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Video | un: emet-selch
And why exactly is it that you require my help with your little aetherology lesson? I seem to recall you passed that course with flying colors during our time at the akadaemia.
[The feed is dark for a moment, and then the video at last cuts on to accompany the unabashed grumbling, revealing two figures who could not be more different if they tried. The one is white-haired and scowling, permanent furrows creasing his brow as his luminous yellow eyes narrow into the camera - as if by doing so it might surrender up its deepest, darkest secrets. Beside him is a man with a loose lavender braid hanging over his left shoulder and an expression filled with both amusement and mischief.]
And ‘tis an achievement I hold close to my heart to this day. But you’ve always been better at public speaking than me, and I’d hate to have a fine lesson such as this be soured by my sub-par presentation skills.
A fine lesson which borders on ridiculous if you ask me. What use is a discussion of the elemental wheel in a city which can scarcely scrape together enough aether for the most rudimentary of spells? –-and why is this blasted thing blinking again? Don’t tell me you’ve already begun to make a record of our conversation!
Because it’s an integral part of our world, of course. If we’re to share something about Etheirys with others, why not pick the most important part?
But yes. Observant as ever. [Pleased as punch, Hythlodaeus turns his attention to the camera as if he hasn’t just pressganged his dear friend into this] As you’ve already gathered, we’re here to share a bit of our world with the rest of you, and it is my hope that you’re inspired to join me in sharing something of your own worlds in kind. ‘Tis a project of mine I’m most eager to begin.
For my first guest, I have with me today the illustrious Emet-Selch of the Convocation of Fourteen.
[He steps to the side, and gestures to a drawing on the whiteboard]
If you would be so kind?
[A slow, painfully put-upon sigh follows, as if Emet-Selch would much rather be anywhere else. Yet there comes a visible moment where the man appears to give in and collect himself. His posture straightens, and with one last quiet huff, he flourishes widely - almost theatrically towards the whiteboard his companion had indicated but seconds before.]
Behold, the elemental wheel in all its glory.
We begin north and follow the hands of a clock in a cycle, each symbol representing in particular order: lightning, fire, earth, ice, water and wind. ...As you’ve doubtless noticed, Hythlodaeus’s diagram is also broken into two distinct triangles, each describing a series of actions - conquests and submissions - that one element presents upon another. If we divide this diagram further in half, the three “upper” elements are those more closely associated with the Astral - or active. Whilst the three lower ones are prone to stasis - the Umbral.
[A pause to let all of that sink in as he stretches out his arm to emphasize the highest point of the diagram.]
Starting with the upright triad, we have lightning, which is grounded by earth, which in turn is eroded by water, which is boiled by lightning. In the upper righthand corner of the inverted triangle, we have fire which melts ice, which in turn blocks wind, which has the capacity to extinguish fire.
Yet 'what of the astral and umbral?' you might ask. Simply put, although some of the elements are more commonly associated with one or another, each element has the capacity to fall under either polarity. Take water for example. It can exist in the form of a placid, mirror-still mountain lake, or it can thunder and rage as ocean waves tossed by a violent storm, a cascade tearing down the edge of a sheer cliff.
’Tis true even of those elements closest to each polarity. Lightning, for example, despite leaning heavily towards the astral, can still exist in a more passive form–the static in the air before a thunderstorm, for instance. Not wholly still, but not nearly as electrifying.
Of course, these are just the basics, but a starting point is a starting point nonetheless!
A starting point would indicate there is more to come.
[Emet-Selch says in his usual grousing tone, his arms folded over his chest.]
Who knows? We aren’t the only visitors from Etheirys, after all. Perhaps our future fellows would like to continue.
Anyroad, to all those who have come to listen, my deepest thanks for your time. And should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. We’ve taken the liberty of using Emet-Selch’s phone for the occasion, and so he should be happy to receive any and all questions on the subject.
[Emet-Selch’s eyes widen in shock, and then he frowns, grasping immediately for the phone and pushing it face-down into the sofa. Unfortunately he has, as of yet, not learned the proper method for ending a feed - and thus the audio continues.]
Oh he’d be overjoyed by it all, would he? Need I remind you that I agreed to no such thing? A “simple” favor, you called it!
And a simple favor it is! In return, I’m more than happy to teach you how to stop recording. Now if you'll just let me have the phone…
[The feed is dark for a moment, and then the video at last cuts on to accompany the unabashed grumbling, revealing two figures who could not be more different if they tried. The one is white-haired and scowling, permanent furrows creasing his brow as his luminous yellow eyes narrow into the camera - as if by doing so it might surrender up its deepest, darkest secrets. Beside him is a man with a loose lavender braid hanging over his left shoulder and an expression filled with both amusement and mischief.]
And ‘tis an achievement I hold close to my heart to this day. But you’ve always been better at public speaking than me, and I’d hate to have a fine lesson such as this be soured by my sub-par presentation skills.
A fine lesson which borders on ridiculous if you ask me. What use is a discussion of the elemental wheel in a city which can scarcely scrape together enough aether for the most rudimentary of spells? –-and why is this blasted thing blinking again? Don’t tell me you’ve already begun to make a record of our conversation!
Because it’s an integral part of our world, of course. If we’re to share something about Etheirys with others, why not pick the most important part?
But yes. Observant as ever. [Pleased as punch, Hythlodaeus turns his attention to the camera as if he hasn’t just pressganged his dear friend into this] As you’ve already gathered, we’re here to share a bit of our world with the rest of you, and it is my hope that you’re inspired to join me in sharing something of your own worlds in kind. ‘Tis a project of mine I’m most eager to begin.
For my first guest, I have with me today the illustrious Emet-Selch of the Convocation of Fourteen.
[He steps to the side, and gestures to a drawing on the whiteboard]
If you would be so kind?
[A slow, painfully put-upon sigh follows, as if Emet-Selch would much rather be anywhere else. Yet there comes a visible moment where the man appears to give in and collect himself. His posture straightens, and with one last quiet huff, he flourishes widely - almost theatrically towards the whiteboard his companion had indicated but seconds before.]
Behold, the elemental wheel in all its glory.
We begin north and follow the hands of a clock in a cycle, each symbol representing in particular order: lightning, fire, earth, ice, water and wind. ...As you’ve doubtless noticed, Hythlodaeus’s diagram is also broken into two distinct triangles, each describing a series of actions - conquests and submissions - that one element presents upon another. If we divide this diagram further in half, the three “upper” elements are those more closely associated with the Astral - or active. Whilst the three lower ones are prone to stasis - the Umbral.
[A pause to let all of that sink in as he stretches out his arm to emphasize the highest point of the diagram.]
Starting with the upright triad, we have lightning, which is grounded by earth, which in turn is eroded by water, which is boiled by lightning. In the upper righthand corner of the inverted triangle, we have fire which melts ice, which in turn blocks wind, which has the capacity to extinguish fire.
Yet 'what of the astral and umbral?' you might ask. Simply put, although some of the elements are more commonly associated with one or another, each element has the capacity to fall under either polarity. Take water for example. It can exist in the form of a placid, mirror-still mountain lake, or it can thunder and rage as ocean waves tossed by a violent storm, a cascade tearing down the edge of a sheer cliff.
’Tis true even of those elements closest to each polarity. Lightning, for example, despite leaning heavily towards the astral, can still exist in a more passive form–the static in the air before a thunderstorm, for instance. Not wholly still, but not nearly as electrifying.
Of course, these are just the basics, but a starting point is a starting point nonetheless!
A starting point would indicate there is more to come.
[Emet-Selch says in his usual grousing tone, his arms folded over his chest.]
Who knows? We aren’t the only visitors from Etheirys, after all. Perhaps our future fellows would like to continue.
Anyroad, to all those who have come to listen, my deepest thanks for your time. And should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. We’ve taken the liberty of using Emet-Selch’s phone for the occasion, and so he should be happy to receive any and all questions on the subject.
[Emet-Selch’s eyes widen in shock, and then he frowns, grasping immediately for the phone and pushing it face-down into the sofa. Unfortunately he has, as of yet, not learned the proper method for ending a feed - and thus the audio continues.]
Oh he’d be overjoyed by it all, would he? Need I remind you that I agreed to no such thing? A “simple” favor, you called it!
And a simple favor it is! In return, I’m more than happy to teach you how to stop recording. Now if you'll just let me have the phone…
[voice]
We were never taught much about the astral or umbral though.
[voice]
Light and Darkness don't fit neatly into the elemental cycle with the others, but serve instead as polarities; opposites. Both are necessary to maintain equilibrium and to understand the flow of energy within the star's aetherial currents.
[voice]
[voice]
[And if he's correct, he may be able to gather more information that will be useful in understanding the doom which befalls them - and whether ██████'s tale is true.]
What country did you say you're from, again?
I would be curious to learn how you and yours have thrived despite these limitations. Have you some other ability at your disposal?
[voice]
And yes. We have magitek.
[voice]
[Yet this...Garlemald? He's quite certain he's heard the name before - and recently. Although the full extent of what that means and what sort of culture it might uphold quite escapes him, he suspects its inclusion in their traveling companion's tale was no mere coincidence.]
I'm unfamiliar with this magitek of yours. Yet I believe I've heard mention of Garlemald before.
[No particular emotion escapes his words; certainly nothing that could be taken for fear or hatred or anything resembling disgust.]
It was by way of an acquaintance. ██████, they said their name was. Though if I recall correctly, others know this individual as "The Warrior of Light".
Are you familiar with them?
[voice]
Yes. They came here to help when we were dealing with... an internal crisis, and then several times since.
[voice]
By my understanding, they have been seeking an answer to a crisis of their own, one which may well be relevant to those of your time and those of mine.
[An understatement, truly. He considers what Hythlodaeus said before, about things not going well, exactly, but that they could be far worse. Cooperation, perhaps, isn't entirely off the table.]
If you are amenable, or if you've a representative with whom I may speak, I am looking to discuss these matters further.
[voice]
[Especially given that he's pretty sure he is the only person from Garlemald present in this strange new city.]
[voice]
[Where, then? There are any number of empty rooms and buildings which could suffice, but then he's heard enough rumors about the place that poking about somewhere abandoned hardly seems like the best of ideas.]
There are several parks scattered about the city, yes? Perhaps one of them will serve as a neutral location.
[voice]
A park will do. Though I'm not familiar with all of them, I think? I only recently arrived here.
no subject
I believe there is a function here that will allow me to send an image or diagram via this network of devices. If such is the case, I'll provide you with a map.
[private]
map.jpg
['Tis a photograph of a map - straightforward enough with its neat lines and a few key landmarks. The labels, however, are hand-penned in script with a few unnecessary swoops and flourishes.]
[The park itself is situated just off the fairgrounds. Open enough to be neutral territory, yet tucked slightly away from major thoroughfares so that it shouldn't invite too much company.]
[private]
I'll be there.
[private]
Until then.