abraxaslogs | [ CLOSED ] though my feet my rest

Oh, do you want to rank rarity?

[Alucard's smile is thin, but it's said with a light laugh threaded through the question. It's reassuring in a way, knowing that some things are not unique to the Church back home.

He doesn't have a firm grasp of geography for Geralt's sphere. It is a detail that hasn't come up beyond vague place names, and that's more often with Jaskier than Geralt anyway. Alucard rarely ever asks Ciri about things either, as it has seemed somehow Not Something To Ask.]

And it is simply the one temple that offers the needed education for Signs? [Actually.] Are those only Witcher knowledge, or can others learn them if they inquire?

[ In truth, the references to their geography is likely so vague because not one of them resides in a single place. The Continent, too, is unusual, though Geralt doesn't realize how much that's true: a giant mass of land that sits tilted towards the north. Even the southernmost states—Nilfgaard, mostly—are more northern than not in terms of the earth. ]

Signs are magic in its simplest form, for Witchers to learn and use quickly. [ He shrugs. ] If you were a druid or a mage, you'd study magic at length.

[ It isn't that a mage can't cast a Sign; it's that, why would they bother when they can call upon their own spells? Signs are shorthands in magic. More than that, they are associated with being a Witcher. Something few want the stain of being related to. Especially not a mage of the Brotherhood.

In theory, a Witcher could take upon the lessons that would expand their knowledge of Chaos. Most just don't. It isn't necessary for their work—and ultimately a waste of time. Like a farmer going to Oxenfurt to study the intricacies of wheat instead of plowing his fields. ]

I've taught a few here. [ Dean and Ciri, specifically. Attempting to with Steve. ] Open access to Chaos in this world makes it possible for everyone.

[Alucard nods, understanding it. Basic magic, and the implication that there's use to be had for combat situations. That checks out, and Alucard doesn't comment any further than an acknowledgement of the explanation.

Still. He's never quite understood why those from Geralt's sphere use chaos as a descriptor for magic. The dhampir at least knows why that is.]

It's still foreign to my ears to hear the driver of magic in your sphere being chaos. For us, the concept is better articulated as the imposition of will upon the world.

[ An imposition of will is an equally foreign description to Geralt. He tilts his head. ]

That implies magic comes from within. [ Inside those who then exert it upon the earth. That is not the nature of magic as he understands it—and it is not how magic seems to operate in Abraxas, either. Like a storm or the rain, it is not a force that can be controlled in full. And thus: chaos. ] To us, Chaos exists all around. Some are capable of manipulating it to cast spells. We call them mages or druids. A Witcher can do the same, as a result of our mutations.

[ Theirs is not an inherent talent, however. Not like a mage born with a natural ability.

Though who knows with him? Visenna had been a druid. Perhaps he might've inherited something. Impossible to tell now. ]

Edited 2023-08-08 05:09 (UTC)

Perhaps. [It isn't a correction or a pushback. Just a gentle nudge of perspective.]

In theory, we all exert our will upon the world by being alive and carrying about every day lives. Will based magic is one step further than that, and in theory anyone can do it with enough study and concentration. An innate talent helps for certain things - like Hector's forge mastery, that's a born talent but still about one's will to connect the living and the dead - but not all of it.

I'd argue that chaos, like will, exists all around. But I think your definition of the concept is more refined.

[Which is an obvious request for a precise definition if the dhampir's ever had one. Still, he glances around, wondering if there's a comfier spot for this talk.]

Not refined. [ From Alucard's explanation, it seems to be more than that. ] Tangible. Chaos can be felt. Lost. Measured. Those who don't learn to control it risk being consumed by it.

[ Will, it sounds, is a nebulous thing that is given form with enough concentration. Chaos exists on its own terms. Those with magic will manifest their abilities whether they ask for it or not. And denying it can cause...catastrophic problems. It's the reason he's focused on at least teaching Ciri the Signs. Something she can grasp while she comes to terms with her more powerful abilities.

Catching Alucard's glance, Geralt moves towards the many couches. He settles on one, feet propped on a nearby bench. The table at the center is lined with platters of fruit and pastries, along with an herbal tea. Unlike the rustic ale and bread above ground, the offerings at the temple are delicate. ]

[Tangile is the most helpful detail. At that, the dhampir lets out a low rumble of understanding.]

So there's some kind of natural ability that taps one into it to a certain extent?

[He's happy to sit himself down on the sofa. In his own domain, he might flop, but it seems incorrect for the space.

And there's no beer. What an exciting day to be Alucard! He picks up one of the tea cups immediately.]

I appreciate that the architecture has a level of austerity without denying comfort or a sense of belonging.

Edited 2023-08-11 11:34 (UTC)

Yes. Most experience a conduit moment.

[ Most. Not Ciri. Her powers exhibited in a completely different manner. Geralt is not sure if what she wields is the Chaos they know or something else. Something...exceptional.

He wishes he could do more to help her. Where her magic is concerned, he falls short. Even Yennefer appears to struggle. ]

Travellers often come to rest or to heal their wounds. [ So it is, as Alucard says, meant to be a place of comfort and respite. His lips quirk as Alucard eagerly reaches for the tea. ] Seeking inspiration for your next project?

Most?

[He's curious, but then it occurs to him that this may be a Ciri thing. If there's no explanation, the dhampir won't be exactly surprised. He absolutely won't push it.]

There are some similar facilities thee church runs, but I don't think they're as well appointed.

[There's a little nod of the dhampir's head. Caught red handed.]

I can't deny that it might happen. Do all the gods in your sphere have similarly designed spaces?

[ Like Alucard suspects, Geralt does not answer—though it isn't only to do with Ciri. Magic can skip a generation. In others, it may manifest too weakly for them to realize.

He shakes his head. ] No. Places of worship are regional. Smaller villages may have gods no one's heard of. Or monsters they mistake for the divine.

[ There's no organizational hierarchy. Melitele is the most widespread, that's all. The temple in Ellander is almost more known for what it provides—schooling, refuge, healing—than anything to do with the deity herself.

It probably says something Geralt was raised here for a short time, and yet holds no strong feelings about the goddess either way. He learned the philosophies from Nenneke, taken from them what was most important. Otherwise, she is simply a figure, a symbol. One of many. ]

Edited 2023-08-12 14:42 (UTC)

[Alucard lets the nonanswer go. He's happy enough to have a little bit more understanding. It also explains why his attempts to help Jaskier the first time he turned into a bird went as it did. Two completely different conceptions of magic.

He leans back, deciding fuck it, and just lying down entirely, eyes on the ceiling. There are architectural details there, this is instructive]

I do wonder about that last point.

[It is easy to see how such a thing might happen, especially in Geralt's world. Here...well, it is harder to say, but likewise Alucard won't risk things. But it brings something else up.]

No one else had any information about that little detail I came back with from the Feywilds, by the way.

Hm.

[ Geralt stretches out a leg. Can't say he's surprised to hear that. The Fey said much that could mean very little, and their disposition suggests there's a chance anything they mention offhand could simply be to fuck with their guests.

He can see a Alucard's concern. The remark's potential connection to the Acolytes. But it feels...mm. It doesn't feel right.

Though—would there be a clash in ideology between the gods of Solvunn and the Fey? Would they even give a fuck? ]

Does it worry you?

In all honesty, I don't think I'm in the right place to judge.

[He sighs, closing his eyes for a moment.]

Anything that sounds vaguely threatening to me sounds like alarm bells after what happened with the cult, and I wasn't even amongst those taken. The circumstances just brushed too close to past ones, and it's left that part of me very set on trying to make sure it doesn't happen again.

[He knows Geralt was taken. He's never asked after circumstances. It was wholly not his business.]

I'd rather confirm that there's nothing to be worried about instead of let it be and something stupid happens.

[ An honest assessment, if nothing else. Geralt cocks his head, mulling it over. He can't dismiss the prospect. There's much they've not learned about the Acolytes, about Josselyn Creed. About the supposed Old Gods.

He wants those answers. But he also knows the value of letting sleeping dogs lie. It's difficult, sometimes, to know where to draw that line. ]

The question isn't whether something might happen again. It's what will happen next.

[ The Acolytes are imprisoned. Josselyn is dead. The island has flooded. The factions are on high alert for signs of another similar incident. But what of the road which lies ahead? That creature which slunk into the ocean? Shrines now cracked and buried? The dark figure in their visions?

And where does Solvunn stand now, after everything? How dangerous do the other territories consider Solvunn's ability to call upon its gods? ]

[The statements are versions of remarks Geralt has made before. They're measured observations as well as true ones, and Alucard lets out a thoughtful rumble. He knows why he's chasing down leads - he wants to avoid his own bugfuck terror and anger that happened with Josselyn's little adventures - but...it's a hydra. A head is always going to grow.]

I know. But if something extremely awful can be prevented, or at least minimized...

[The dhampir trails off. That was how a sense of responsibility creeps in, and Alucard has appreciated not having that feeling for the past two years.]

[ Yeah. He understands the sentiment. It's difficult not to feel responsible. Wonder if there were signs you missed. An experience he's had often over the decades—most recently between he and Dean. ]

Not everything lies on you to foresee. [ He shrugs. To some, his statements may seem disconnected, uncaring, but he's simply learned that you cannot carry the weight of the world, and hope to survive in it. Some situations, you have to walk away from before it swallows you whole.

He isn't as good at that as he wants to be. ]

If I hear something, I'll let you know.

Easier said than done on this topic.

[Geralt's not wrong, even if Alucard's voice is weary in agreement. Alucard knows this, just as he knows that the statement is empathetic in it's own subtle Geralt-y way. He's learned to read that nuance.]

Thank you. I couldn't ask for anything more.

[ CLOSED ] though my feet my rest

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