ataraxion | [text + bonus 30 second wolf video]

[The post begins with a direwolf, peering with sharp curiosity into the device. It is a short video; it lasts only for about a minute, just long enough to take in the sheer size of the direwolf--large enough to fill the frame until he shifts to sniff at the device, and then you can see that he's very large indeed, and not only because of the perspective. But he's friendly-looking, for a wolf, ears pricked, eyes bright--and then the video ends.]

--

This is a direwolf, called Summer. There are six direwolves aboard this ship, and they are all of House Stark. They are not a threat to anyone save to those that might mean threat to the Starks. They are not pets and they are not tame, but they are not wild either. They will not bite you without reason. If they cause some mischief, you need only inform any of my House, and we will make right whatever they have wronged.

People are often afraid of direwolves. You need not fear any of our six. You may be wary but do not attack or provoke them and they will do you no harm. They are rarely apart from us so there should be no reason to do so. But I thought it should be said, as there are new people aboard this ship.

I am Bran of House Stark, and by my word, Summer will not harm you. If you would like to meet Summer, you may.

[SO THERE. And Bran might end there, all that having been said, but... a few seconds later, and he adds:]

I have some questions, too. I am looking for someone that might perform a wedding. And I am looking for people that might know of [--and this is more delicate to say--] transformations.

Thank you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Mason takes a few moments to weigh his options here. It's not like he'll have to answer every single question Bran asks, right? ]

My answers won't be the same as everyone else's, but you can ask some questions, if you want.

[ Which is his way of saying "Hey, I'm one of those people." ]

[...oh. That is as good a confirmation as any, and as good a permission as he is like to get. Carefully, Bran thinks before he asks his first question--but he ought to start very straightforward, he knows that much.]

What can you become?

A wolf.

[ Bigger than a normal wolf - though not as big as a direwolf - with glowing golden eyes, but those details don't seem too important. ]

[Another pause, though it is short.]

Do you mean that you are a werewolf? Or is the transformation different?

No, I'm a werewolf. Someone here once called me a skinchanger, though I'm not entirely sure what that is/if it's actually any different.

Do you become a wolf or do you borrow the skin of a wolf?

What do you mean by borrow?

[ Because that could mean a lot of different things. None of them are what Mason does, but clarification is nice. ]

[He struggles a moment to phrase this properly.]

Someone who is a warg can borrow an animal's skin. He stays in his own body but he travels to the animal's body and he borrows its skin. He becomes the animal. But he does not lose himself.

[ That sounds a hell of a lot better than what Mason goes through every month. ]

I don't do that. And as far as I know, no one else in my world is capable of it.

[ Though witches might be able to, if they found the right spell. ]

Then you become a wolf and are lost for a time? I have met others who do the same. It is painful?

Yeah, I do. I have no control over myself when I'm shifted.

[ As for that second question... Mason stares at it for a while - this is pushing the personal boundaries a bit too much, simply because it's not something he talks about - but there's no sense lying. ]

Very.

[There's a little pause in return.]

I am sorry that it is painful.

You do not control when it happens, either? Does it work by full moons?

[ He's ignoring that first part (because really, what is he supposed to say to that). ]

Normally. It's different up here since there's no moon.

Then what happens without the moon?

Same way as it does with the moon, just with no moon to track it. Happens every 28 days.

And you can save the joke; I've probably heard or thought of all of them.

[A pause as he tries to work out what jokes there might be in that... but none come immediately to mind.]

I would not make jokes of it. Where on the ship do you go when you must transform?

A safe area that I can lock myself up in.

[ He's going vague with that because for all he knows, Bran might want to come watch and he's not going to let that happen if he can help it. ]

Alone?

[And then a moment later, he adds, quickly:] Do werewolves have packs, where you are from?

Some of them stick together if they can find one another, but generally speaking? No.

Do you prefer to be alone?

It's safer that way.

[ Mason's not entirely sure if Bran meant in general or during his shifts, but the answer's still the same either way. Not that he has much of a choice up here. ]

[Either way, the answer is saddening. It's safer is an answer of necessity, not truly of feeling. A wolf alone--Bran knows what that feels like. Even if it's always been; even if it is truly safer--it is still sad. I'm sorry, he might say, and it wouldn't be pity--but still would likely not be appreciated]

Are there only werewolves where you are from? Or are there others that transform into different animals?

[ He'd actually been waiting with bated breath to get a response (he expected something along the lines of pity) so when the question comes through, Mason lets out an appreciative sigh. He's still not entirely comfortable being asked all these questions, but this is less personal, at least. ]

There are other non-human things where I'm from, but none that can turn into other animals. As far as I know, anyway. I could be wrong.

And is there magic, in your world?

Yeah.

[ There's vampires, too, but he won't go into that. ]

[text + bonus 30 second wolf video]

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