Imbue the Crystal Orb with your own will:
Valkoth the Ancient
"I see you have acquired an appropriate vessel, hatchling. The pure crystal orb you hold is capable of being imbued with a fragment of your will, a dangerous task you will yet need to accomplish. It is an important step in your creation of a phylactery suitable for the rite of passage. I hope your progress on the silver claw and statue is similarly swift."

"There are few ways, we have found, to properly accomplish such a goal. One is most suitable in character to ourselves and our beliefs, and is a worthy task of a hatchling's acuity as well, so we prefer it. This is the location and confrontation of a mind lasher."

"These are bodiless spirits from some alternate realm, perhaps that of blight, perhaps another - they are uncommon, though sometimes I wonder as to the degree. Mind lashers have no form of their own, naturally they are a weak spirit, easily dispersed. This is rarely the form you'll find one in however, more commonly they will walk among us as men or dragons, with us barely the wiser."

"They steal one's mind and form, then seek to take over your body. If you are overcome, you will be replaced by a creature looking and moving exactly like yourself, with the same memories, but of a different mind. However, an individual controlled by a mind lasher is not truly of the same... quality, I suppose, that they were before. While the lasher has the individual's memories, it can access them only with some difficulty. This is one of the few things that can truly give them away, a sort of halting pause in conversation as they stop and struggle to access their stolen memories and thought processes. Because of this they usually prefer some degree of solitude, to take their host and create a new life and new memories of their own -- this is another that can give them away. Search for a man or dragon who has uprooted his life with great suddenness."

"Where do you find one such as this? Ask of shopkeepers and pawnbrokers, in particular, they often hear news before others. Also, look for those who the lasher has abandoned, usually in favor of a stronger host. These empty souls may still be physically alive, but mentally they are barren, barely even capable of speech or gesture. You may need to ask your fellow gifted to aid you in this, hatchling, as mind lashers typically hide themselves well. Are you prepared to give this path your attention?"

Derasian the Consigner in Dralk
"I had heard a recently-opened shop near Dalimond recently went under in the last few weeks. Hardly seems suspicious, however."

Elissana the Consigner in Dalimond
"A shop had opened in Bristugo, to the southwest of here. The owner stopped coming in for shipments a short while ago, however. I don't know if he went missing, but it was fairly sudden. He had an assistant, I think, you might try asking her."

Sheila the Assistant
"Why... yes, Seril was just that way before he disappeared. It was right around the time he insisted we move out here and start this shop, in fact. I don't know where he's gone, perhaps he mentioned something to Elissana on one of his runs to supply our shop. Will he be okay? Can you help him?"

"He's so much quieter than usual those last two weeks. Always talking in short hops. If what you say's true it almost makes sense, like someone looking something up in a book before proceeding. It happened most when I asked him questions about things, it must've been true all along. Can you find him, dragon? I'd like at least to know what's become of him."

Elissana the Consigner
"Seril? Yes, I recall him. Odd sort, very glib, preferred to hand me notes rather than talking. I couldn't say where he's gone offhand, though he asked me questions about the cleric's tower to the south of here once, and who inhabited it. It was nearly the only time I ever heard him speak without being spoken to. Perhaps you should try there, and ask that babbling fool Saint Thomas about it."

Saint Thomas Aqua
"Welcome to the Tower of the High Cleric! My name is Saint Thomas Aqua, I am here to assist the worthy and bar the... hm?"

"I've seen a man of that description not so long ago, actually. Blond, looked like a warrior in training, though he claimed he was a consigner or something. Nervous type he was, didn't take kindly to my spilling the holy water all over him, I'm rather clumsy about that I'll admit. He got rather hostile, in fact, I thought he was going to attack me, though he was quite a few ranks below me and I wasn't worried. I tried to calm him, but he went off along the eastern side of the mountain range fuming, said he's be back."

"When I say nervous, I really should say 'weird' I suppose. He staggered his speech something mighty, full of starts and stops, and wouldn't look at me even before I spilled water on him. He stormed off saying something about finding someone stronger, I suppose he expected to hire some flunky to get revenge on me. Seems a bit much for just some water spillage, to me."

Seril the Empty
"anger... anger... strongervessel... easttoselen... foundonefoundone..."

The man's speech is nothing but incoherent babbling. As Valkoth said, his mind is barren. Even a dragon inquiring loudly at him gets no reaction. His presence here suggests the mind lasher has found another host... looking around, you pick up a broken staff with an inscription upon it.

Item - Segment of Broken Staff
An inscription reads, "Property of Barmos the organized"

Selen Gatekeeper
"I recognize that staff, dragon! It belongs to Barmos, the mage who occupied this position until recently. He went missing, and I was drafted to replace him as Selen's gatekeeper. They say he traveled north along the great wall, perhaps Aughundell would be the next logical place, if you seek him."

"Come now, you can't truly believe that just because our title is 'Gatekeeper' we have no names? I am Jenras myself, pleased to meet you. Barmos was a neat and tidy sort, anal to the point of labeling his individual belongings and having his hat cleaned every morning. That staff segment you have there says 'property of Barmos' on it, I'll wager."

Barmos the Empty
"towertower... north... where... intheice... strongervesselfindstronger..."

You notice several scratches on his hands and face, as though he'd been attacked by an animal. Would the mind lasher consider a mere animal an improved vessel? Nonetheless, Barmos clearly mentions a tower in ice, and you know the nearest of those is the Tower of Magery.

Eilen
"Finally, someone to talk to other than that whiner! I... oh, oh my. Yes, actually, I have seen a strange animal in this area, a werewolf with unusual coloration for a snowy type. It shows up here occasionally as though keeping tabs on us. Afterwards it heads off east down the peninsula, though I couldn't say exactly where."

Talon the Possessed
"Grrrrr... another one! You tempt me, hatchling, you do you do! You all do!"

"Thiss vessel iss strong, yes, much life in it. But not smart, no possibilitiesss... jussst rrun and hunt. But you sssilly dragons sometimess find me... ssteal a piece of me... you are alwayss protected by your little frienddsss, NEED their protectionss. I knoww what you want, I do. You wissh my sservices, yess? Wissh to defeat mme and get a sliverr of your mmmind into that pretty bauble. Thiss is a sservisse I will sell to you. I havve a businnness propossition, I do. Thiss will cost you cossst you it will."

"Grrrr... good good. I have alliesss I do, myself... as all beingss do, even thosse of blight. I wissh to communicate with them. One you will ffind is called Kaa, the other Lem. They inhabbit vessels not sso different... from thiss one at times... at othersss they are mmen like any otherss. Both are much sstronger that I... have no thoughts of thisss ssame bargain with themm hatchlinnng. Now, given you hhave accepted thiss bargain, yess, take thesse messagesss to them. One dwellsss in the wesstern desert, the otherrr on an issland of dry grass in the northeasst."

"Botth have been here for mmany yearrs, grrrrr. I am wweak compared to them... their mindsss... They can commannd more than a sssingle vessel they can. Botth are in two, thhree, perhaps more, places at oncce. Ssome of their formms are knownn to your kind, hatchlinnng, otherss not. Butbut... I am clever, I knnow thinnngs, they resspect me and mmy methhods."

"Verrry good, little lissard. I will give you nno paper, you must pass this mmessage by memmory. Sspeak to Kaa, inforrm him of my whereabouts and tell himm neitherrr three nor four is what he sseeks. Sspeak to Lem, tell him he may seek thrrree, but nevver fivve. Tell them both mmy invesstigation is yet incomplete, but matters require my stay here for some time. I hope thiss is clearrrr, lissard."

Kaa the Idealist
"Another one? I am amazed by... steady influx of messengers that Esh manages... recruit. He must have found something we have not seen... a clever one, Esh is."

"Indeed, Esh may not be of great age or strength... but quick of wit, I cannot deny. I suppose he made... business deal of a sort with you, dragon? Perhaps I do not care... the details anyhow. Apologies, I am occupied... another vessel of mine fights one of the Gifted, whose type is becoming... common these days."

"I am in four places at this time... dragon. Normally it is a kind of effortless, but occasionally... direct and concentrated attention is required."

"One who does not die... I know the other is one of them, for Shade has killed it before. Someday... must take one as a vessel, it would provide much less trouble in the lengthy term, I think."

Lem the Peaceful
"Good, I am always glad... another of Esh's messengers. I do not know what he pays these but... he does seem to find them. Thank Esh for his words."

"You wonder what... all could mean, yes? Just a bit of information, nothing more. We all have... hobbies, you know. Deciding where to go, what to be..."

"I sometimes aid those... who spread the blight. I do not enjoy... as vessels, but they are useful, and can provide... power. I once played an artisan... who built a machine to summon them, in fact. This was... different world, however."

"Don't worry so, Lissard. I know... kind, you are strong, but have limitations. Perhaps... you are older."

Talon the Possessed
"Grrrer... verrry good, little thinng. Your sservicesss are of bennefit, as mmine shalll be to you. Noww, do not sspeak a word of thiss to your friendsss... to sspeak of me perhappss... but sspeak of my alliess and I shall finnd you in yourr little lissard cave at nnight, yess."

"Ssince you havve carried out yourrr end of the bargainn, I shall uphollld minne. I shall give you timmme to prrepare, but next you sspeak to me, be prrreparred to do battle. To conffrrront me, asss i am ssure yourr alliess would say. Iff you fail, I shalll keep your young drrragon's body, I sshall."

"I amm preparrred as well, little thinnng. Travell east a bit, to the ennd of thisss peninssulaa. Wait there in the ccenter of the ffirrst three frozzen poolllss... I shalll follow sshortly... I musst prepare my new fform, you man finnnd it ffamiliarr."

You feel a sudden pain in your head, as a nearly invisible spirit suddenly coalesces into a form much like your own.

(Defeat Esh)
With a final blow, the doppleganger falls. Clearly not the end of it however, as you see the same nearly invisible spirit rise from the unconscious form.

As the lasher's newfound form falls still, you catch a glimpse of a wispy spirit returning west towards its older vessel, Talon. Just as Valkoth said, the orb suddenly flashes and absorbs a portion of the defenseless spirit. You feel suddenly hollow as you realize it has taken a sliver of your mind, still held in the flayer's sway, as well.

Valkoth the Ancient
"It worked WITH you? This is rather unusual in my experience... a mind lasher is typically more than hostile when tracked down. Let us hope this doesn't signify larger problems in the future."

"I'm sure you have looked at the flickering crystal and seen that the spirit inside is angry, evil. Your next step, hatchling, is to purify this, eliminating the dark spirit and leaving only your own. In my time there were many dragons capable of this purification, but the world has changed since then, and now I would suggest traveling to the Tower of Healing, in the desert to the west of Tazoon. There you should find someone capable of this magic. It demeans us to rely on the lesser races for such things, but problems like this can be repaired in time."

Harle Aela the Pure
"You ask for a rare spell, dragon. I suspect I can do the task, however. Allow me five minutes of preparation, then speak to me again, if you could."

It has been five minutes, perhaps the healer is ready now.

The healer's glowing hands touch the crystal, and you see the mad flickering within being replaced by a calm, steady glow.

"There, it is done. I have been asked of this task several times recently, I am becoming quite adept at it. Good travels, dragon."

Create a Phylactery of Shadows:
Valkoth the Ancient
"Now that you have imbued the orb and the claw, it is time for you to assemble the phylactery itself. This formula will show you how to assemble the two pieces into a single whole, using a dragonscale forge -- take care, as these items you combine are long in acquisition, and must be assembled carefully. Do this, hatchling, then speak to me again when you are ready."

"The phylactery will have a power as well, the ability to absorb energy from certain spirits... this is necessary for the further task of energizing it, to make it hold the power necessary to animate your new form. I will explain further once you have the item."

(Create the phylactery)
The silver claw clasps around the orb as though it had always meant to be. Studying it now, you wonder how the two were ever brought together, as removing the crystal orb from within its grasp is clearly impossible without breakage. Did the silver hand close its fingers without you realizing it?

Valkoth the Ancient
"I trust the assembly went well? You should now have a true artifact of power, with the ability to drain certain spirits of their essence -- a task you will now need to undertake. Gathering the necessary power within the orb to animate your new form, based on the statue you'll have created, is your next task."

"Certain types of spirits are vessels of considerable power, but only a handful exist. On any other being, using the phylactery's power will do little or nothing. On these few, it will rend them and absorb their essence. There are three in particular, two of which I expect you will make short work of, but the third is a tremendous adversary requiring special preparation. Are you prepared to energize your phylactery, to eventually create a Phylactery of Shadows?"

"You are nearing the end of this wing of your journey, hatchling. Now that you have created a phylactery, you must charge it with enough energy to animate your new body when the time comes. As we Lunus know that the true path for ourselves is to eradicate evil, that is what you must do."

"There are three spirits in particular, with this appropriate type of power. You can find and steal their essence into your phylactery, destroying them temporarily, and at the same time charging it with enough power to make the final rite succeed. When this is complete, you will have a Phylactery of Shadows, and your remaining task will be to travel to the top of the Peak of Storms and perform the rite."

"These creatures are the Shade, the Cold, and the Shadow Dragon. The last is by far the most treacherous, and should be left for last. Speak to me again when you have dealt with the first two -- using your phylactery to absorb their power -- appropriately. Their locations can be seen in this vision stone, take it and follow its clue."

Item - Bluish Stone
Looking into this small, smooth stone, you see shifting images of a walled spiral trailing downward into the earth, and of an endless straight walkway dug into the ruined ground.

(Kill Kaa the Shade)
As the spirit falls, you feel as though the phylactery has become somehow heavier.

(Kill Lem the Cold)
The ghost collapses, and you feel as though the phylactery has grown a bit darker, more shimmery.

Valkoth the Ancient
"I see you now possess a darkened phylactery. You are nearly there, then, only the test of defeating the Shadow Dragon remains."

"The Shadow Dragon can be found on the same island as Draak, though not always in the same place. It is a sort of lich, the remains of a great hero of our past, twisted and fallen into an antithesis of his former self. Its every waking moment pains the souls of our ancestors, and we seek to relieve them at every opportunity. The Shadow Dragon is nearly impossible to kill, however, and thus you will need to create a Shimmering Scale to accomplish this."

"It protects a dragon from Death, something the Shadow Dragon embodies. Make no mistake, hatchling, this is a formidable opponent, one that is nearly unkillable. Create this scale and wear it during the battle, it is nearly the only way to survive his attacks."

Valkoth hands you yet another diagram, this time of an intricate pattern of runes and images to be carved into a scale.

(Create the scale)
The newly created scale seems to radiate a sense of well-being.

(Defeat the Shadow Dragon)
Your phylactery suddenly gains great weight, and darkens noticeably. It is now fully charged.

Valkoth the Ancient
"I gather you have accomplished the statue, and defeated the Shadow Dragon to create a Phylactery of Shadows. This is a marked day for you indeed, hatchling, for the only remaining task is to travel to the top of the Peak of Storms, and use your phylactery to move yourself into your new body. When you are prepared, speak to the hermit, and he will grant you passage."

"You will know the location is right when you feel an odd sort of disorientation. When this happens, stand on the outcropping at the peak, and use your phylactery."

Lantenal the Hermit
"Ahah! So I see you're ready, then! Congratulations, hatchling, this is a difficult point to reach, it is, and the task which remains is slight in comparison. Simply travel the path, speaking to those whom you meet on the way. There may be some interference from the more unruly spirits in the area, but they should be little trouble. I will now grant you passage to the Peak of Storms, through the same gate you used earlier. If you wish to bring friends, I can grant them passage as well -- give them one of these tokens of esteem and have them speak to me. Oh, and make sure you have both your phylactery and statue with you."

(On the Peak of Storms)
You suddenly feel strange, as though in two places at once. This may be the effect Valkoth spoke of. Stand on the overlook and use your Phylactery.

-The End -