Spiritual Discussions

[Ari]

Reclining against the deep, white chair cushions and sipping delicately from the crisp white teacup, Subito was finding it harder than ever to keep himself grounded. He could hear the movements of things all throughout the house, from the whisper-like tread of the businesslike Millie to the groaning of something harsh and stony on the roof. From the library pages stirred like rasping claws, and the walls thrummed ever so softly with unearthly power. The experience of simply being in a place of human magic was utterly unlike his earlier visit to the glittering land of the Twylyth Teg, or the swampy and hazy domain of Madame Malaise. It was almost like he was on the threshold of home. As a result, it had become quite difficult not to simply spout out whatever he happened to be thinking then. "Yeah, San Juan's the capital, she doesn't really...Ooh!" He looked up from the cup at Nick's words, hazel eyes alight with inspiration "Okay, I get what you mean now, it's like...the spirit of a nation, of a place and people, its home will be, like, an accumulation of what they represent? In that case," he set the cup down on the plate in his left hand "what I'd probably find is a whole lot of stuff about oppression, and the struggle to overthrow it. See, for a lot of years Puerto Rico and the native Taino tribes were enslaved by the Spaniards, and getting out of that and becoming a free country is what hundreds of years of our history is about. It's why I have these eyes, marrying of allll kinds of folks, from Africa to other islands in the Caribbean. Knowing the Dama Azul, she'll probably work a history lesson into everything I do there."  '...I am sorry, what were you talking about? What the...you always get mad at me when I get all gooey over- I can appreciate a well-formed soul, Herald, it is well within my rights Suuuure it is'

 

Taking a quick sip of his tea he went on "It will probably be an island or something, something isolated. Lots of sheep, I bet." the husky boy added with a grin.

 

 

[Aoiroo]

"I am still not certain you should do this, but if you need to be sure, you should try scrying for the spirits domain."
She set down her cup,
"Or I should say, scry for the area where the Dame's influence is strongest, in this realm, which is usually an indicator as to where the barrier between this realm and the one she would inhabit is thinnest. There are very likely exceptions, but is is a likely bet that it will lead you to where you would need to go would you want to meet this person. But you must be careful if you do proceed, exceptionally so, your Dame may not be the only spirit inhabiting that realm, and there are several others who may take any intrusion onto another realm as a sign of disrespect."

[Ari]

"Scrying? What-oh! Like, looking at another place through somethin' using magic? Yeah, that sounds like an awesome idea!" his eyes brightened and he opened his mouth to say more, only to stop and frown, looking puzzled.

 

"Uh...two things: first, how would I do that? Could you guys teach me how that works, or would I have to let you do it? Second...what else might be there with her?" he didn't know much about spirits, but he did know that one representing a nation would be bound to have a lot of power in their domain. 'What could live with you that could act without your will? Herald, better you never know. But I cannot stop you from doing this'

 

Leaning on the table, he asked nervously "Is there a chance I'd have to fight things that don't answer to the Dame once I'm there? Things that'd see me as an interloper, or some kinda traitor somehow?"

[trollthumper]

"Well, I suppose it depends on where you'd make the cross over," said Nick. "If you're going to walk right into the Dame's personal territory, odds are there won't be anyone who'd have a beef with her, same way you wouldn't expect to find hungry wolves in the middle of your living room." He folded his hands and stewed on the potential spiritual geography. "Again, this isn't territory I've forded often, so I don't really have a good idea about what 'over there' looks like. But, from what I've heard from people who are much more in the know, it's kind of like it's divided into fiefdoms. Certain areas are common grounds, with a person who's in charge but not necessarily a lord. And then you've got areas that are pretty much claimed by one spirit, with the others tithing to the big guy - or gal, as the case may be. Sometimes, these fiefdoms go to war. Then you've got the natural rivalries - fire and water, pollution and nature, chunky versus creamy..."

 

He shook his head. "There's a chance you might encounter spirits who have a beef with the Dame. But that chance significantly decreases if you can get into her territory first thing." 

[Ari]

Subito looked deeply relieved, and leaned back in his chair with a bright smile. "Oh! Okay, I get it. A lot of this stuff comes with big doses of 'it depends', but at least if find some way to get to her, uh, territory you called it? Anyway, so long as I get there first or real fast I should be fine, 'kay!" It took a lot to make him uneasy for more than a few seconds, and something as abstract as the chance he might end up in the middle of some kind of spirit war didn't have much sticking power on him. Taking a deep and savoring drink of his tea, he took a moment to quietly think over what they'd said thus far. It seemed like everything was a lot less fearsome now he'd gotten an idea of what could happen, and he cringed inwardly at how outbursty he'd been a few seconds ago. 'You do know that's foolish? What you need is preparation, not reassurance Aw, you know I will! I just have to learn what I need to take and stuff'

 

"Thank you very much Mr. Cim-uh, Nick, Etain, Morg. This has been super helpful." the powerfully-built boy smiled brightly at his hosts. Taking another of the small sandwiches he ate it with small bites, asking curiously "So, about that scrying thing, you know a way I could do that? I haven't had much practice there. Or...well, with any kind of magic." he said ruefully, resting an arm on his chair and taking another measure of tea(this time camomile).

 

 

[Quinn]

Morgan squinted at Subito, then turned to the others; quirking an eyebrow. Scrying wasn't out of the question - the trouble is while they had a method, he wasn't sure how secure they were going to keep it this time. Granted, he'd showed it to others before; although at the time his girlfriend had been kidnapped and he wasn't entirely thinking straight when that'd happened.

 

Damn the Lady, and her attack dog.

 

Rah. He shook his head, polishing off his glass of milk and sitting back again. "Honestly? Scrying's not as hard a discipline as you'd think - it's keeping things from looking back that's usually the trick to it, or the big problem. Think of it like you're making a glass pane, savvy? If you know what you're doing, it's easy enough to make something see-through both ways, but it's a lot tougher to shape it the way you want it, or to have the glass itself only go one way."

 

A beat. Then a somewhat abashed expression came over his face as he realized how far he'd shot off-topic. "Granted, I usually cheat with sympathy and far-sight runes. Back to the question at hand...Nick, your thoughts?"

[trollthumper]

Nick knew there was a scrying suite upstairs, well-constructed and well-regulated. Well-warded, however, it wasn't - he'd heard Crow's account of what had happened when he'd tried to use it, and after that, no one had really felt the need to poke the other side of the mirror with a stick. 

 

"There are warding gestures," he said. "Ways for the caster to make the sympathetic connection go one way. If you're doing it ritualistically, certain materials will help prop up the ward - one-way mirrors, of course, or clear plastic wrap stretched over a black surface. Mental constructs also help - a steel door with a peep hole in it, or a porthole on the side of a battleship. There's no guarantee they'll cover up your location, but they will keep the other guy from throwing some mojo back at you through the connection." 

[Ari]

The muscular Hispanic boy blinked at the two magic heroes for a second, then laughed aloud. "Guys, guys, that won't do much for me if I don't even know how scryin' works!" Leaning further on the table, resting his chin on his knuckles, he pondered things for a second, then grinned and went on "So yeah! I get what you mean, set things up so folks that might be lookin' back won't know for sure where I am and stuff, like the palantíri? Ooh!" his eyes lit up "Do..you guys have something like that? I mean, not like a seeing stone, that'd be silly" he added quickly, a little embarrassed "But something to let you do scrying. I bet you could totally teach me how to scry! I've already got a little experience using magic from the Dame's powers, I bet I could do it!"

 

Taking a sip of his tea he stopped, looked inside the cup, frowned at it thoughtfully, then added in a few grains of sugar. Glancing back up he waited politely.

Edited March 24, 2013 by Arichamus

[trollthumper]

Nick stroked his chin. "Well... there is something upstairs..."

The pool was calm and placid, bound by runes and stones. It was the central feature of the room it was in, and it shined like moonlight was falling upon it. Nick approached the pool and ran his hand over it, the fingertips just barely grazing the surface. The moonlight shining on the water cut out, briefly replaced with hints of a kaleidoscopic swirl. "The water's attuned," he said. "It's very easy to guide. Just think about the place you want to see - it doesn't quite matter if you know it precisely, but some sort of idea about the locale or a feature of it will help. Try drawing it up, like an old memory."

He stepped away from the pool, giving El Heraldo a chance to take his place.

[Ari]

Following close behind, head darting about as he took in tantalizing glimpses of the wondrous magicians' mansion, Subito walked into the scrying pool room and stopped, blinking in surprise at it. "Oh hey!" he said with a grin, walking up to the shivering pool, leaning against the cool stone and squinting into its depths "This looks just like I hoped it would! This place is so cool..."

Wiping the smile off his face he took a deep breath, muttering "Right, sorry Nick. 'Kay, memory comin' right up." He narrowed his eyes, and began drawing up all he could remember of Puerto Rico. Looking for whatever it was that made up its soul.

The first thing that appeared in the stilling water was a row of houses aflame, a towering figure in the sky launching blazing javelins at them. "Whoops! Sorry guys, that's the first thing I thought of" the young paragon explained sheepishly. He turned and tried again.

The next sight was at least more obviously metaphorical: a massive field of armored sheep grazing under the shadow of an anvil that reared into a stormcloud, blue lightning flashing from the summit. "I got it!" Subito exclaimed, leaning closer and concentrating. Suddenly the water shimmered, quivering to a stop for a few seconds as it showed an island somehow floating above what Nick recognized as the otherworldly waters above Guinee. The forests crowded around the town districts glittered with eyes and horns. After a little trial and error, Subito managed to find a high road, following it over a bridge guarded by three cloaked figures stationed along its length, a stretch of woods crowded with monsters and bodies of the dead, coming to a halt before a wall in the dazzlingly colorful capitol. The trip was quick enough that other things, including keys, a garden and a broad lake could be glimpsed, but however much the boy tried, he couldn't make the scry focus on them.

The wall was an impressive sight. Several stories high, made of blue steel and covered in pictograms showing the Blue Dame at work in the island's history. It took several minutes, but at last Subito found the small door in its base, and passed through it with considerable effort. The interior of the Blue Dame's sanctum was like a museum gone mad, artifacts from every age crowding the room. Huts from the age of the Taino to iron chains lying in broken heaps to flags embedded in the walls to racks of guns and swords. Two chairs were prepared amidst the chaos, the Dame seated in one colored as blue as her armor and cleaning a long rifle while a ram drowsed at her feet, the other empty and so colorful it almost hurt to look at it.

"You will not let him pass?" she asked the strange figure crouched on a tortoise shell. Raising a horned head, the Vejigante bared its teeth "We have your leave to do as we will, so long as we kill none. We cleave to it, as do the others. If he comes, we shall test him." Its confidence withered into a servile cringe when the armored woman actually looked at it. The Dame held it in her gaze for a long moment then shrugged "You and everyone else, it seems. Even the creatures of Juracán. Just keep in your own borders, or my flocks will make you pay" Bowing humbly, the robed monster crept out the door.

All at once, the vision ended. Looking up Subito haltingly explained what he had seen and heard. In the short lull as everyone mulled over this information he offered quietly "Well...'least I kinda know what to expect?"

Edited May 9, 2013 by Arichamus

[Quinn]

Crow quirked an eyebrow, and idly let his hands drift to his pockets, fingering the gloves inside for a moment or three. A thoughtful look came over his face as he subjected Subito to that occasionally eerie piercing gaze; like a bird of prey peering down from a branch above. For a long few moments, he weighed his words; then finally shook his head and spoke somewhat flatly.

 

"Spirits and their tests." A distinct tone of disapproval. "They can't be content with their own choices, oh no - they have to second-guess and retry to make sure they weren't, God forbid, wrong. Not like you haven't already done bloody brilliant service over and over again - she can't just roll out the tea and crumpets, or say 'fine job, Subito, you're doing magnificently'; no."

 

Strike that; the tone wasn't disapproving, it was just bitter. Crow shook his head, the wild mane of black hair going from side to side with it, and finally let out a sigh. "Keh. I'm getting grumpy in my old age." He was nineteen. "You want some backup on this one, man?"

[Aoiroo]

"I have always imagine they simply get bored just watching the trials of their choosen so much so that they put their hand in creating them. It is not uncommon in myths, you could sum up the entire story structure of the Greek and Roman pantheons about creatures with too much power and too little imagination with how to spend their leisure."
She smiled as she eyed Crow,

"You are not grumpy, just much more weary of there ways which in this trade is a survival skill."
She looked past at Subito,

"You are however lacking in that department. Tread lightly, because even in friendly territory, another world is still another world, and mortals are not usually meant to move through such places."

[Ari]

"You didn't have t'say it like that, Etain" Subito groused, irritated that his gaze had involuntarily flicked away when Morgan had pinned him with his eyes. Sticking his hands in his pockets he leaned against the wall of the scrying room, watching the watery shadows and dappled light play on the ceiling "Anyways," the sturdily-built teen went on "I'm not totally stupid. 'Least not yet. I know it's not like our world, that it's...got different, I dunno, modes? Ways ya do stuff? Not rules, that ain't what I'm thinking of. I'm not gonna do somethin'  crazy just 'cause."

 

Rubbing the back of his head methodically his head dropped down, and he looked earnestly at Morgan "Hey, uh, Morg. Thanks. I dunno if I can bring anybody along, but if I can you're totally on the list of 'People I Want Around in Spiritland to Pull my Butt Out of the Fire'." he smiled warmly and swung his powerful arms out to encompass the whole trio of mystics "Heck, if you guys think it'd be fine, I'd be super-glad for all your help! But...[/color" suddenly the bulky Puerto Rican looked a lot less sure of himself "Is that really the best idea? I mean, getting a bunch of people to come help me with my personal trial as her Herald, seems kinda like...cheating somehow. I know what you mean about spirit tests by the way. They suck. The Blue Dame's are pretty minor, but they still get pretty frustrating sometimes. Hey, Herald, save that kid! You saved her? Well you better have done it to help and not just keep your powers! 'Cause I'll know!" The young man rolled his eyes.

 

Subito turned hopefully to Nick "What d' you think about this sir? An' how much difference is there between Roman and Greek mythology?" he added with a baffled look.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Arichamus

[trollthumper]

"Okay, easy question first," said Nick. "Roman mythology got... eclectic at times. You had the gods of Olympus, many of them with different names. Some virtues shifted to reflect the Roman Empire's mindset - Ares was more of a thug in Greek myth, but Mars had gravitas. Then you had the other gods worked in along the line like they were late to the party - Isis, Cybele, Mithras, and the anointed, ascended emperors.

"As for the whole trial thing..." Nick shrugged his shoulders. "It depends on how well you'd think La Dama would respond to it. She doesn't seem like a hideous tyrant, though she's got interesting taste in livestock. Personally, I'd say that if you were chosen as her champion, this should be your road to walk. It's just how the tales go."

[Ari]

Subito nodded along to the short pantheon lesson. At the mention of Isis he looked simply baffled "Really? But...okay. Gotcha, so they borrowed from all over, like just about everythin' else." he grinned "Man, those Romans were big ol' copycats, huh?" catching sight of the others he hastily cleared his throat and adopted a more serious expression.

 

"Thanks Mr. Cim-Nick! Sorry. Anyway, that's a good point. She probably won't get too mad if I take some people along just to make sure I don't get mugged in Spiritland, but it is kinda my job to face these sorts of challenges on my own." he frowned deeply, glancing at the floor for a moment "I'll...think it over, talk with my folks and people I know at school, they can help me see the best way to do this. I have some time before the trip, so that's good!" he looked back up grinning.

 

He smiled brightly at each of the mages of Parkhurst "Thanks a bunch you guys! This really does help me a lot, even if it doesn't seem like much. I was pretty nervous about it just 'cause I had no idea what it would be like. Now i know it's got all kinds of metaphors and monsters and I can get ready for that! And La Dama just likes sheep 'cause they're soft and fuzzy," he added with a much more cheeky smile to Nick, a faint tone of still-present awe tempering his joviality just a little "she'll talk about how they're a symbol of innocence in the world 'cause of Jesus the Christ and how a good ram doesn't need to be as tough as the whole flock and stuff, but she just likes to pet 'em. Got some big ones though, big as horses and covered in armor..."

 

Realizing he was beginning to ramble, the boy shut his jaws with a faint *click* and cleared his throat "So um...you magic people got any books about this kind of thing I could borrow? I can read Latin, if that helps." he said with a note of pardonable pride.