Dross

Dross is the seed of an Abidan Presence, begun and discarded by Northstrider and completed by Wei Shi Lindon in Ghostwater.

## Physical Description

* originally a small rusty metal ball, found floating in the purple Dreamwater Well (Ghostwater, ch 5)
* probably gender neutral but he adopted a "bright male voice" (Ghostwater ch 5)
* an AI. An intelligence, a Presence, originally just a memory construct (Ghostwater, ch 5)
* a one-eyed pebbly sphere, purple violet, with two stubby purple arms (Ghostwater. Also Underlord, ch 2)
* Dross eventually merges with Lindon. As a spirit, he lives inside Lindon, at the stem of his brain. He can materialize / manifest and move around outside Lindon, but unsure how far he can go from Lindon. (Ghostwater. Also Underlord, ch 2)

## History

### *Ghostwater*

Dross started out as a spherical metal memory construct meant to record and repeat information. As a "grand work" designed to enhance Northstrider's mind, he was considered a failure and discarded as dross (hence his name). Then he fell (or was tossed) into the mind-sharpening Dream Well water. He dubbed himself "The Keeper of the Well" (ch 5). He floated there alone for fifty-six years. After a while, he became sentient, and it was five years after this point that Wei Shi Lindon found him.

With permission from Dross, Lindon removed Dross from his rusted ball and merged him with an Eye of the Deep orb, with its sapphire eye (Ghostwater ch 7). From then on, Lindon carried Dross around Ghostwater, who provided help with navigation and information. En route, Dross absorbed the power of the Spirit Well and the Life Well, gaining madra channels, a core, and a physical skin. In Ghostwater, he was temporarily absorbed into the Tree, giving him the knowledge on how to complete himself as a Presence. He mixed ghostwater, water from the three Wells, and Northstrider's soulfire to create a substance which Lindon then helped him absorb. He fused to Lindon, abandoning the Eye of the Deep, and became a baby Presence.

"I don't know everything, do I? What do I look like, a know-everything construct? That's a terrible name. I'm sorry. I'll try again. What do I look like, an omni-codex? That sounds pretty good, actually. Call me that from now on." (Ch 7)

### *Underlord*

Dross took in dream madra scales and some of the knowledge of the Arelius family library.
He also experienced the Soulfire Lindon gained in Underlord.

## Capabilities

* Dross can compile battle plans for Lindon after seeing the capabilities and techniques of enemies, to predict their responses.
* He can also craft illusions for Lindon, which Lindon chiefly uses to simulate Soulsmith experiments.
* He enhances Lindon's speed and mental reactions in combat by 'handling his unimportant thoughts'.
* He can transmit messages to people other than Lindon by speaking in their heads; the range of this is unknown.
* He can 'stop' time in Lindon's eyes, allowing him to view his surroundings without using any time at all.

**Excerpt on Dross's Potential:**

> Eithan turned to Dross. “If I’m not gravely mistaken, then you are only a seed of what you will eventually become.”
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> [I don’t like to think of myself as a seed. Not very flattering, is it? Maybe an egg, but a really nice egg.]
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> “Oh, we will make sure you grow. Yes…” Eithan’s smile slowly widened until Lindon would have called it manic. “Planted in the fertile soil of Lindon’s spirit, we will grow you until you dwarf Dreadgods and tower over Monarchs! The world itself will struggle to contain you! When I fear I have set my sights too far, I find that I was not ambitious enough! Who will dare to hold us back when we have such an ally? Let the day you completed Northstrider’s work be known as the day that the very foundations of history trembled!”(Underlord, ch 7)
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