Skill
| Image |  |
| Description | You've bound the ghoul king and can call upon him to bless you. Many would say calling upon such evil damns your soul, but they're probably just jealous. |
| Effects | Activate from your character sheet |
Sources
Possible reward from the Problems on the Docks quest: pick "Bind him" from the Ghoul Source choice encounter with a binding tome equipped
Note
In order to get the upgraded rewards (Boon of Strength, etc.) you must have the Ghoul King ask you to save the artist before completing The Missing Artist.
Uses
Brings up conversation options with the Ghoul King when activated from your character sheet. He gives you up to three favors a day.
Finishing The Missing Artist quest by saving the artist somehow resets the number of favors he will grant you to three, even if you had already use some or all of them earlier in the day. The ghoul king will not grant any more favors on the day you kill the artist, even if you had some remaining before you did.
If the artist died
You hear the ghoul king's enraged voice rise up from the depths of your mind. "Protect him! Once I ask you to do something and this is how you repay my service!"
(No further options?)
If you talked to him about the missing artist quest he will start the conversation with:
Very well, mortal, I do owe you some favors. But do not forget about our agreement regarding the artist. What will you have me do?
Upon finishing the missing artist quest and using the skill the first time, he will say the following, but not let you ask about favors
Somewhere deep in your mind, you hear the ghoul king's voice. "You've done well. He's safe. But in the future, take more care of Midgard's doctors, mortal. They are what they seem but the spider in the web has a different face."
Or, if you helped the artist escape:
The ghoul king's voice moves inside the depths of your mind, making it hard to separate his thoughts and your own. "This will do, mortal. The artist is safe and with that, we continue to grow more powerful."
Or, if you brought the artist back to the island (body and spirit):
The ghoul king's voice rumbles from the depths of your mind. "I'm not sure you realize how well you've done, mortal. Nor am I sure I can explain it, but you've done very, very well this day."
And then on subsequent visits he starts with
I owe you rather a few favors, don't I, mortal? How can I assist you?
If you have used all your favors for the day, you will receive this message:
Somewhere in the depths of your mind, you hear the ghoul king's voice, "You'll have no more favors from me this day, mortal."
Of, after completing the Missing Artist quest (?):
Somewhere in the depths of your mind, you hear the ghoul king's voice, "I can grant no more favors this day, mortal."
Otherwise, you get these options:
(Kingly Strength upgrades to Boon of Strength if you do part 2 of the charnel house for the king)
- Heal my wounds - Restores all hit points and, if upgraded, Defensive Boon
- Make me stronger (evil) - Gain 5 energy of Kingly Strength or Boon of Strength
- Teach me your ways (evil) - Gain 3 of: Brutality, Evil Eye, Ghoul Bite, Pyrophobia, Binding Words, Call to Feast, Devilish Flames (need to already know at least one instance of the technique for the last 4)
- Tell me about the artist - Learn about the artist (does not use a favor)
- Answer David's question (when on David's Exploration quest) - starts The Missing Artist quest if you have not finished Problems on the Docks today (requires at least 1 day break as with the other ways to start the quest). After completing The Missing Artist without killing the artist, concludes David's Exploration.
- Nothing for now… - (Exit conversation, does not use a favor)
Heal my wounds
You feel the power of the king flow through you, healing your wounds.
Somewhere in the depths of your mind, you hear the ghoul king's voice, "I will help you <much/twice/once/no> more this day, mortal."
Restore all hit points
Set energy of Defensive Boon equal to energy of Boon of Strength (only if do not already have Defensive Boon active).
Make me stronger (evil (1))
You feel the power of the king focusing on you, making your body stronger and more durable.
Somewhere in the depths of your mind, you hear the ghoul king's voice, "I will help you <much/twice/once/no> more this day, mortal."
You've gained 5 energy of Kingly Strength or Boon of Strength.
Teach me your ways (4 evil)
Some of the ghoul king's wisdom flows into your mind. You feel terribly unclean.
Somewhere in the depths of your mind, you hear the ghoul king's voice, "I will help you <much/twice/once/no> more this day, mortal."Learn 3 of: Brutality, Call to Feast, Evil Eye, Ghoul Bite, Pyrophobia, Binding Words, Devilish Flames (you cannot learn Call to Feast, Pyrophobia, Devilish Flames or Binding Words unless you already have at least one instance of it available, and other conditionals? probably have to compete the missing artist quest in a way that saves the artist?)
Tell me about the artist
The dialogue always begins:
You hear the king's voice echoing up from the depths of your mind. "He was our creator. His paintings brought his nightmares to life."
"We were those nightmares. He gave us our form and power."
With a tome of binding equipped, before starting The Missing Artist quest, the dialogue continues:
The tome of binding quivers in your hand. The king speaks again, sounding pained, "I lied… I lie… we came from the artist's mind, his dreams. But the Eclipse gave us life and form."
You feel a smoldering resentment as the king retreats back into the binding.
If you have asked about the artist with a tome of binding equipped before, with or without one equipped, after a day, before or after starting The Missing Artist quest, the dialogue continues:
"It pains us, mortal, it pains us to ask this. The artist is in danger and we cannot help him in this form. Our power grows from his, so if he is killed, we will diminish."
"If you care for our fate or the power we give you, find him."
Answer David's Questions
(Note that this does not use up one of your favours for the day)
If you cannot yet get The Missing Artist quest:
You hear the king's voice rising up inside your head. "No, I think not. Some knowledge cannot be demanded, only earned."
With a tome of binding equipped, an additional line of dialogue is added:
The tome of binding doesn't respond at all in your hand. Perhaps he's telling the truth.
Before rescuing the Artist for the Ghoul King, and talking back and forth with David a bit:
The voice rumbles inside your head. "Very well. You hold up your end of the bargain and I'll tell you all about David."
That… doesn't sound exactly like what you asked about, but it's something.
After the Missing artist quest, if you made a deal through the above result
The king's voice rumbles inside your head. "Very well. You have held up your end of the bargain, stared into our secrets, perhaps there is no more harm to be done."
"Your friend David is like a lock. He has the ability to open, the desire to open, he just needs the right… key." The king is laying on his "mysterious devil" act a little thick, but you have a feeling he'll spill more information if you don't interrupt.
He grins his vicious, fanged grin… perhaps in response to your thoughts. "Years older than us, although they would say millenia, there's a race that call themselves the Eldest. Specks of light, pure formless energy like only a deluded genius could try to understand."
"But why are you still talking to me? David… Baldur if you prefer, is your resident deluded genius. Perhaps you should ask him about green lights and strange, distant bells. His answers might be… illuminating."
or, asking again before talking to David:
The king's voice rumbles inside your head. "Why are you wasting time with me when the one who Sees is at your fingertips? Why quiz the painting when you could ask the artist.""Perhaps it would be more apt to say why quiz the formula when you could ask the mathematician?"
or, after talking to David about the answer:
The king's voice rumbles inside your head. "You have your answers, do not bother me with existential trifles."
Nothing for now…
You feel the ghoul king's quiet rage as you return him to his binding.