i mean, Seidr has ways to open the gate for moments empowering the body's natural channels to guide it for healing and other stuff as we saw with the tracking spirit.
I am sure the christians have their own version for manipulating other's gates, what with healing touch and similar miracles/blessings. (Jesus could do it, and healing seems very possible even without opening the gate if we go by the bible)
The difference is pretty little when they have all the time they need.
"Tell us about all that happened with you since your knight was killed and you were captured and enslaved by the Northern Barbarians."
Cue Gabriel, by some miracle, being able to be maliciously compliant until he is asked about secrets he was told about.
The two can be interchangeable quite well if you don't mind spending the time for it.
The two can both get information, but if you're using mind control to get information a warrior raised in an honor-based warrior culture has sworn to keep secret, you better also be able to erase memories, keep that warrior mind controlled permanently, or kill them because they'll sure as Hell kill you for trying to force them to break an oath. None of the three options seem likely to be available, or at least not commonly.
Like, if Priests could easily use magic to force Knights to break solemn oaths sworn to God and get away with it, I'm pretty sure the society would not actually resemble feudalism much at all, and this is thus pretty unlikely. Binding oaths are kind of one of the fundamental tenets of feudalism...if Priests could force people to break them on suspicion the Knights and Nobles would've just killed them all by now or the society would've warped beyond recognition.
Like, if an ability like this exists, it has to be considered the equivalent of torture. Which doesn't mean it wouldn't be used, but it does mean it will not be used on any nobleman (and a Knight definitely counts) except under fairly extreme circumstances that are unlikely to apply.
Alright, I am alive. The storm has passed and I am now able to finally start writing. Unfortunately lost a lot of time and, as a result, will likely be posting a shorter update if I post at all. Sorry about that if it does happen that way.
On the upside, this gave me a good excuse to clean my desk off!
Alright, I am alive. The storm has passed and I am now able to finally start writing. Unfortunately lost a lot of time and, as a result, will likely be posting a shorter update if I post at all. Sorry about that if it does happen that way.
I think we wanted to know more about Martial Styles in general, working off his Blackstone Style (which would also let us know what he was trying and why it makes some things ironic inretrospective), in addition to how Christian Cultivation works. Personally I'd like to know about Sin/Sinheart equivalent for Christians as well.
Hmmm. In no particular order other than the first:
1. We wanted to get terminology for their cultivation and what it means. We got a lot of that just from the Character Sheet, but Halla definitely wants to know it in-character, and we still don't actually know what Pneuma actually does, ditto Meditations and a few of the other basic bits of terminology (how do Meditations work? What are they?). Heck, beyond acting as prosthetic Endurance, we don't know the benefits of Focus and we'd like to.
2. What's up with the Blackstone Blade thing, and can we touch the flame? Because we kinda want to touch it.
3. Really, as much about the actual practice of cultivating as Christians do it as he's willing to talk about (is it just prayer and meditation or what?). Especially anything he's willing to say about Zeal and how that works, though that seems one of the areas he's most likely to balk at.
4. What are the difference between Knights and Priests and other kinds of Cultivators in Christian lands? They clearly exist but what the differences are is unclear. What kinds are there and what different powers do they have?
5. Why isn't everyone a cultivator in Christian lands, from Gabriel's perspective?
6. What are the principles of Feudal Cultivation? Like, their equivalents of 'Power Requires Sacrifice', 'All Men Die', and 'Memory Is Forever'.
7. They seem to have Hugareida or something like them? How do those work?
We're not necessarily pushing for secrets super hard, and a certain amount of this we know OOC, but we'd like to know it IC as well and with a bit more detail. We'd, I think, be perfectly happy to talk generalities about Norse cultivation (like, the basics of stat terminology, Orthstirr, Hugareida, Muna, and Twists)...assuming it's reciprocal with the stuff he actually answers.
We definitely want to know about Sin, and would be willing to talk about nid, but we might not bring it up given the situation, though if he brings it up we'd be all over that.
IF stating that even if we can't learn Golden Horns, we could still get a Style do long as it involves a giant chain means that even if we can't learn Blackstone Blade, we might be able to achieve a bootleg if we find a coal mine too.
Basically just trying to set up a common lexicon. There's a lot of parallels between the paradigms, but enough weirdness to trip up. Like the Shapeshifts on our side. We're obviously reciprocating where we can of course, little of what we know is an actual secret on our end, and what is we can telegraph.
I suspect Seidr is too much an intellectual and 'womanly' art for that, and the Hading Style is explicitly dead since Hasvir was its last master and Blackhand killed him plus there've been a lot of cultural shifts since then. Frenzy is possible, but if there's a Style there, it's an existing one...we can maybe talk to Audrikr about learning it if so, and I have talking to him penciled in within the next few turns.
I suspect Seidr is too much an intellectual and 'womanly' art for that, and the Hading Style is explicitly dead since Hasvir was its last master and Blackhand killed him plus there've been a lot of cultural shifts since then. Frenzy is possible, but if there's a Style there, it's an existing one...we can maybe talk to Audrikr about learning it if so, and I have talking to him penciled in within the next few turns.
[X] Offer to tell him what you meant if he tells you why he freaked out like that.
-[X] You had questions, and things to compare, at least about the names of what they train, that's a good way to break the ice, he can tell you when he feels ready.
--[X] But while you're saying that, you're holding another conversation. **In English**, using Eye-Talking. "Norse cultivation is all about building a story. I meant something more meaningful than that, but one of the fundamental principles of our cultivation is also that Power Requires Sacrifice and neither you nor I can afford the price that would be _demanded_ if I gave you details right now. I'm working on a way to tell others, and I'll work hard to make sure you're there when I do. I suspect I'll need your aid then."
0~0~0
You and Gabriel sit side-by-side on a snowbank, after you fixed up his wounds, of course. It was no simple task — as he had a collapsed lung, about a dozen broken ribs, and many damaged blood vessels — but you managed it regardless. The fact that, as a Christian, the magic had a harder time slipping in and doing its work certainly didn't help the matter, but it wasn't much more than a stumbling block for you.
Gabriel doffed his armor after the battle and left it piled next to his knee on the ground. Despite the complexities of the construction, he had no difficulty removing it. In fact, it only took a flash of light for him to be freed of the metal coffin. One moment he was wearing it, the next it was on the ground in a neatly stacked pile.
Once he removed the armor, it reverted back to its normal, featureless form. All the decorations and notable features vanished. Not even the red plumage flowing down from his helm or the coal-black tabard were spared. His helmet — which he referred to as a 'sallet' — stayed much the same, though it lacked the fine details.
Pointing a finger at the pile of mail and metal, you turn to Gabriel with questions on your mind and words on your lips. "So, I've heard that Knightly Armor is powerful, but I've not heard much in how it works. What, exactly, does it do?"
Gabriel takes a deep breath as he considers the question. "Knightly Armor," his words are chosen carefully, so as to not give certain secrets away, "is unique to the wearer, though any Knight can wear any suit of Knightly Armor, as the physical suit is more an empty shell that the Knight's actual armor fills. It grows alongside you, becoming stronger armor as well as providing powerful benefits the further along the Rosary you are."
As you ask a question on what he means by 'the Rosary', you catch his eyes with your own. 'Don't react, this is Halla. I have things I need to tell you, but cannot be said aloud.'
He stiffens, caution flashing across his face, but decides to trust 'you'. You share a slight nod, which eases his fears considerably. "Well, the Rosary is what we call the process of Perfection. There are fifteen decades, each with ten beads, for a total of one-hundred-and-fifty steps. Back in the old days, before the Blessed Virgin Mary revealed the Rosary to us, we cultivated according to the Threefold Path, which was composed of three stages; Katharsis, Theoria, and then Theosis." He scratches at his smooth cheek — which he had taken to shaving, the weirdo. "I think the Orthodox still use the Threefold Path, but I don't know much about them."
Noting that down for future review, you next ask a question on how his cultivation works. Specifically, what he calls his attributes and, if he's willing, how he cultivates. 'Norse Cultivation is all about building a story. At least, that's the basics of it. I would describe it better, but one of the core tenets of Norse Cultivation is that Power Requires Sacrifice and neither of us are able to pay the price such a revelation would demand. I'm working on a way to tell others, but that will take time. I'm planning on you being there for it, but any number of things may get in the way of that.'
Gabriel purses his lips as he processes the words thought towards him. "What do you call your attributes? Hamr, hugr, and fylgja?" You nod and he continues. "Well, soma corresponds with hamr, I think, and psyche with hugr, but," he frowns, "I'm not really sure if pneuma and fylgja are the 'same'. That's a question for a theologian." His frown deepens as he taps a boot against the ground, "As for how I cultivate... Well, I'm not sure how much I should or can tell you, so I'll just say that it involves a temple and leave it at that."
A beat of silence passes before he sighs and slumps, letting his head hang low. "But... you're wondering about my, uh, my episode, aren't you?"
You shrug. "Only if you're okay with it." How much does he reveal? 76.
Gabriel stares off into the distance, towards the tree-line and rolling, snow-covered hills. He wars with himself, over what you don't know, but, eventually, one side wins out. He sighs as he runs a hand through his golden hair. "I... thought I was stronger than I actually was. I thought the zeal that Jerasmus had so generously offered would be enough to even out the gap between us... but I was wrong."
"Not as much as you might think!" You laugh, then immediately cringe at your interjection. "Uh, sorry?"
He waves it off. "It's fine, I could never be mad at you..." He trails off, like he's considering saying something, but decides against it at the last moment. Instead, he asks you a question, "How long have you known Stigandr and Abjorn?"
You arch a brow at the sudden change of subject, but answer regardless. "Since I was, oh, six or seven, maybe?"
"How would you feel if someone killed them both before your eyes? Someone so strong that you could do nothing but watch?"
You open your mouth to respond, but find that there's nothing at the front of your mind. There's pain in Gabriel's eyes, pain that tells you all you need to know. "I... I'm sorry, Gabriel, for what hap-"
"Don't. Please."
"O-okay."
"I don't want an apology, I just want closure," Gabriel lies.
You had more questions to ask, but...
'This is a bad time for it,' Blackhand surmises.
(New Journal Entry: Gabriel's Demons)
(Pick 1 as a Reward):
[ ] Muna: Dueling Gabriel (Upgrades Sword Hugareida)
[ ] Journal Entry: Norsely Armor? Nordic Armor? Hmm...
[ ] Muna: That Black Fire (Adds a slight anti-magic effect to your fire hugareida)
I'm voting for this for now because we could get the others later and it wouldn't matter much that we got them later, but getting this before we really get to work on armor for Abjorn seems good.
Getting an anti magic effect on our fire stuff would be really useful in the long run. I doubt we'll get another chance at that without another big spar from Gabriel or some other black stone blade user.
