abraxaslogs | How does the earth around your feet

Istredd has a routine in the castle that he is happy with. He can be found in the library, sometimes he helps them re-organize and return books to where they were before, or reading as he hasn't finished every book in the library ... yet. He teaches beginner courses for Summoned or young mages and he's happy to talk to people after class or if they have questions. He often eats by himself or with Lucifer, but anyone is welcome to join him. When he bathes it is usually with a book or a journal he's writing in, but distractions are fine.

If anyone wishes to come by his room with Lucifer, it's slightly different now with his side of the room turning into more of a sitting area since they share a bed.

Istredd can be found in Castle Thorne, Nott, and Borrel scoping out their book stores. He has a little bit of money but he saves it to buy what he really wants, book-wise. Otherwise he's browsing. He enjoys the Nott bookstore the most as it's very old and weathered, and so the oldest or most interesting books are there (in his opinion) but he's liked having new access to Borrel. There he'll be looking at their non-fiction section on history and the military. This is usually the easiest way to find him; where are the books?

Istredd is exploring Borrel a little more now that it's opened up and he can be seen wandering the streets, looking at sea glass, or on the beaches musing as he looks out into the water. He has no interest in swimming or actually sitting on the beach, but he likes having time to muse.

Edited 2023-11-04 19:25 (UTC)

When the fliers are handed out all around Castle Thorne and the surrounding town to inform everyone of the newly-instated Maritime Fair in Borrel, naturally Thancred is curious. He's aware that materials for bolstering the navy's forces had been part of the negotiations with the Nether, a necessary exchange to ensure that the dragons received the help and resources that they needed.

While this fair sounds like little more than dressed up propaganda for Thorne's navy, it is part of Thancred's self-assigned work to keep an eye on the various political aspects of Thorne as a whole. So if they are being invited to an event to honor Captain Rudolph Sidwell's promotion, he's going to be there.

And he'll take more or less any excuse to travel past the confines of the castle.

He's present for the opening ceremonies, which ends up being quite the affair. Fireworks light up the sky and he's reminded of Costa del Sol's Moonfire Faire. There's much more pomp and circumstance in this instance, though, with a parade to commemorate the occasion.

He stands far back in the crowd when the King speaks, hood pulled up so as to not draw too much attention to himself, and he listens carefully. It leaves him uncomfortable to hear the Summoned given credit for the navy's improvements, as he's well aware that those who were involved with the negotiations probably had mixed feelings about this decision.

Once the speech is over, Thancred casts a glance around the crowd. He doubts he's the only Summoned here, and as soon as he spots Istredd, he steps over to him with a casual gait, as if he just happened to pass by him.

"Ah, Istredd! Quite the event, isn't it?" He gestures around them. "Have you eaten yet? I was thinking of grabbing a bite and then exploring what the fair has to offer, if you're interested." In truth, he wants to steer them away from all the crowds so that he can pick Istredd's brain about all that they just heard.

Istredd has mostly accepted Hayle's closed door after Anastasia's letter which means that Borrel is the only current open door that he can concern himself with. It's not his preference, but he's not one to miss opportunities, and any amount of freedom in Thorne is worth taking. He goes along to the fair and quietly stands in the back, being taller than most, but he does have a skill for blending into the background. Most people don't look twice at him, unless they know a face to look for.

This is clearly propaganda, and while he doubts Kyle and Rhy will like their negotiation work being used like this, it's also just politics. They made their concessions to help the dragons, everyone understood that. Every faction getting something means they continue to be in chess check, at least for now, or just building until the next stage. The navy is nothing to sneeze at, seeing it now being given so much credence.

He plans on checking out the bookshop there he saw on his way in, it boasted having many historical books which is his favorite kind. If it ends up being mostly about the military, he'll learn something about it. He has been quietly observing and not looking around until he senses someone walking toward him.

Istredd isn't surprised to see Thancred there. He's definitely the sort who would show up to this and be watchful. "Hello, Thancred, I would be glad to explore what they have to show here." He's curious because this is all very polite and he suspects Thancred wants to talk more genuinely, but he always goes along with it. He gestures for Thancred to lead them away.

It's for the best that Istredd plays along and doesn't question Thancred's put-on front all too much. To keep up the appearances, he nods with enthusiasm and then pivots, swinging an arm around Istredd's shoulders to lead him off. Which is a bit awkward given their difference in height, but Istredd is nowhere near as tall as Urianger, so Thancred has adjusted to worse.

"I had heard of Borrel's proud navy, of course, but it will be interesting to learn more, wouldn't you agree?" While his tone is a good deal more eager than how he feels, Thancred actually isn't lying in this case. He does want to research the history of the navy and catalog the updates they're making with these newly-acquired resources. "I heard there are some old ships to tour, and we can even go fishing. It will be a sight different from the fishing in the Nether, I'd imagine."

He goes on and on, mainly so that no one can question the nature of their chat or see it as anything particularly noteworthy or suspicious. Then, as they break away from the dispersing crowd after the Admiral's address, he lets out a laugh, as if in response to something Istredd said, and then leans in closer — like he's indulging in a personal joke. His arm tightens against Istredd's shoulders to pull him down.

"We'll have to inform the others of this as well," he adds under his breath. He doesn't make clear who he means, but imagines it will be obvious — their friends in the Free Cities, who they met with not so long ago. Geralt, Jaskier, Sam.

Istredd is surprised by the physical gesture but he goes along with that too, and even leans down a little to make it easier for Thancred. He's not as tall as Urianger but it's still more comfortable if he leans in.

"Yes," he says after a moment of awkward adjustment. "I plan on looking through the records in the old ships and there is a bookshop that apparently has many historical texts about the navy." Istredd knows they are currently in pretend-conversation but this is also the truth. He gets into research mode when he is anywhere that has texts he can glean something from. His memorization ability has been used a great deal by him over time, and added to the library.

He knows Thancred is getting to a point so he is waiting for it. Normally Istredd would simply do a sound spell to give them some privacy, but he doesn't know how closely they're being watched. It could make them seem suspicious if mages are watching and see the spell. He'll feel more confident when they regularly visit, less eyes will be on them.

"Kyle let me know the details of the negotiations, this is the result. Blueprints to enhance the navy." And they can see that would be why Thorne is celebrating. "What I'm curious about is that technically Thorne can go around the coast to get to the Free Cities, and they will, but I'm wondering if this is something Solvunn should be more concerned about." Being how close they are.

A bookshop on top of it all. Well, Thancred will be all too happy to leave that sort of work to Istredd, who will do a more thorough job with cataloguing all the historical information that's accessible about the navy. His skillset will leave him better suited to observing the work currently being done in the shipyard, to determine how the naval forces plan to make use of the resources the Nether has sent them.

"Between the two of us, we should end up with a well-rounded idea of Thorne's naval history, then." Again, his tone is light, as if he's an interested tourist rather than here to gather the information for the purpose of leaking it to other factions.

It does make sense that the Draconae would have some novel naval blueprints given where they're located. Thancred doesn't necessarily like what might come of all this, though, and Istredd seems concerned by the possibilities as well.

"Yes, Solvunn is much closer," he replies in a hushed tone. They're far enough away now and on their way toward the shipyard, so he doesn't need to be quite as careful. His brow furrows as he considers the presented possibility. "However, thus far there's been no indication that Thorne would directly target them. It would most likely lead to fighting a war on two fronts, or at least weakening themselves and granting the Free Cities an easier opportunity to step in."

"But would Solvunn allow them to sail through their waters? They may be staying neutral, but it's not neutral to allow that." Solvunn did give supplies to both sides of the war and appeared to be even-handed, so watching warships go by would be taking a side by saying nothing. "It's probably more likely they'd go the long way, through Andromeda Bay." It would take them up north around Thorne and around the crater, but it made sense, since that way only Thorne would have an awareness of movement until it's too late.

"This could also just be smokescreen." He's slightly less concerned about being overheard now, the farther away from other people they get, as the crowds thin. "They want to scare everyone with a superior navy, it doesn't mean they use it. They might not need to with the threat." It's a smart threat, one that wouldn't require action. The Free Cities does not have the strongest navy as far as he knows, too land-locked in Cadens.

"Although the queen's uncle doesn't strike me as someone who wouldn't mean a threat he made."

Istredd seems to answer his own question, though both of them are musing out loud about the possibilities. Thancred likes to be ready for any outcome, and that means considering as many of them as is feasibly possible. "I imagine they would prefer to take the risk of going the long way, if it came to that. It would also mean there would be less chance of the Free Cities receiving intel of the oncoming attack before it arrived."

They as Summoned cannot be in Borrel all the time to keep an eye on the naval activities here. If the admiral is a smart man, he would deploy the ships when he was relatively certain there weren't any Summoned here to observe it, which wouldn't be difficult.

"We can hope it's merely a way of deterring the Free Cities from making a move against them, aye," he replies. He can feel the cool sea air tousle his hair now, as they near the water, though it's difficult to appreciate the scenery given their topic of conversation. "Though I would say we should always be ready for the worst. Thus, we arm ourselves with information to let those in the Free Cities know what to expect if that worst case comes to pass."

As for the comment about the newly appointed admiral, Thancred glances to Istredd, brows lifting with curiosity. "How much do you know about him?"

"Yes, there's no one in the Badlands that would warn them. It's hard to say if the Free Cities would be already making moves to protect the coast, as I don't know their forces well." If the two of them are smart enough to see the potential route to danger, it can be assumed a war council can do the same.

"It's been over a thousand years since the Free Cities and Solvunn won their independence. Even if they have the war books from that time, the landscape has changed. They haven't seen war since then, and not this royal house." And yet they're very close to it at all times. Istredd assumes it's been tense for years though, although the Free Cities and Solvunn Summoning their own people amped it up again. The Summoned seem to continue to be a good excuse for them, with the Nocwich attack too.

"If we hear of anything we can warn them, albeit with the understanding of what position that would put all of us in." It isn't Istredd saying they shouldn't. It's that a choice like that would put all of the Summoned at risk, not only the people who would be behind the information sharing. All choices are dangerous, as they both know.

At the question, he gazes out into the water, appreciating the image as he has always been landlocked himself. Rarely appreciating any visual splendors around him unless forced to look up from a book. "Nothing more than what is shared commonly. That he's respected and considered honorable, by whatever terms Thorne considers those things." It changes between people, obviously. "But the queen is his blood, and we know how she is." Family doesn't mean everything, but he suspects her admiral uncle may have some opinions about her reckless behavior. Anyone would.

Thancred doesn't know all that much about the Free Cities' military forces either, save that they are robust. That's the whole point of keeping in close contact with Geralt, Jaskier, and Sam, of course — they will be able to fill in those blanks. "We can always ask our friends," he remarks.

While it feels like they're always at the precipice of total war breaking out, Istredd makes a good point. It has in fact been years, and it may be many more years before it's an out-and-out conflict. Granted, the attacks exchanged between the two factions already should not be discounted, and it could always escalate, especially with the Summoned as another factor (or fuse).

"It's a risk that I imagine would be worth taking," he says to Istredd with little hesitation. "I know not every single Summoned in Thorne might agree, but..." He trails off and frowns. Well, they can address that problem when it actually becomes a problem, rather than mere speculation, but Thancred is willing to make his opinion on this particular issue known. To know that forces were moving toward the Free Cities and yet say nothing would be wrong, and he won't do so, especially not after what the Queen did to Libertas. He hated feeling so helpless in that moment.

Thancred nods along as Istredd recaps what both of them know of the admiral. It isn't much, and only what's been spoken of publicly. As they descend a stone staircase that leads down toward the docks, he heaves out a sigh. "That we do. The question is how much she's taken after her uncle. I suspect we'll find out, sooner or later."

"It may be a case where we should speak privately to the Thorne Summoned, as we've done before." Istredd invited all of them into his Horizon the last time so they could understand the gravity of their situation. Except it's changed since then, some Summoned gone, some new. He can't do it every time which is why he wrote down his blackboards of information for people.

"We may make the decision regardless, but they should know. We can decide if that happens if they are trustworthy." That's the other concern. One of them could decide to rat them out on their own. They won't know until they get to that point, which could be some time from now, or never. But he wouldn't feel right about doing that without warning people. It sounds like a disaster in the making.

"I might consider him a different type of threat. We'll have to keep our eyes on it, and our friends' eyes on their end. Full out war hasn't happened yet. But we're not out of the woods." Istredd may note that they are quiet ... for now. Except Thorne has always wanted their former lands back.

It feels fated at this point.

The book shop isn't what brings him to Nott today. Wilhelm has just finished a round of deliveries, and he has some time to kill before he should be back in the castle town. So he picks up a nice hot pastry from the bakery and wanders around. There's an art to eating the steaming, sweet blob of dough fast enough that it doesn't get cold, slow enough that he can use it to warm his hands for a bit.

That's when he spots Istredd stepping out of a shop a little ways up the street. Waving — with fingers encrusted with sticky sugar — he calls out to him.

"Istredd!"

And he closes the distance with long strides.

Istredd loves Oks, the bookshop in Nott. It's scattered and filled with a variety of old and new books and it has that classic 'hidden gem' energy to it. He also got his favorite book from there, or rather Lucifer gifted him one, so he has general fondness for the place. Whenever he has a few coins to his name he ends up there looking for something new, since he sold his whole collection of books not that long ago. Old Red, the owner, has come to tolerate his enthusiasm.

He usually only comes there for books and he is flipping through one when he hears his name. Istredd glances Wilhelm's way and smiles, pleased as always to see him. It's nice to see him out and about, actually, instead of only in class or in the castle.

"Wilhelm, good to see you!" And apparently in a good mood, judging from picking a hot pastry to enjoy while there.

Istredd in a very subtle way glances around them, blue eyes darting, because Nott can be a dangerous place and he wants to know if there's any potential danger to Wilhelm. It's an instinct.

It's still a strange feeling, coming back to Nott. Wilhelm can't help but think of the skyline ablaze and the skeletal remains of burnt out houses. Corpses wandering the streets, spat out by their graves. He can't help but feel a certain weight, something cold and sharp and silent like the dead of winter. But the town is resilient, always rising from the ashes. He could learn something from it.

"Yeah, good to see you too."

Istredd's darting eyes make him glance over his shoulder instinctively. The experience of being abducted — and the subsequent nightmare they endured in the pit — had inculcated in him a needling awareness of his surroundings whenever he's out and about beyond the safety of the castle walls. Despite the slight chill, the street is busy with people. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Finishing the last bite of his treat, Wilhelm brushes the crumbs off his hands.

"New book?" he asks conversationally, nodding to the one tucked in Istredd's hand.

Istredd's first real experience with Nott was visiting after the kidnapping and it is partly that paranoia that has him watchful for any dangers. It's not always obvious to him that he still has that instinct, but he is thinking about protecting Wilhelm in terms of Nott, not cults, at the moment. He probably will always think of Wilhelm, Kell, and Mat as 'the kids' that he dedicated himself to protecting over his own life. He has no regrets about that.

Especially not seeing Wilhelm out and about, looking settled into his life, maybe in a good place. They've all come a long way from then. He can tell Wilhelm noticed his immediate protective vibe but he simply smiles it off. They're safe.

"Yes, Oks is an amazing bookstore. It's old and out of the way, my favorite kind, because that's where you find the gold." He is going to nerd to an extreme if given a chance. Istredd usually can be a very flat or always level sounding person, but this is said with genuine enthusiasm. Books always get him there.

"I've been looking through the Borrel bookshops for their wartime historic titles, and cross-checked it with Oks, and voila. A much cheaper version of the same book I was looking at." Istredd actually was someone who did this sort of thing back home. Always looking for texts, for answers. And considering they don't have a lot of money, or at least he doesn't, he found cost cutting ways here. He's very pleased.

The change that Istredd notes extends its roots beneath the surface of Wilhelm's aspect. He's happier than he was a year ago. In his magic, he has found a sense of strength and control he never had before. In the circle of people around him, a sense of belonging. A space carved out for him despite his ill fit in this world.

Istredd has something to do with that. Istredd, who taught him to not fear the power burning inside of him, who holds a measure of faith in him despite all the times he's fucked up.

So, the least Wilhelm can do is politely nod and pretend to be interested in books about musty old wars or whatever. He doesn't care much about books, but he cares about Istredd.

"Any reason you're interested in the history of wars?"

Now that he's finished eating, he stuffs his hands in his coat pockets for warmth.

Istredd's been very pleased with Wilhelm's progress but it wasn't a surprise. He knew from the start that the young man would eventually get a handle on it. Wilhelm was afraid, but time can turn that fear into resolve, like it did for him. And he's only in the beginning. Soon he will start excelling and eventually become a mage in his own right.

His surrogate fathers are very proud!

"I'm interested in the history of everything, but considering we seem to always be on the verge of war, it seemed prudent to see how Thorne has approached it in the past." It's not a surprise either, how much they lean on magic. It makes sense, that is their strongest weapon, and they have extremely powerful mages here. A single mage can destroy an entire battalion if they want, his kind certainly can. A handful of Brotherhood mages (including Yennefer) in Sodden killed most of an army by themselves.

"What are you doing out here in Nott?"

A grimness settles into his jaw and brow at the reminder that the threat of war hangs about them like smoke that refuses to clear. While tensions aren't spiked as high or tugged as tight now as they were a year ago, a sense of quiet anxiety still sticks with him. Any small thing could be spark that ignites an inferno. So he nods at Istredd's explanation — it makes sense.

But he's happy to go with the change in subject. He pats the bag at his side. At the end of his route, it's mostly empty. He only picked up a few letters to bring back from Nott. It would be easy enough to drop those off on his way back to the castle.

"Making some deliveries. Kyle got me set up as a courier."

The last thing he wanted to do was make the grimness set in like that, but it is their reality. Istredd is just vaguely accepting of the situation at this point, but he is no stranger to tension between kingdoms. There was a man actively conquering the known continent in his world and he worked in areas where he did conquer. The hope is that Thorne will not be, at least not by the Free Cities, as he doesn't trust them. Or any of them.

But it is somewhat business as normal in his head when it comes to it. He also is happy for the topic change, if it brightens Wilhelm up again. That is a surprising piece of news though, but a good one. "I didn't know he was outsourcing now, that's great!" Kyle is very busy and good at what he does, he probably ended up with too much work to do on his own.

"At least some of us are making money," he says drily. Istredd knows technically there are jobs he can get in town, but he already has a very strict schedule with his responsibilities. "How do you like it so far? You must be seeing more of Thorne than you're used to."

It may be business as usual, but Wilhelm worries about everything. He's found that the best way to interrupt the anxious whirlpool of his thoughts is to keep himself moving. Sometimes that means drinking a little too much or hooking up with a certain charming boy, and sometimes that means honing his magic or...running around town with a bag of letters.

"It's all right," he shrugs. "It's pretty easy, and I kind of like walking around. I used to come to Nott pretty often last year, when they were...having trouble. It's nice to see the town back on its feet."

"It's good to see that too. The rifts weren't kind to them either, but it seems like everything is getting better." Kell and others put in the work together to get the monster out of the dock so that was a huge deal. They don't have the easy money to fix things, so they needed help. In the end, the Summoned provided it instead of the crown, but that's hardly a surprise.

"Walk back to the portal with me. If you end up doing deliveries to Hayle, please let me know, I'm still intrigued by what's going on there." Kyle used to get to go to Hayle! He gestures and walks in the direction of the regular portal.

Now that he's settled on a solid outside lighthouse, Istredd is found consistently in his Horizon. He spends a great deal of time in there, either looking through new books people may have added, or updating his information blackboards. He is putting in the new details from the Nether since that was revealed to them recently. It is very much a public space so anyone is welcome to come in and fill in their books in the psychic open space there. He has added several Academic Magic texts for people looking to learn new skills. It is always open and the only closed space is the downstairs which is for him and Yennefer, and his personal study which anyone who is close to him can access.

People may get to know the creatures who live in there too. The five ravens are always somewhere in the library and they are relatively friendly, usually peeking at everyone from different levels where they are perched. They may come down and peck at people if they're someone Lucifer doesn't like. The leosylphs are even more friendly, often coming to play with someone who comes in. There are two, a black one and a blue one.

Istredd sometimes can be seen wandering on the outside of Horizons, rarely going into someone else's domain unless invited, and his path is instead toward the Singularity. He can be found there frequently, sitting and talking to the Singularity, updating it on things going on, or reading quietly next to it.

Edited 2023-11-04 19:31 (UTC)

Jon, for his part, will wander at least a little into any domain that looks as though its owner has the same sort of eye for the green things of the world that he does -- forests, lakes, mountains, anything new. He does not mind people wandering through his own, so long as they do not trouble Ghost.

It isn't really Ghost, but his memory of his direwolf is a warm enough thing, and he thinks it has the right eyes, the right fur, the right number of teeth and claws. And Ghost follows him just now, at a distance.

And he sees, sitting deep inside the Horizon near an inner edge, Istredd, seeming to talk to someone. Something. He doesn't really know the man, but he's attended his classes now and then, supported his candidacy, agreed with some of his ideas. Now, he approaches quietly, and says,

"Do you ever get an answer?"

There's nothing mocking about how he says it: he genuinely wonders.

Istredd has just finished telling the Singularity about the Nether and saving the dragons when he hears Jon talk. He's only slightly startled as he gets very absorbed, but he has a passive awareness of his surroundings. He turns his head to look up at him and smiles, turning his attention back to the giant monolith that represents the Singularity in this space.

"No. Sometimes if I touch it, I can feel a buzz, but that's true for everyone. There are some people here with closer connections to it that do feel or see things."

But he's not one of them. A fact he is sometimes disappointed about, given his intense focus on it, but it's probably for the best. He is a much better person to study and get facts based on observation more than feelings. He doesn't know what it takes to become a chosen of the Singularity, a mystery even to the people who are. Rhy doesn't know why, only that he does.

"That angry message we got after the Rifts is one of the few times."

It was not happy at the man in Solvunn who caused them.

He moves closer, squats, and gives Istredd a thoughtful look.

"That was the Singularity speaking to us?" He hadn't fully grasped this. He supposes he would have thought about it more, understood more, if he had not been injured then, and for a little while after. He had healed quickly -- faster than he has ever healed before -- but pain is pain, and he'd still had to spend some time abed.

"That was a warning. Where I come from, we have heart trees. They're sacred to the gods. But the gods never seem to let you know much unless you're cursed and damned. They don't have to tell you not to break your oath.

"Do you think it cares for this world?" It would explain the message, the anger in it.

"I suppose we don't know for certain as the vision didn't have a signature, but I think it was." It could have been a god maybe, but it feels like the intensity of the vision reminded him more of the power of the Singularity. It also reminded him of the visions that happened in the Pit, that were forced on people, and experiences with the gods too. It's all intertwined but he doesn't know fully in what way yet.

"The Summoned who did that was ripping apart the fabric of reality. Which already happens every time they take one of us, so to do it on a level like that ... it was extremely reckless and dangerous. People should not be playing with things they don't understand."

And Istredd is not saying that as someone who does understand it. That's the point. None of them understand because this is not their sphere but also it's not what they're supposed to be doing. He is someone who thinks that the safest thing for this realm is to stop Summoning entirely, not that he can do anything about it. He thinks the factions also don't know what they're doing.

"I don't know if it cares, in terms of, it's not human so I don't know that it feels as we do. But this is its world, and it has been here possibly from the start of its creation. So it's at the least connected. In the history of the continent, the Singularity has always been here, as far back as I've found texts."

To the first part, Jon only nods. People shouldn't play with things they don't understand -- at least, not things where they don't have a good idea of what the dangers might be, and not things that might endanger others. What people take on themselves is their own affair.

But he thinks of things that have always been, and from where he stands, where he comes from, there aren't many. His people might be called the First Men, but the Children of the Forest were there before them. He doesn't know where the Children might have come from. Stories say that Bran the Builder built the Wall with the aid of giants, and that he built Winterfell. That means there was a time before those things, the time of the Last Hero. It also means that the White Walkers were always there, just as the Children seem to have been. And the Old Gods, watching over all of it.

"This place has its own gods, but it might be that the Singularity is one, for all that they don't call it one. It doesn't demand worship. It doesn't seem to ask much at all, does it? Doesn't seem to have had any anger when the queen used magic to rain fire on Libertas, either, maybe because she is of this world. War is the way the world is. But this, the matter of the beasts, angers it -- more than us being here has ever seemed to."

Istredd has not asked Wanda who the man in the vision was because he suspects she might get protective; she tends to be, of her fellow Solvunn Summoned. If he is the type to learn from his mistakes, he doesn't need them all coming down on him, reminding him of what a terrible decision it was. He trusts Wanda to handle it, she wouldn't let that happen again. He's surprised stupid choices like that don't happen more often with the power the Summoned come here with, but he's glad it is a rare occurrence.

"The term god can mean any type of thing. To some, it's merely an extremely powerful species, same as humans or dragons or Fey." In this sphere there are vampires and werewolves too, the Draconae, many creatures who are not humans and also not worshipped by them. The gods could simply have been older and came first. Istredd has no religious mindset, so this is certainly blasphemous, but he doesn't think the Singularity is the same.

"Perhaps it is because it is unnatural, what was done. The Singularity may be more concerned with the overall world than the creatures living on it, as you say." Ignoring the queen and the factions and their war because that's mere mortal squabbles. The rifts could have threatened the fabric of reality. It's a bigger concern. "There are some who have a special connection to the Singularity and can understand it slightly better, but I am not one of them."

Alas.

A thoughtful nod.

"The Old Gods that I spoke of -- they simply are. They are part of the world, in every tree and rock and river. They were the gods of the Children of the Forest." A pause, and he adds, "My people, my father's people, we're called the First Men. Crossed from Essos long ago, before there were any people in Westeros. But the Children were there first, and were not the same as men. Smaller. They've been gone a long time now.

"None of that matters here, I know, but what I mean is, their gods still live, and they are part of the world. But they are silent. I've never heard from them the way the Singularity tries to tell us things from time to time. Who does it speak to more?"

As he talks, Ghost begins to chase a leosylph some distance away. For the time being, the creatures appear playful. And because Ghost is only a part of Jon's mind and what the Singularity will let him do, Ghost will remain playful, making no move to tear at the other animal.

"It matters," Istredd says firmly. "Most spheres have their own versions and they may be relevant." So Jon might not think his story is relevant, but Istredd feels differently. "As a historian, I feel most things matter." For all they know this sphere is connected to theirs and the Children could exist here. There are many things they have yet to learn about the land they currently occupy.

"The gods did try to talk to us that one time. Just ... not in the most pleasant of ways." The heralds, sweeping across the land, damaging everyone along their past. "I don't know that their actions were intentional to hurt anyone though. It could be them trying to reach out and causing harm due to miscommunication." A kinder reading than most people would give them, but Istredd tries not to make assumptions about the intentions of others. The gods have their own priorities.

"I cannot say, it's private to those people who have the deeper connection." Rhy, Sabine, that woman from the Free Cities, Julie. He knows not of anyone else. "But they seem to be able to communicate with it, yet it communicates in feelings and images I believe, not words." So perhaps the gods are the same!

Jon appreciates the firmness with which Istredd says that his gods matter. So often, with no heart trees here, and few followers, they do not seem to. And by extension, little of his life before he came here seems to matter much: only what sort of friend he is, what sort of man, and sometimes, what he can do with his sword.

"The gods of this place aren't people, and most of the people of this place... they don't seem to want to have much to do with them anymore. But there's no reason to think that a god would always talk in a way that a person would understand at once, rather than at last. We must be small to them. Our lives are short. They can harm us, if they wish: why wouldn't a god just come out and do it if they wanted to? If I don't understand their messages, or you don't, might be that someone does, or it might be that we will -- in the end."

As to the idea that people who have a connection to the Singularity might wish to keep it to themselves, he only nods. How much would he give not to have a connection to the Lord of Light?

Where would he be if he did not?

"It is surprising how few people believe or worship after we've actively experienced the heralds crashing through the land." Istredd doesn't know what to make of that, really. Perhaps they believe in terms of understanding these creatures exist, but don't worship them as their gods. Or they have their heads in the sand. It's hard to know but Istredd knows that humans can be very stubborn. If they don't want to put stock in the gods, they simply won't.

"There's a theory that has been going on for some time about the gods." Well, it started with Kyle and then him, but it has been discussed since. "Over a thousand years ago, the first Summons happened with a high mage who was exiled and founded Solvunn. It is possible those Summoned became what is known now as the new gods." Since it originated in Solvunn, where those Summoned might have ended up with their mage, it still makes the most logical sense to him.

"The heralds were all the old gods though. I do think they communicate differently from us. We're a different species at the very least, not everyone can talk the same way."

At the first part, Jon just nods, thoughtful. Back when the Andals came to Westeros, they'd brought their seven gods in one with them -- the new gods. They'd had no foothold in the North, had never been able to conquer it thanks to the easy defensibility of the southmost borders, but their religion had been picked up by many of the Houses of the First Men below the Neck. He is not sure why anyone would have given up the Old Gods to take the Seven in their place, unless they were made to at the point of a sword -- but the Old Gods have mostly been tolerated in the South where people wished to hold to them. What made people give up their gods here?

It seems, from what Istredd is saying, that he must have had thoughts on the same lines.

"It stands to reason that the Heralds wouldn't talk like us, think like us. That any god wouldn't. But those Summoned, their power -- how great did the power of those Summoned grow?"

The idea makes him uneasy. He is no god; he does not like it when people begin to treat him like one, the look in some people's eyes when they know what has happened to him -- something he has been blissfully free of since Thorne pulled him out of his life. And here, he has found himself able to do things he shouldn't, that no man should be able to do, past the magic they teach him: the hours he's spent as a wolf, the flames that comes to his hands easily. He seeks no greater powers than those he needs to save his people. He never seeks for them to grow, though they do now and then nonetheless.

But if you were a real god, or something that had become accustomed to worship, how much would you resent whatever came to supplant you?

[OMG holy pete it has been longer since I hit this than I thought. It's interesting, and I definitely want to do more with them, but absolutely feel free to wrap this one if you want/need to. Jon can pretty much be like "I'm sorry, I'm taking up too much of your time" at any point.]

"How great does our power grow already? We get magical gifts, magic is stronger when trained here, we can manipulate the entire psychic plane here in the Horizon to our needs. We've been here over two years. In the history, they were here for centuries before the Summoning was stopped."

So take the power that the Summoned currently have gathered over only a few years and multiply that. It seems very obvious to him how realistic the new gods being former Summoned truly is. They're already otherworldly, they're already over-powered. In Solvunn they're worshipped. It's a slippery slope.

"We don't know for sure though, it's a theory for now." One that Istredd believes in otherwise he wouldn't have said anything. He gets up though, and glances over at Jon. "I must go to my next class, but thank you for spending some time with me and the Singularity. You should visit it again. It may like that." He doesn't know for certain, but it is alive, and it never seems to mind him talking to it.

He salutes and disappears from the Horizon to get to class!

How does the earth around your feet

Around Thorne - Castle, Borrel, Nott

borrel, maritime fair

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as you mentioned on plurk, we can wrap this here!

Nott

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can we maybe wrap on this one and focus on the new one?

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let's wrap on this one yes!