text; un: skylark

[saltofthesea]

I don't know if anyone's asked this before, but I'm curious. What are the gods like where you're from? Or other supernatural stuff? How normal are they?

I come from a place where it isn't weird to meet a small god at least once, and no one says things like ghosts and demons and spirits aren't real because they very observably are. But I've heard that's not necessarily true in other worlds, and there are plenty of people who'd count as supernatural here too.

You can also just share your favourite legends or myths from back home. Those are always neat to hear.

Comments

[happydreamed]

Well, I know a little magic, as do many people. The kind of magic that someone takes to varies from person to person, but most people with magic have one element that they're good at. Most of my offensive spells are ice-based, for example.

[saltofthesea]

Is all magic elemental where you're from?

[happydreamed]

Not all of it. Healing isn't elemental-based, and I happen to have a spell that's... ah, conjuring a funeral portrait and causing someone harm through that? Please don't ask me to explain how that one works exactly.

[saltofthesea]

Maybe it's symbolism. [ That's a theory he's heard from his teacher more than once at this point. ] I'm not sure if we really have what people would call healing "spells", but I knew some sorcery even before coming to this city.

[happydreamed]

Most likely, yes.

What is the difference between spells and sorcery?

[saltofthesea]

Oh, it's more like, you cast spells as a part of sorcery, but I've never seen a spell that simply heals people. My teacher back home can heal others, but it's not by casting a spell. It's more like giving energy to someone to support their natural healing process, which is why he says doing that sort of thing without any understanding of how a body works is more likely to harm than help.

I guess it could be possible to use sorcery to heal someone, but it'd have extra steps instead of just, cast spell, heal injuries?

[happydreamed]

Ah, so - something closer to how sensitIV's powers worked in idol hell. They had to clearly visualize what they were fixing and how they were putting things back together, and making a mistake would lead to further damage.

[saltofthesea]

[ Does he want to ask what "idol hell" is supposed to be?

...For once, not really. ]

Something like that, I guess. Can't try to build something on a foundation of nothing.

[happydreamed]

[Good call there.]

I'm quite glad that my own world's healing is far simpler. I am a doctor, myself, but many who take up healing magic are not.

[saltofthesea]

Can anyone learn magic where you're from?

[happydreamed]

Some will have an easier time than others, but anyone can learn, yes.

[saltofthesea]

And nothing weird happens if they do?

[happydreamed]

Define 'weird'.

[saltofthesea]

Like something that changes how you understand the world?

[ And a moment later, after he's thought about it: ]

My teacher also breathes smoke, especially when he's agitated, but I figured that might be because he's been a sorcerer for a long time now. Stuff like that.

[happydreamed]

A change in how you understand the world... That has happened to me, but not because of magic.

[saltofthesea]

Oh? What was it, if you don't mind me asking?

[happydreamed]

Well... It is a bit personal, so I'd rather share it privately. Perhaps our next shift at the clinic together?

Tmw when you thought you tagged but you imagined it

[saltofthesea]

That's fine with me.

it be like that sometimes...

[happydreamed]

Thank you. I would like to get to know my coworkers better, after all.

[saltofthesea]

It'd be nice to get to no more about you too.

time skip to action

[happydreamed]

I hope I won't bore you, in that case.

[And indeed, the next time they're on a shift together and there's no patients waiting to be seen, Kantera approaches Lark.]

Is now a good time?

[saltofthesea]

[ At the time, Lark is putting away some of the materials for potion-making. ]

Oh, yeah. Just give me a moment to put these away.

[happydreamed]

Of course. Do you need any assistance?

[saltofthesea]

No need. I'm almost done. [ He stows away a few more vials.] There. So...

[ He's a little curious what he's going to be told about. ]

cw: unreality stuff from hereon out

[happydreamed]

Indeed, so.

...Let me ask you something. Have you ever had cause to doubt that what you were experiencing was reality?