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[ Politics and wars are one thing, but magic is quite another; some thirsts aren't slaked so easily by squabbling imps and gaudy fabric. Knowledge is power, and power is every wizard's disease.

Felix is far more rumpled than he'd like, and that hair won't unfrizz any time soon, but the words come calm as day: ]

It seems we've all been busy, so I suppose I ought to be brief.

Magic. If you'll indulge the melodramatic imagery, it's as myriad as a hydra's necks, and almost twice as difficult to pin down. Any sort of rigorous survey seems better left for days without a pounding headache. Perhaps instead, we might just speak.

Tell me what you know about magic. Stories, facts, vicious gossip if you're so disposed. Magic brought us each here, so let us be kind guests and oblige it the conversation.

[ He flashes a wide, tired smile. ]

Unfamiliarity is quite acceptable. I'd just like to hear it from you.

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It's a thing where I come from, if that's what you're asking. But yeah, I'm pretty sure you can blame all magic on the gods, one way or another.

[even the non-gods that can use it all seem to be godspawn or end up as gods or something. some myths talk about sorceresses and all that, but he's never heard of anyone using some sort of magic that wasn't somehow related to some god.]

It's certainly one question.

[ Felix isn't religious, but he won't put that beyond the realm of possibility. His own magic is tied strongly enough to observation and belief; who can begin to guess at that of other worlds? ]

I take it's not particularly common?

Depends on how you'd define "common", I guess. Most of the world probably has no idea the gods are even real, but they still have influence over pretty much everything and I don't know how much of all that should count as "magic".

[he doesn't even really get the whole "science and gods are both legit" thing, to be honest. apollo is the sun, but the big ball of gas in space is also the sun? and both these things are truth? who knows, leave that stuff to the athena kids.]

It's pretty standard for some people, though.

[ This reminds him more and more of some elabourate mystery cult conspiracy. Felix nods attentively, feeling a slow resignation creep through the gesture. Count down the minutes until someone mentions death and labyrinths. ]

Magic certainly can't exist in vacuum, but for the sake of clarity, we can limit our discussion to its active use. Which god do you patron?

[ Because clearly, he's either a worshipper or a priest. Right? R..r...ight? ]

[hey man, he never had anything to do with the labyrinth. if you want that and death stuff, go find our resident son of hades.]

I wouldn't really say "patron". But it'd be Jupiter, I guess. Or Juno, but that's all her doing. Either way, I don't know if my gods even exist where you come from, so the names might not really matter.

Likely not, but that doesn't preclude inquiry.

[ After a moment's effort, he pushes a smile back into place. He can't quite deny some relief at Jason's apparent rejection of worship. ]

I'd be fascinated to hear of anything you might be able to share.

[ Bro if he ever meets Nico he won't sleep for a week. ]

[yeah, well. "worship" would be pretty extremely awkward in his situation.]

I wouldn't really know where to start for someone know doesn't know the first thing about my world.

[there are so many assumptions he could make that might be entirely wrong. would you even know what a sun is??? anything is possible.]

Well, there are a ton of different religions around the world, but I have no idea why the gods I know are the "real" ones. They were originally worshipped in ancient times by groups called the Greeks and the Romans, and these days most people just think of it as myth.

[ Maybe just a father's day card. ]

I confess my position puts me at a similar loss. Start with the parts you think important, I'll stop you if I'm lost.

[ More likely, a good deal after the fact. There remains pride to see to. ]

Extinct pantheons. Alright. And you think otherwise?

I know otherwise. We deal with the gods on a daily basis. I've met some of them.

[he keeps an amazingly straight face despite knowing that he probably sounds like a lunatic to what seems like a normal, sane person, albeit one from a different world entirely.]

[ There was a woman at St. Crellifer's who screamed all day long about the things that she knew. He remembers her only in pieces, enough scattered impressions of time and noise to pass for real.

There was a place in the grasslands, and a well beneath the city of Volantis. There was the look in Gideon's eyes before he disappeared about some strange, private devotional. There was Mildmay swearing up half the city's roofs in cursed and blessed names by turn.

Felix doesn't deal with gods, and he hopes rather never to meet one. But he'll not deny the reality of faith to some.

~~No, he really still hasn't clued in at all.~~ ]

The idea of dining with deities terrifies my table manners. In what manner did you meet?

During quests, mostly. Just a few months before I was brought here, I had to go rescue Juno when she'd been imprisoned by the Earth goddess.

[and there were giants and werewolves and other shit involved too, but he's trying to sound sane.]

Edited (whoops ignore me) 2014-08-01 07:51 (UTC)

[ 'Quest'. Felix isn't sure he's ever heard the word outside of Shannon's novels. ]

Juno being another goddess.

[ Flat, not a question so much as assumption. He props his chin in a hand, musing, deliberating -- and finally it clicks. ]

Are you quite mortal, Messire -- ?

[ ...Alright, so he's still a ways off. His present best guess is that Jason's a ghost. Like a game of twenty questions, magical fairy edition. ]

Uh. Half.

[hey, not like they've been keeping the whole demigod thing a secret anyway.]

Jupiter is my father.

[ It's not a gape. Really, it's not. Felix is better-mannered than all that, he's capable of keeping his jaw from falling slack in pure astonishment.

...It remains, for the moment, something of a close call. ]

Your father.

[ He repeats with flat, dull astonishment. He looks over Jason as though expecting to find him sprouting a radiance of holy light, or six arms, or at the very least a good set of horns. It's perhaps stranger to see how utterly human he looks.

Felix straightens, recomposes. There's a real weariness settling behind his jaw now, the tired grate of someone debating whether they ought to give a fuck now, with so few left to the family name.

The statement becomes inquiry: ]

Your father?

[he might be perfect in that "blond, blue-eyed, all-american high school jock" kinda way, but still entirely human looking. not even flawless or anything, what with the little scar at the corner of his lips (from a rather embarrassing childhood incident involving a stapler, at that). certainly nothing to imply any sort of godliness, so you'll be forgiven for the surprise.

for his part, jason doesn't even seem particularly bothered by the astonished state. he can't really blame anyone for being shocked, or completely done with everything because of this new knowledge. finding out that the gods are real and leaving walking, talking proof of their presence will do that to a person.]

Yeah. It's pretty normal by godly standards -- they're kinda known to hook up with mortals every once in a while.

[ She's the patron goddess of -- Gideon's voice-that-isn't cuts clear across his memory. -- She takes them as her lovers.

Metaphorical, or so Felix assumes that Gideon intended. But imagery originates from observation, he'd not put it past the White-Eyed Lady's followers to speak of more physical myth. ]

I suppose we must all grow restless from time to time. And you were raised with -- ?

Uh, my mom and sister at first. Then wolves, for a few years. And then other demigods after that.

[he assumes that's what you were asking, anyway.]

Was everyone here raised by wolves?

[ Felix throws up his hands with a sigh. ]

They seem to have done an able job of it.

It's a Roman thing, as far as my world goes. I didn't know anyone else here had anything like the same situation, though. Who were you talking to?

[certainly no one he's heard of so far, so unless there are other roman demigods hanging around that he hasn't run into yet...]

There is -- some sort of, [ Felix touches a finger to his temple, then flicks it away theatrically, a gesture for: I realize this is all ridiculous. ] Shapeshifter, a boy that becomes a wolf.

[ Not quite. He still doesn't really understand what Toboe's deal is. ]

The wolves of my world would eat a child, and have done; if you could even still find one to manage it.

I suppose I did promise to ask around -- the boy. He'd like to know whether there are wolves here.

Huh. [that's news to him.] There are, even not counting any that might live out in the wild. I met a talking white wolf here -- her name is Amaterasu -- and I know a girl named Arya who has a pet direwolf.

It must have been sparkling conversation.

[ Look, his idea of 'nature' is coyotes and ghouls. He's not even sure what wolves do, other than attack Vusantine mountain farmers and piss on trees. Presumably, they talk about the same thing. ]

Thank you, I'll be sure to let him know -- would you mind terribly, were I to pass him your name along as well? I admit he seems a touch,

[ Naive? Out of place? Warm and literally fuzzy? ]

In need of a friend.

[he can't help but frown a little at that sarcasm, already protective of amaterasu -- and who wouldn't be? she's so motherly. but he ignores the jibe and just shrugs.]

Yeah, sure. I don't mind.

[ people with huge mommy/dog issues. aka jerks. aka that guy right up there, who is considering whether it's impolite to imply that demigods should check for fleas. ]

I suppose I ought to ask you for it, then. Felix Harrowgate, by the by.

Jason Grace.

[if you imply that his very civilized wolf friend has fleas to pass on at all then you might be getting a punch in the throat. hasn't anyone ever told you not to disrespect people's wolf moms?]

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noirant - 2014-08-04 23:48 (UTC) - Expand

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