes inscribed already all you need to focus on is what it is you desire” says Fulani as she takes a couple steps away from the circle.

He nods and does just that, closing his eyes and focusing as the dust shifts and rises up, taking form.

The demon is a hulking behemoth, barely able to fit inside the circle much less move about it comfortably.

A deep, hollow croaking voice reseated throughout the room, for a moment you could swear that some of the candles rattle.

“You seek physical prowess, yes? That I may provide, what may you provide…?” It states, its voice flat and devoid of emotion.

“I…. I don’t know… what do you want…?” He says, unable to maintain eye contact with the behemoth for longer than a couple seconds.

“Hm… you will provide me with souls, 3 at least” it says causing the student to quickly look to the professor who only shrugs her shoulders.

“I…. Uh…. I don’t think that works… for me… could I maybe just pay you..? I… in like…. Gold…?”

“I care not for your mortal currency, I require something more substantial”

There’s a silence for a few moment before the behemoth kneels down, almost at eye level with him.

“Your body is frail, weak, you will not survive the academy in your current condition, you MUST accept my offer so that you may live” it’s voice is still a monotone but it seems to fit the demons sentiment, cold facts.

The demon extends a hand, though the student is only capable of grasping one of its finger nails, the demon stands and watches as the students body shifts and morphs, growing several feet in height and building muscle mass befitting of a warrior.

“The dye is cast mortal, liberate 3 souls in my name and you may keep my boon to your final days” and with that the demon is reduced to a pile of dust.

The student looks down at his body in awe before returning back to the class, at which point everyone takes a few step away from him, knowing of his purpose now.

You’re called up next and you repeat the process of your predecessor, closing your eyes and focusing on what you want.

After a few seconds you wonder if it’s working and open your eyes, in the place of the pile of dust stands a demon.

Standing over a foot taller than yourself her curves are more than enough to give her an attractive body shape.

With ocean blue skin and yellow eyes that burrow a hole into you as the corner of her mouth rises in a smirk.

“Hello little mortal… I can sense that you desire what I have to offer, or perhaps you just desire me….~?” She says leaning down with her face inches from where the circle ends, eye level with you.

Immediately you’re thrown for a loop, surely she’s fucking with you, trying to get into your head or lower your defenses with a false sense of security.

“Alas there’s only so much I can provide at once especially to someone with no connection with me….” Her tone is very obviously filled with faux despair as she whips her horned head to the side.

“If only there was a way for me to link with a cute little mortal… well… I suppose there is always patronage….” She says before dropping her act and giving you a knowing look.

“You.. you wish to be my patron….? What exactly would that entail…?” You ask scrunching your brow softly.

“Oh it warms my heart so, to see another inquisitive heart before me..!” Your starting to get the distinct sense that your getting played.

“It wouldn’t be a hinderance, I assure you, I would simply be a generous spectator, cheering you on from the sidelines even when you don’t know it..!”

“And you get…. What..? Out of this…?” You say growing more skeptical by the second.

“Well for one, companionship, it’s a lonely life, that of a demoness, all the interesting conversationalists are either conspiring against you or trying to get into your preverbal pants..!”

“And for another thing, it’s entertainment, watching a story unfold before you, over the course of many years, it’s like watching a play, though FAR more interesting”

Looking to the Professor, she merely shrugs again, seemingly content to allow you to make your own mistakes without her meddling.

“So what do you say little mortal? Would you like to be my little performer…~? I’ll give you giiiiiiffffffts~”

As shady as she is, you can kind of understand her points, though you’ve never been to oblivion it doesn’t seem like a fun place, having a fun distraction might be fun for her, and besides you’ll gain power from this patronage.