Ghost Boy of Kirinal
The Last Ghost of Kirinal
The Ghost Boy was an orphan who died along with half a million other mortals in the Disintegration of Kirinal. He has been haunting the area around the Kirinal Pit since then and is unique among the "Dead of Kirinal" for his ability to leave the Pit itself.
He seeks out people with interesting occupations and joins their adventures whether they want him to or not. His stories have been told in the "& Ghost Boy" Series of copper chronicles. Sergeant, weren't you the subject of one of those series?
I knew this would come up one day, so I'll say my piece and I'll be done. Yeah, I'm the same "Watchman Kill Flayer" from the books. Nope, I won't sign your copy. The publishing company exaggerated exactly what went on with Ghost Boy and me. There will be no reprints while I'm alive.
As to the Boy himself? He's a great kid. Yes, I know what really happened. That's not my story to tell.
At night the Kirinal Concordance Zone comes alive with spirits of all kinds: friendly, malevolent, mischievous, and everything in between. Despite the wards in the walls, and whatever agimat you're wearing, it's dangerous to walk in the dark alone. Even on the street just outside your home, you can get turned around. Direction can lose its meaning when reality changes every day.
It's common knowledge that if you're lost in the mists, you should close your eyes, hold out your hand, and say this rhyme. The Ghost Boy of Kirinal will sometimes take it and lead you home.
"Ghost Boy come and take my hand,
I am lost, my steps unplanned.
The aswang want my flesh and bone,
Here in the dark, please guide me home."
There are hundreds of reports over the years that he has led people home. However, no one has once reported that they've opened their eyes.
The Smiling Orphan
The Ghost Boy is the smiling spirit of a boy in archaic clothing. He plays tricks and performs silly good deeds for those who call on "Ghost Boy."
Nothing is known about the child who became the famous ghost. He was not important enough to have his name recorded anywhere. His death wasn't even a footnote in the tragedy of the Disintegration of Kirinal.
Mediums and spiritualists who have made contact with him know that he was a twelve-year-old orphan when he died. He's dressed in a school-boy uniform from two centuries ago: short pants, shirt, tie, jacket, and a pageboy cap.
He won't tell anyone any details about his life or even give anyone his name. They know that he had a miserable life and is actually much happier now that he's dead.
The Ghost Boy, he come to me when those ghost hunters keep bothering him. I make them leave him alone. That poor boy had such a hard life, I won't blame him if he were a bad spirit. But now he's so good! He only want to help!
Haunting Helper
Over the centuries since his death, the Ghost Boy of Kirinal has appeared to hundreds of people all over the Zone. He especially loves to haunt adventuring parties, joining them on grand quests in the Zone and helping out however he can. The Ghost Boy can only appear within the borders of his haunting, which is the entirety of the Zone.
The fact that he can even manifest outside of the Pit itself is unusual for one of the "Dead of Kirinal." The Smiling Orphan is the only one of their number known to appear outside of the Pit itself. No one knows why he can do this, least of all the Boy himself.
I think I've seen the Ghost Boy more than most. I feel like he would've made a good police officer if he had been able to grow up.
He loves to show up and point out clues that I've missed. He especially dislikes the Soul Stealer Gangsters. When I spot the Orphan while I'm on patrol, he's usually pointing out one of their hideouts.
I warn him to be careful, they might catch him in a ghost trap! But he's dead! He does not listen to me!
Legend of the Last Ghost
A legend has risen up around the Ghost Boy identifying him as the "Last Ghost." It has been prophesized that when the last of the "Dead of Kirinal" are transformed into soulforged the hole in reality, the Kirinal Pit, will finally close. Lost Kirinal will return to its rightful place where the Pit is now and the soulforged will all become "real" people again.
All the clerics, wizards, and arcane scientists who study the Pit deny that this is even possible. But soothsayers and fortune tellers insist that it is true. It's a favorite story run in the Aleph Zero Revelations.
Last Ghost is Last Hope for Soul Stealing Robots!
Experts in the fields of futurology and fortune-casting confirm exclusively to the AZ Revelations that the only hope for the so-called "soulforged" would be the transformation of the Last Ghost into a ghost-bot! Such an event would close the cancerous Pit and restore the robot-men to their rightful mortal forms! We demand that the Church of Anam skip the middleman and convert that Ghost Boy toot sweet!
Entry for the Treasured Companions Challenge.
Use Ghost Boy and his friends in your own campaign with these fun adventure hooks and Ghost Boy's 5E statblock!
& Ghost Boy Series
The Ghost Boy has participated in many famous adventures over the centuries of his existence. He's been dead for more than 200 years and has had a very active afterlife.
Billy Lim is only his most recent mentor. He's been the sidekick to many swashbucklers, mercenaries, and daredevils over the years. His known adventures have been recounted in the "copper chronicles" known as the "& Ghost Boy Series".
Detective Lim & Ghost Boy Casebook
Most recently he has teamed up with the reluctant Detective Lim of the Zone Authority Police. Despite his initial reservations, Ghost Boy has become Detective Lim's trusted companion and lucky charm.
After seeing what was done to Kill Flayer in his series, he keeps tight control of what is and isn't published.
Kill Flayer & Ghost Boy Chronicles
The famous Sgt. Kill Flayer was a zap himself before his current job and had a brief partnership with Ghost Boy. At the time, Watchman Kill Flayer was involuntarily led into undead adventures that he didn't want to participate in. This series has been out of print for decades and is a highly sought collectible.
Moon Breeze & Ghost Boy's Mysteries
The ki-rin Moon Breeze sees the Smiling Orphan as a stark reminder of what could happen if she fails in her duty. Only great tragedy can create a ghost and the Ghost Boy is a reminder of her greatest failure.
The protectress of innocents knows that the Ghost Boy's safety is beyond her purview. She struggles to keep living children safe, much less undead ones! Moon Breeze has discovered that distracting him with mysteries and missions can lead him away from adventures that are too dangerous even for a dead boy.
Tito Corbin & Ghost Boy's Folly of Fun
Tito Corbin's Taverns Incorporated published a series of children's books featuring their own ghostly figurehead Tito Corbin tutoring Ghost Boy in the ways of post-life trickery.
I teach that Ghost Boy some of his best tricks! He can't change to his scary form before he meet me! But I teach him to become expert at showing his bones! Now we working on take off skin and ectoplasm!
The Dusk Patrol & Ghost Boy Adventures
Ghost Boy sometimes spends time with the Dusk Patrol, an elite squad of Tridenser Knights who take on some of the toughest conflicts on the Pit Wall. Written for a slightly older audience, these tales feature some actual danger for Ghost Boy.
When the regular soldiers of the Kirinal Defenders can't face the challenge, they call in the Dusk Patrol. Led by the enigmatic Sir Bekezela Shange, this elite squad relies on the indestructible Ghost Boy to scout out their foes!
What a gem. The ghost boy sounds sweet and wonderful. Your little rhyme is fantastic and I will say you never disappoint Kitty. I hope to make articles as lovely as yours.
Thank you and good luck to you for the challenge!
Take a look at my Institutions of Learning challenge article.
Learn about the World of Wizard's Peak and check out my award winning article about the Ghost Boy of Kirinal!