audio | un: ashari

[zephrah]

Um, hi.

Can anyone hear me?

Am I doing this right?

Hi. I was just wondering if anyone wanted some potted plants or flowers.

You know, to put around your houses. Brighten them up a little.

And, you know, maybe we could talk about something that isn't killing people or wanting to kill people.

It's just a thought.

...Okay. Well. Bye!

[ There are lots of clicks and awkward fumbling as Keyleth tries to figure out how to stop broadcasting her voice, assuming it was broadcasting at all in the first place.

It comes back on a second later, however. ]

Oh! I'm, I'm Keyleth. I should have said that already. I didn't. Sorry.

[ And it ends with less clicking than before, since she figured it out already. ]

Comments

[valcurie]

That does make sense actually. In my world druids were mostly known as powerful political figures who gave prohecies.

The real ones, anyway. Not the made up ones. But I am really impressed by your abilities. Are they common in your world?

[zephrah]

Really? [ That couldn't be farther from what the Ashari are, but it's still really fascinating. ] Wow. My people...aren't really involved in politics. We protect the elemental planes by watching over the places on the prime material plane where the veil is thin. Or, well, we did.

Magic isn't super common, but I wouldn't call it rare, either.

[valcurie]

That sounds a lot more interesting than what they did! Or, at least more useful, even if I don't know what the differences between those planes are. You wouldn't happen to have a Fade where you're from, would you? ( why not asking, if we're talking about different planes. )

So it's just one of those things? For me, I come from a world where magic didn't exist at all. Nothing expect slight of hand and misdirection. This is all rather new, but it is very interesting to me. The fact that you can facilitate cell growth like that without technology is fascinating.

[zephrah]

I'm not sure. What's a Fade?

[ Keyleth laughs softly, because she's getting used to hearing that. ] It's still odd to me to hear about so many places where there is no magic. My friend Percy would probably be enthralled. He's big into science, not so hot on the magic.

[valcurie]

From what I understand, it's something like a separate plane or dimension, which one can access when they are dreaming. Spirits live there. And it's where most magic comes from. (except blood magic of course)

Now, I am on the other side of that, only magic and science didn't exist together at all. They aren't considered opposing forces in your world, are they?

[zephrah]

Oh, we have those! I don't think any of them are called the Fade, but we have those. There's the elemental planes--fire, earth, water, air--the Ethereal plane, the Abyss, the Nine Hells, the Feywilds, Elysium...probably even more than that.

[ She has to consider that for a second. Are they opposing forces? It's hard to say. Science is still a budding thing, where magic is ancient. ] Not opposing forces, exactly. At least, I don't see it that way. They're both a tool. They're just...different tools.

[valcurie]

So many? What do they all do? ( because there may be a purpose for them? probably not, but she is curious. )

That's a good way of looking at it. If they are to be in balance. I look at what kind of a balance they have in this world here, and it really makes me wonder.

[zephrah]

Do? [ That's a curious question. ] I mean. They just. Exist? Some of them are places where the gods live.

[ She smiles a little. ] Growing up, I was taught that nature and the wilds, and civilization, have to coexist peacefully with each other for the world to stay in balance.

[valcurie]

( Haha, gods, again. Hopefully these ones don't practise blood magic and slavery ) Can you visit them, then? The gods in their places.

...That's a rather wise position. Although nature can be hostile towards humans, we do need it. In my world people often forget this, and the fact that we share our planet with more than just other humans and omnics. Myopia like this has cost us many great natural wonders.

[zephrah]

You can. It's not easy and it's not something that just anyone can do. But it's possible.

That's a sad thought, but I think it happens everywhere. You're also not wrong--nature and animals can encroach just the same as civilization and progress. It's a delicate balance to maintain.

[valcurie]

What about you? Have you ever met one? ( Honestly, this is a strange question to ask at this point, but not an outrageous one. How times have changed. )

Of course. I have seen what happens to cities that are abandoned: in two decades, it looks as if the apocalypse has come and gone. Like people have not touched it for a hundred years or more! As a druid, do you ever have to make sacrifices to maintain that precarious balance?

[zephrah]

We met a few. The Everlight, the Dawnfather, and the Knowing Mistress. [ It's weird to Keyleth too, to be honest. ]

Sacrifices? I don't know if I'd go that far. I mean, once, I had to convince another druid to take a large predatory bird to a more appropriate place, because it was devouring all the local livestock. Somewhere it would be safer, and less intrusive.

[valcurie]

( those are some interesting names; her face shows that she thinks so. ) We?

Ah, well, that just seems like common sense in my opinion. As long as the area cleared out for farmland wasn't the only habitat the bird could survive in, what's the loss? Plus, if the bird eats too much of the livestock, then that throws off the balance of the ecosystem in the area, no? If it doesn't eat any of its natural prey.

[zephrah]

Oh, my--my friends and I. I guess...well, it's more like family.

We sent it somewhere with a lot of dangerous, invasive creatures it could hunt. Where it wasn't going to steal people's livelihoods. It seems to be working out, the last time I saw it, it was healthy and growing.

[valcurie]

Ah, I see. I am glad you have people like that, but I can't say I am surprised that you do. ( She means it, really. This woman seems to her to be a very good person. Perhaps a bit delicate, but good and beautiful things usually are. And that's all right when they are worth protecting and fighting for. )

That is a wonderful solution, though. It works out in everyone's favour, instead of being just a zero-sum game. ...Ah, you wouldn't happen to be interested in making medicine, would you?

[zephrah]

I--thanks. [ That's such a genuinely nice thing to say about someone, and Keyleth is taken aback by it. She isn't sure what else to say but Thanks. ] I mean, they're all still asleep, but...they're alive. That's what matters.

Sure! I mean, I have before. Potions, poultices, tisanes. That sort of thing.

[valcurie]

There's no need, but you're welcome. ( well, what can she say? most of the time she just says what she means. ) It is. They get to be a part of our second chance.

Ah, well, if I ever need anything, could I order it from you? I am not yet sure what's available here, but I am interested in whatever other options there are for treatments besides what may be common here. If what we saw at the Outpost was any indication of what to expect.

[zephrah]

Hopefully someday they will be. [ Keyleth smiles slightly and nods, even though on some level, she almost hopes her friends never wake up. They're peaceful and sleeping right now, and if they ever wake up, they have to live with knowing they failed Exandria. Like she does. She'd rather bear it alone than for them to have to feel what she feels. ]

Yeah, definitely! I'd like to help. I'm not the best healer, but I can do some basic things.

[valcurie]

That's all right. You don't have to be the best to have something to teach me. And we all need to work together, right? If we're going to make this place somewhere we want our loved ones to wake up.

[zephrah]

Yeah, we do. [ Keyleth smiles. After all the murder talk, it's nice to hear someone say that. ] I'd be glad to help.