princess_of_ida | IC Inbox

[The Sea-Father was also a herald-like extension of a planet's soul, but Ianthe knew to keep that to herself.]

Hm. When a person sweats, do you take that to be tiny parts of their soul or is it just sweat?

[There was no chiding in her tone. Ianthe was trying to work out how to explain in a way Gilia might understand.]

No, but also... well, yes? I think that is why I do not grasp what you mean.

[ The tricky part, really. ] All beings, in all parts, are made of the Land-Mother. Sometimes yes, one drop is not much of anything, but that does not not make it part of that, if that makes sense? That is why we have the terms of them, Lesser, Middling and Greater Spirits.

But sweat, when it leaves the body, is no longer alive. It's just becomes a resource to be used by that which does live.

Rocks, dirt... those are like sweat for the planet. A planet has a soul, it has a body, it has thalergy. It is alive.

[ She - shakes her head. No, that did not seem right. ] But if it did not have all those things, it would be nothing at all?

A mountain is a mountain yes, by it is still only made up of grains of dirt. The sea is vast, but it is only drops of water and salt. Individually, and alone, yes, they may mean little, a pebble spirit is only a pebble, it can do no more than be amongst the pebbles, it is true.

But if there spark was not present, how would the whole of the sea or the whole of the mountain or the whole of the planet be anything at all? They are nothing but those parts.

It would still exist if it was missing one of the three, but it wouldn't be alive. A soul combined with a body but lacking thalergy is what we call a revenant.

[Ianthe paused in thought, thinking of how to phrase things.]

The whole is more than the sum of is parts. It's only when combined together do those matter. Like the human body. It's only flesh, blood, and bone. Individually they are nothing but tools and resources. Combined they create something capable of holding a soul, capable of being infuses with thalergy.

It's ok that our people have different views on what constitutes life. They're close enough, and I've dealt with planetary souls before.

Edited 2023-12-19 02:53 (UTC)

Ah. I suppose - well you see that is not scholarly debate, that way, not for us. It is quite hard for it to be a question when you have talked to the soul of a mountain and to the spirit of the flower that grows upon it. [ The differences, she can live with, strange as they are to hear, to imagine a world that -

.... Well it seems so empty, what Ianthe describes. ] ... I wish you could see it, it would be easier than explaining it. I must sound half-mad, I am sure, you are ever so patient with me. [ She presses a kiss to her skin, wherever she can reach from curled up beside and on her. The old familiar habit of reassuring that she did not seek to outwit or outsmart Ianthe, that she saw her as far more clever. ] Things can be born entirely of Aether - Spirit essence, and form physical manifestation for themselves. It can be shaped in many ways, too. Some are places, some are ideas, some never have bodies at all.

It's not half-mad; it's just different. That doesn't make it wrong. I imagine your planet is in another galaxy than the Empire, so far away that one must travel by the River to reach it.

[Ianthe stroked Gilia's hair, comfortable and enjoying the conversation as it engaged her mind. This was so much nicer than she thought it'd be.]

Lia, have you encountered any spirits here aside from the Sea-Father and Sweeney?

[ She has to pause and then - shiver, as the memory comes back, and quietly: ]

Only the All-Sight, when I brushed against it. I could not be certain, but it felt like a Death Spirit.

Edited 2023-12-19 03:31 (UTC)

I wish I could confirm one way or another about that but there was too much Void... residue clinging to it. Just interacting with it woke up my monster almost to far to recover from.

[She sighed.]

I'm... susceptible to the Void.

... Is that what happened ah... that... day? When I found you in your work?

No, that was pure frustration over hitting a wall in my very important research and a subsequent emotional temper tantrum. No Void involved.

I'm... usual better at controlling that. It was only the second time I transformed.

[She wouldn't apologize for it. Her weirdly filtered memories of what happened didn't indicate it was unpleasant for Gilia.]

[ It definitely was not unpleasant, but she was still unpacking just how much she had enjoyed to go bringing that up yet. ]

The rage is potent, that way, it is what brought about my own the first time.

[ but that was unpleasant, all told. So best not to linger. ]

What makes you say that you are susceptible to the void?

My first research project here had been the Void. It got its hooks in me over me regularly exposing myself to its influence over a few month's time. It began to drive me insane. In fact, the night we met was my last evening of sanity before I really fell into the Void Crazies.

It became an obsession and I couldn't stop. Much like a drug addiction. Eventually I popped and my monster rampaged. It broke me free from the Void's grip but I still feel it's call.

I... I remember that. The awful day you were covered in blood.

[ The moment Gilia herself realized something was... terribly wrong with this place. ]

Is there something I may do to help you manage it?

Yeah, that day. [When she'd killed three villagers and Junpei.]

...mostly I need to stay away from the Void. I feel it calling to me anytime I get too deep in the woods. It uses my sister's voice.

I am sorry, my love. I am so, so sorry. You do not deserve to have it torment you with all you hold dear. It is not fair.

[ And that's what strikes her the most. Not that the world was unfeeling, of course it was, that was one of the first understandings of nature and the spirits: they were not good, they were not bad, they were simply unfeelingly themselves. They had the will nature did.

But there was a maliciousness to the void, in how it reached and twisted and made them yearn for what would hurt them, in the end.

It was cruel, cruel in a way that no spirit she had ever met, not even the foul ones, of decay, rot, and battlefields, had been. ]

... I know... I know it might not... be the same... but... if it may help - I would be remiss not to offer it. But I could teach you what my people learn to help with such confusion? When the world is full of Spirits, sometimes it is easy to mistakenly stray closer to their dwellings - and it can be tricky to know yourself there. When nature is strong in its presence, we sing certain hymns, certain notes in tone to center our body back to the physical. I am sure they are simple to your complex understandings but if it would help against such things...

... Or mayhap, just to think of here, the people in the town, of the people you know here - Alina, or John or Iggy or myself, to cut away from the void's trickery?

[Ianthe raised her hand to her neck, bringing attention to the pendant she frequently wore - an upside down trident with a yellow stone set in it. Even now it still held magic though she didn't know if it would some day stop working.]

I have this. Nate made it for me before the Void expedition. It's enchanted with a few of his protection spells that helps protect the mind against illusions and mental intrusion. It works a little against the Void. It let's me know it's not really my sister I hear.

But I'm interested in your technique, though I warn you that I'm not a very good singer. Humming isn't bad, I do hum songs I've heard before when doing other things, but hitting pitch or holding notes might be too much.

Maybe something simple?

[ She breathes a little in relief to ease off the worry, that Ianthe already had measures. More important than anything that she was not alone facing such an awful thing.

Leaning over, she kisses the back of her fingers, gentle on her knuckles, in gladness and comfort. ]

Your voice is well enough, you need not have my training to do it, most of mine is ensuring I know songs for every occasion and techniques to how to sing for great lengths - but you match your normal pitch easily, the rest can be taught from there. You are already good at measuring and controlling your breath.

[The problem was that even though she knew it wasn't really Corona talking to her, a part of her still wanted to listen.]

I do have amazing breath control.

[Of course, she was cheating when it came to that.]

[ A giggle, and a nod that follows. ]

Then we have the basics down. You are so perfect at everything, I am sure you will do it wonderfully, so very easily.

[ And she finds she is excited to share this with her, there was no way to explain just how sacred and profound she felt when she sung, to be one in her community and yet guiding of them, an elevation beyond herself for a moment.

To share it with Ianthe? She could hope for nothing more. ]

[Ianthe tried very hard to be completely confident. And for calling her perfect, Gilia was rewarded with a kiss.]

Do you want to try that now... or later?

[ A hum. ]

Later, I am much too comfortable.

In that case...

[How about some more kisses? Slow and loving.]

Perfect.

[ And she moves against her, over her, gently laying over her body to breath each kiss as loved as she felt into her lips. ]

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