The Mostly Reliable Guide: Nomad Ashes – Really?

In the dank and thoroughly unpleasant sewers beneath Leyndell, where the Committee for Underground Spirit Storage decided to store some of their more questionable experiments, there exists a spirit summon that answers the eternal question: “What if we made madness contagious AND ineffective?”

Entry 4,669,201: Nomad Ashes – A Study in Suboptimal Spirit Selection

“When You Absolutely Must Have Your Enemies Question Their Sanity”

Cost: 61 FP (a number that the Committee for Fiscally Responsible Summoning insists was not chosen by throwing darts at a number board while blindfolded, despite all evidence to the contrary).

The Department of Diseased Warfare presents what can only be described as the “cautionary tale” of the spirit summon family. This particular nomad, once part of a tribe that someone very wisely decided needed to be entombed to contain a maddening disease, now serves as a perfect example of why some things should perhaps stay buried.

DON’T PANIC when your Nomad:

1. Moves with all the urgency of a particularly lethargic snail
2. Dies from what appears to be a light breeze
3. Attempts to inflict madness on enemies who are notably immune to existential crises
4. Questions their life choices (or rather, afterlife choices)

Combat “Analysis”

Primary Features:

• Eyes that emit the “terrible flame of frenzy” (though “terrible” in this context might not mean what the marketing department intended)
• The ability to inflict Madness (mostly on their summoner’s morale)
• HP values that make wet paper bags look durable
• Movement speed that suggests they’re still considering whether this whole “combat” thing is really for them

Tactical “Advantages”:

1. Range Capabilities
   • Can attack from a distance (assuming they survive long enough to do so)
   • Specializes in making enemies question their sanity (with varying degrees of success)
   • Actually quite good at dying dramatically
2. Mobility
   • Moves with the speed and grace of a particularly contemplative statue
   • Excellent at maintaining a consistent level of inadequate movement
   • Shows remarkable commitment to making every step count (because there won’t be many)

Usage Tips

Best Deployed When:

1. You absolutely need to inflict Madness on something
2. All your better spirit summons are unavailable
3. You’re trying to prove a point about the importance of proper spirit summon selection
4. You’re conducting a scientific study on the average lifespan of particularly fragile spirits

Avoid Using When:

1. You need literally anything else
2. The situation calls for survival
3. Victory is a desired outcome
4. You value your FP

Field Notes from the Committee for Combat Viability Assessment:
“Subject demonstrates remarkable consistency in disappointing performance. Recommend immediate reclassification from ‘Combat Support’ to ‘Temporary Distraction, Very Temporary.’”

Rating System

• Durability: 2/10 on the “Might Survive A Light Breeze” scale
• Speed: 3/10 on the “Actually Moving Or Just Contemplating Movement?” scale
• Madness Effectiveness: 4/10 on the “Did They Notice?” scale
• Overall: 3/10 on the “Well, At Least They’re Trying” scale

Historical Context

Found in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds, which, as the Committee for Appropriate Spirit Storage Locations notes, was probably not an accident. The fact that this spirit was discovered in a sewer beneath Leyndell should perhaps have been our first clue about its utility.

Warning: Side effects may include:

• Profound disappointment
• Questioning your spirit summon life choices
• Sudden appreciation for literally any other spirit ash
• An urge to write strongly worded letters to the Committee for Spirit Summon Quality Control

The Guide must note that while most spirit summons fall somewhere between “questionably useful” and “surprisingly effective,” the Nomad manages to carve out its own unique category of “perhaps we should have left this one in the sewers.”

Note: The Guide accepts no responsibility for any FP wasted in the process of discovering why this particular spirit was entombed in the first place.

---

Remember: In the words of the ancient Tarnished proverb, “Not all that is buried should be unearthed.” The Nomad serves as a poignant reminder of why some spirits were stored in sewers for a reason.

Cross-reference: See “Why Location of Discovery Matters” (Entry 2,718,281) and “A Comprehensive Guide to Spirit Summons That Should Have Stayed Lost” (Entry 3,141,592).

… and by the way: we’re also having other Guides & Tips you might be interested in.