week 6; monday (pre-motive)

[antietam]

[ Adam plans being upset around the rules. He doesn't go straight back to his room after the trial (and seeing his tarot cards burned) and instead sits around the more secluded areas of the ship, talks to Luke for some time during the night, and then goes to sleep. That means he has a good amount of time where he can just in his room and sulk.

After everything, he's less angry at himself and more just processing what he has to do to keep this from happening again. When he hears someone at the door, he hesitates but climbs down the ladder to open it up. It's not like anyone will kill him right now. ]

Comments

[tevinteriscoming]

Of course, though I don't know how it is you do it. Are you actually able to view the future, or is it more collecting signs and interpreting them?

It's a rare enough talent where I'm from, however it's done.

[antietam]

The latter, definitely. I don't get anything clear enough to determine the future.

Those tarot cards that were in the box, they were mine. I used those to interpret what I was being told. But, obviously, I can't hurt anyone with that.

[tevinteriscoming]

True, it isn't battle magic. But it's a prized talent, particularly when one has the skill without the use of blood magic.

[antietam]

Blood magic? Like... sacrificing something to use magic?

[tevinteriscoming]

Yes, anything from a little of one's own blood to human sacrifice. If your people don't use it, that's a blessing. It's a common way a mage might access abilities that are otherwise beyond them, such as divination. Extremely illegal, but common.

[antietam]

Oh. [ Awkward. ] Our magic uses a lot of sacrifice too, unfortunately. A life for power. Or... it has to be important to you, specifically, to make an equal exchange.

We don't have regulations on it, really. How can you stop those who do something like that?

[tevinteriscoming]

We don't. Perhaps we can't. In the South, they control magic by keeping mages prisoners in dingy circles under control of the templars. The Qunari are even more repressive to their mages. But in the Imperium, mages rule and are permitted to use their magic to seek influence and power. A number of forms of magic are officially banned, but so long as you're from a good enough family, don't fall out of favor and aren't too blatant about it, there's nothing to stop you.

[antietam]

I think that's true for any illegal activity.

[ He wonders if he should admit this. ] I used to think magic was about being different and powerful. I liked having power like that; I'd never had it before. But I've also seen what happens to people who try to take too much—they die. Just like Kazuma. Have you been able to strike a balance? Or is everyone with power in that same cycle?

[tevinteriscoming]

[He's not wrong to admit it; Dorian smiles a little to himself, appreciating the comment.]

I think everyone with power struggles with the same concerns. There can be a fine line between curiosity and obsession, or the desire to use magic and the inclination to abuse it. Particularly if you aren't taught to respect it, and the consequences for failure. When I was young, I thought of magic as little more than a tool to impress upon a great my people my ability and talent. I met someone who taught me otherwise. But even he eventually succumbed to temptation.

There's no easy answer.