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Entry tags:
- arcv: yuya sakaki,
- beastars: louis,
- bmc: rich goranski,
- bsd: sakunosuke oda,
- da: myrobalan shivana,
- dragon prince: viren,
- fe: lorenz hellman gloucester,
- fgo: edmond dantes,
- fgo: hc andersen,
- fgo: scathach,
- fsf: flat escardos,
- kamen rider: wataru kurenai,
- rwby: emerald sustrai,
- she-ra: entrapta,
- steven universe: lapis lazuli,
- steven universe: peridot,
- steven universe: steven universe,
- undertale: papyrus
(no subject)
Name: Entrapta
Date: oct 16th
Format: text
HELLO! I WANT TO COLLECT SOME DATA.
IF YOU HAVE OPINIONS ABOUT ETHICS, PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
1] ARE THERE ACTIONS YOU CONSIDER UNACCEPTABLE REGARDLESS OF CONTEXT? IF SO, PLEASE PROVIDE EXAMPLES
2] ARE THERE SOME MITIGATING CONTEXTS THAT RENDER OTHERWISE UNACCEPTABLE ACTIONS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU? IF SO, PLEASE PROVIDE EXAMPLES
3] IF A PERSON HAS PERFORMED AN UNACCEPTABLE ACTION, WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER AN APPROPRIATE PUNISHMENT?
THANKS! 8)
Date: oct 16th
Format: text
HELLO! I WANT TO COLLECT SOME DATA.
IF YOU HAVE OPINIONS ABOUT ETHICS, PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
1] ARE THERE ACTIONS YOU CONSIDER UNACCEPTABLE REGARDLESS OF CONTEXT? IF SO, PLEASE PROVIDE EXAMPLES
2] ARE THERE SOME MITIGATING CONTEXTS THAT RENDER OTHERWISE UNACCEPTABLE ACTIONS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU? IF SO, PLEASE PROVIDE EXAMPLES
3] IF A PERSON HAS PERFORMED AN UNACCEPTABLE ACTION, WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER AN APPROPRIATE PUNISHMENT?
THANKS! 8)
no subject
his enthusiasm ebbs some now that they're back in unpleasant territory.]
Ah--almost. The risk to the soul's a purely theological one--the Maker's curse rests on blood mages for abusing His gift of magic. No one's yet proven souls can be a source of magic--which is just as well.
[
you start using souls for magic and next thing you know you blow up your entire empire on accident trying to squash a rebellionwhoops wrong canon.]You're spot on with the rest of it, messere. Though I'll say while not all mages who use it do so for malevolent ends, it rarely comes out any better than if they had--given the risks of possession and thinning the Veil.
no subject
[ not unreluctantly; myr's explained it objectively well enough (or so viren must assume). he's curious as to what the maker's curse entails - but, somehow, he thinks he's heard enough. possession and a thinning veil is a foreign concept; that's a more blatant dissimilarity between blood magic and dark magic.
it does temper his initial reaction to all of this. ]
The use of Witch blood for spells here — but for the fact that it involves use of some organic matter, you would consider it even comparable?
no subject
finally, slowly,]
I was raised to detest the use of blood in magic, both for reasons of the Chantry's proscription on it and the historical evils it's been used to inflict. [and, also, it's just plain lazy, as vandelin was fond of opining.] I recognize neither of those are in effect here, and that Talam's Witches routinely use their own blood to enhance their magic. That it isn't specific to the kinds of magic used to control and warp minds, though it might enhance those, too.
I think--as the incident of the mists has shown us--there's a real risk in making ordinary the use of blood, and other parts of thinking beings, in magic. I can't get around my feeling that it inclines the unscrupulous to take the most vulnerable among us as simply a source of components, and for that reason it should be more heavily restricted than it is.
If it were mine to dictate, and not the Coven's or the Parliament's, I'd ban the practice entirely. But I recognize that's on the strength of a feeling and not a universal principle--for if magic works so differently here from how it does on Thedas, then surely the rules about its use and abuse must also.
So, to conclude: No. They're clearly not comparable, but my disgust at the practice remains what it is.
no subject
well, viren thinks. if you must take a life, you may as well utilize their parts. or take a life to utilize their parts, as it also so happens. —ultimately, his beloved pragmatism would come first. ]
Restrict it too much, and you would restrict progress.
[ stated fairly neutrally; he does understand himself, potentially as a monster, to be on the other side of the equation here. ]
But, I would hope, for your sake — that you may overcome that bias someday.
no subject
[myr is, ultimately, an idealist, but one who can recognize he's not living in the world of his beloved ideal. pragmatism has its place, but sheer utility isn't and shouldn't be the only factor in play when considering a solution.
then, honestly curious:]
Why d'you hope that, messere?
no subject
[ of course that would be the answer. ]
[ and truth be told, it had been something of a platitude, so now he has to bullshit something on the spot, but -- ]
Because, as you recognized, your feelings are... [ he almost said 'blinding,' he almost did. ] ... impairing your view of it. [ err, yes. ] Your disgust causes you discomfort, yes? Even if they are different practices.
Perhaps you would argue with me, that letting go of that feeling would mean losing some sense of morality — I think, even if not completely, it would be more forward-thinking.
no subject
...he actually laughs, quietly, at the response. not because it's ridiculous or anything, it's simply--struck him in exactly the right way.]
A healthy discomfort, I'd say. A readiness to question whether or not all of it's necessary or right. With so many people here ready to be forward-thinking, or at least accepting of whatever's thrown at us, we're not likely to all go wrong as a group if I'm digging in my heels, are we?
I've found that simply swallowing my distaste isn't always the best way to deal with it. Maybe you're right I'll find reasons to, in time, but I'd rather that not be the inevitable outcome just because it would make getting along easier.
no subject
Yes...
[ truth be told, others' discomfort of using something as simple as blood to power a spell isn't something unfamiliar to viren; many would be uneasy with the idea back home as well, where things may lead. there's a sigh, ]
Very well. [ and he knows one isn't free of that uneasiness simply because someone tells them they should be so, even if they did readily agree. ] Hold onto your discomfort; may you find it worthwhile.
no subject
[a thoughtful little hum, then:] Though am I to take it from your line of argument you've championed similarly disputed magic before?
[let's see where that goes. possibly straight into a wall.]
1/2
Of course.
no subject
[ there's a pause before he answers; when he arrived, he twisted the truth of how magic relates to humans, just a bit, unsure of its reception. and the current climate as of late is, as the faun's acknowledged, particularly abysmal as it may relates to it. but --
that's hardly ever stopped him from advocating for its use before. ]
There are... a variety of types of magic in my world, yes, drawing from different sources. This type does require sacrifice -- but it does not thin any Veil, nor would it require any ill intent; quite often, it's used for good. In fact, it's saved thousands of lives, and has improved the lives of a great many more.
no subject
But the sacrifice is something many would see as objectionable, I take it? [delicately.] Assuming you don't have the problem we do on Thedas, where any magic is seen as suspect to a certain set.
no subject
[ his tone had lightened considerably when he spoke of dark magic; with myr's response, there's now irritation to it. he shouldn't have expected an elven mage to find it as something awe-worthy, he thinks with some bitterness. there's a click of fangs coming together. ]
... Magic-users are quite rare, among humans. It wouldn't be surprising that there would be be sets out there that view all magic as suspicious. But, no - that is generally not the case.
no subject
maybe they really are still talking about blood magic and it's only on thedas it's such a disaster. he's not sure he likes that thought, but he is trying to see this through someone else's eyes
easier to do when you don't have any of your own.]And it means a great deal to you, [he did catch that change in tone!] to have been among them. I can understand why, with the power to save those you've charge over at your disposal. [is that admiration? probably!]
It's rare, you've said--is it inborn, among humans? Or something you learn? I recall that magic comes from natural sources in Xadia, but not whether you'd ever mentioned that.
no subject
It is something one must learn... And like most subjects, some have more of a knack for it than others.
[ accurate to both primal magic and dark magic, viren supposes. just... a touch different when applied to humans. his smile's faded, and he thinks he favors changing the topic at this point. ]
[ because, even if he would generally love to elaborate, he already feels as if he's shared too much. ]
[ with more bitterness entering into his tone -- ]
Always a shame, that we're reduced to mere talk about magic.
no subject
it's less overt (confrontational, fun) than when linden does it and thus invokes his circle-bred instincts not to pry. lightly,]
That it is, and while I'd love to hear more of the shape it took for you, it is rather like swallowing ashes, isn't it?
Have you had any more success pressing the Coven's scholars on the whys and hows of that loss?
no subject
[ that's easier to answer. ]
And yourself? Any success to your own digging? [ yes, just gonna make the wild presumption here that myr has maybe inquired a few times. ]
no subject
(he totally had.)]
Not a word, [he says through a sigh,] or rather not any new words. There's certainly interest in how we came to be here but it's--understandably--not the most pressing thing on their minds right now.
What I'd not give to avail myself of their library, [with the barest note of bitter sadness.] Even if it's not yielded much to anyone yet on why we're here.
[he'd at least feel like research into his own fate was more in his hands, rather than having to rely on people who rarely had time to spare.]