ataraxion | ☂ two ; video

[England clears his throat. This is his first video broadcast across the network, and he wants to avoid an embarrassing situation like his mistaking the text function for a telegram the first time.]

Right. Yes. This feels oddly informal but if that's what's done--

--I'll be brief and to the point: I've got two questions.

First, could anyone from Earth who's lived through the twentieth century tell me of its history? Ah, the version of Earth where the British Empire exists. I would like to know how the world changes in the next hundred years. It doesn't matter when or where you're from, I'm just very interested.

My second question is addressed to the users of magic on board the Tranquility. Sorcerers, witches, wizards, healers, mages; whatever you are, how does magic work in your world? What sort of spells do you use? Runes? Talismans? Perhaps a proxy via a familiar or even technology? I've been practicing magic for as long as I've been alive--that's over fifteen hundred years--but one can never learn too much.

--Ah, I'm rambling. Excuse me... [He straightens his shoulders, tilting his nose up to be as dignified as possible.]

At any rate, I've one more announcement: I'm willing to trade tealeaves for sewing supplies, or anything else. Especially alcohol.

[Arthur pauses, not sure how to end the feed, but he just decides on something simple.]

Thank you.

[*edit/ooc: I'm aware of what he's asking. Bring on the temporal spoilers.]

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Ah, but what sort of magic do you use? It'll be easier if we can compare similarities, I would think. Have you the Fade in your world?

[Dorian's always up for chatting about magic, even if the rest of the message has no relevance to him. Earth is a place, and beyond that he knows very little.]

Yes, I quite agree! No, although I'm not sure what the Fade is, so... No. Magic is something someone is born with. Many without the gift have tried to work spells, incantations, and I suppose superstition is a human trait, but in my world it's fast disappearing and I must say, seeing so much of it on this dreadful ship is really lifting my spirits.

I draw from my own energy, or the energy from the place I'm in, and ah... tend to stay away from practises that require the taking of a life. [Arthur clears his throat.] Or blood. Dreadful stuff, that is.

Those in my world must be born with the gift as well, though I'm afraid in most places it isn't welcome. Few would dream of trying magic if they weren't born that way - and if you are, it's impossible not to, eventually. You'll attract demons, if nothing else.

[He smiles, just a bit thin.]

It is rather reassuring to hear that blood magic is looked down upon even on other worlds. By sane men, at least.

It's similar in my world, actually. For centuries the main religions in the west forbade it, and it's led to--by now--thousands of executions at least, by fire, or hanging, or worse. There was recently a so-called "Age of Reason" where scholars wanted to do away with the dogma of religion being narrow-minded, but it also began to do away with superstition. Now most see magic as nothing more than parlour tricks and attempts to safely contact one's beloved deceased.

[He sighs, and shakes his head.] I apologise, it's just a very sad thing, I think, to imagine a world without the virtues of magic. Demons though, do they have something to do with the Fade you mentioned?

Yes. They live in the Fade, but naturally they don't all want to stay there. A mage who isn't careful - or who's desperate - might let one in, give it control of themselves. It's never a good idea, but it still happens.

Are there such creatures where you're from?

...That sounds hideous. In as in-- they allow the demon control? [Obviously, but he's just clarifying.] Right... We've got spirits of course, ones that inhabit the natural world--tree spirits, water spirits, fae of the field and rocks, and that's just in my own land.

There's demons and spirits all across the world native to every land and culture and on a certain night each year, when the line between the worlds of the living and the dead is blurred, they especially like to cross over. Some are benevolent, human or otherwise, and others... not so much. They can cause mischief or possess humans in extreme cases, even human spirits who've died with anger and vindictiveness in them. Most people think of those as ghosts and many people can no longer see them, or fae. As magic's faded, humanity's steadily lost its ability to see and communicate with otherworldly creatures... [At this, he pauses, looking pensive.]

I see them still, all manner of creatures with wings and dragons and elves, spirits, the ghosts of the dead. The good ones that wander keep me company in my travels, and I ward the unruly ones away with enchantments. It's nice to discuss these things without people thinking I've lost my mind, I've got to say.

Edited 2015-05-06 23:08 (UTC)

They allow the demon control - or perhaps the demon takes control. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell, particularly since they tend to be rather uninterested in talking about that sort of thing.

[He's interested in this tale of a place where magic is so very different from his own - Dorian's always interested in that sort of thing.]

The magic in your world has faded? How unpleasant. If you're still able to use it, though, it must be around in some small quantity, at least. [He laughs, shaking his head.] But I can see how people who don't experience magic might think you mad for tales like that. Too many people have difficulty believing in anything they can't touch.

True enough! [He shakes his head.] It used to be that most people had the sight, and many still do, but they don't realise it--the sight to see fairies, banshees, bluecaps, goblins, redcaps, pixies, dryads, centaurs... They've always been a bit shy 'round humanfolk, granted, but it's just a shame. Faded, a bit, but it's more like... receded. It's starting to retreat into the depths of the earth and forests as human industries and cities grow. [And the deforesting for houses and ships and weapons and the construction of mines to dig for coal and...]

Honestly though, just because you can't see something doesn't mean it doesn't exist! Centuries ago it was thought that the Earth was flat and that the sun and stars rotated around it, when it's actually a globe, and it rotates around the sun--which is a star! If people could open their minds it may make things a mite easier for themselves, I think.

That's what many people where I'm from think - that the sun rotates around us. I've learned quite a bit since coming here, I must say. Luckily I didn't have all that many preconceived scientific notions - just magical ones.

[And he finds that learning other people's is extremely interesting.]

We've all had our minds quite forcefully opened since arriving, I'd say. Those creatures you mentioned - what are they like?