I can see why the dangerous one appealed to you more. Outside of the obvious.
[ The obvious being that Lucifer likes a thrill and doing something dangerous gives him that, something to do, something he can do. Avoiding the emotional toll of the birds is just an obvious bonus to that. Lucifer can take a lot of physical punishment, it's the mental punishment that lingers longer. He gently sets the book down so there is no risk of dropping them.
He reaches out to take Lucifer's hand, running his thumb over his knuckles. ]
I talked to Anneth. There's an interesting detail I didn't expect. She says the dragons used to be very strong and powerful, but they started to get weaker and fade after that first Summoning all that time ago.
[ It seems far too specific to be a coincidence. ]
I wonder if they're more connected to the Singularity than the rest of Abraxas. We were bolstering their lands just by presence alone, though not completely. It wouldn't stick. [He taps his thumb against Istredd's hand, staring off into space, unblinking.] If they're heavily connected to the Singularity, the Summoning ritual weakens the Singularity--we've considered that before already--it drains out of their lands, and then them. They traced the illness to the rifts, right? Like a bunch of mini Summoning rituals.
The first Summoning ritual dealt the major blow to their people, it was a new strain at the Singularity. Everything else chipped away but perhaps not as strong. The rifts were another new strain. Unexpectedly pulling at that thread, and tripping their already-present weakness into a sickness.
[He hums. He is 100% just spit-balling. It's been awhile since he went on a theorizing tangent.] Our presence in their lands was feeding that strained connection. The land literally nipping at the connection we had, synergizing with it, for just a moment.
Yes, that's where my mind went too. [ They conspire together so well. ] They may very well die out if this continues. The dragons used to be powerful and kept those lands together, safely. Now it may be inevitable given that the Summoning is not going to slow down.
[ As they know, it's only getting worse. More Summons every few months, more people coming through. They had the most this time, he checks in as best as he can for new numbers as they progress, so they're going to keep going until there's no one left they want to Summon. Which is never. With no regard with how it is destroying the balance of this sphere. ]
They brought us here claiming they're worried about the Singularity's waning and thought it would strengthen it. But I think they're killing the land instead, pulling it apart each time.
[ Not that it's changed Istredd's mind about them staying there forever. It's not about a few of them, it's about the constancy of the spell. If they stopped Summoning tomorrow and everyone was left, it's probable they would only settle in. ]
We could possibly heal the Nether, given more time there. It wasn't permanent, but our presence could strengthen it. She gave me this dragon scale to experiment on. [ He has it in his pocket, not wanting to leave it anywhere Thorne could find, and pulls it out so show Lucifer. ]
Or staying might mean the land, accidental or otherwise, absorbs our Singularity connection entirely in order to heal ourselves. [Just in case you hadn't considered that, Mr. Losing the Singularity Connection is their last resort for Anything.
He blinks, mildly baffled, at the scale.] And how exactly is that going to help in experimenting?
[ He'll give him that. But he's skeptical. They can't control the Singularity. It'll do whatever it wants. He doubts it'll let them go any time soon, after letting them into its psychic realm and playing with a few people in particular. Istredd doesn't want to have to deal with the idea that they may have to trade the Singularity to stay there. It's possible, but yes, last resort. ]
It depends on what properties I can glean from it. I was thinking Yenna and I might be able to see what we can pick up, and from what we remember about the dragon cure. What if we can amplify the cure?
[It's fine he'll keep being that Annoying Voice in the Back of Istredd's Head when it comes to that potential.
And hey!
If it ever becomes true!
It won't be a surprise because Lucifer's been Annoying About It.] I brought back the materials for the cure but I wasn't involved with its construction. How did it operate?
[ Istredd will ignore that voice as long as he has to. It's a good thing he has it, because he can be very mule-headed and focused on what he wants to think, so if it does happen he'll grumble but be unsurprised. But he needs the Singularity for now. It gives him a purpose, something to thrive toward, and obsess around. An illusion of being able to control or understand something in this world.
Lucifer being right would be unfortunate on a few levels, and his gloating over it annoying, but if he's right, he's right. ]
Our presence helped bring those ingredients back to life and available. From there it was understanding dragon physiology and what was actually missing from them. I don't know that I trust it as a permanent stopgap. It may be inevitable.
[ A dire way of looking at it, but a logical one. They've been fading away as a species for over a thousand years. The hatchlings might make it but they won't be as hearty. That's why continuing a study of it might help. ]
[He got a flute from Aster (and something else way more valuable) but that's an odd little treasure and something that is weirdly just his, well before the whole upcoming Wintertide........ everything. It was a gift and it was His and it is still something that was just his.] It might be something, anyway.
[He thinks their fall at this point is what is actually inevitable. Anything they do really feels like it is just prolonging things but...
Maybe.
Maybe if they can just extend the life of the Nether for their own benefit...]
I think ... we should try. I'll see what Yenna and I can glean from the cure, maybe we can come up with something that's a stopgap. We might have to consult other people who were there with us, hard to say. But I really hate the idea of watching a species die out.
[ And if he and Lucifer do end up living here a long time, if they're lucky, they'll have to witness it in person. He doubts it would take more than another century or so, if the decline continues. This was a stopgap. He doesn't have a lot of faith. Some things are inevitable but they don't have to be. ]
I liked them. Probably the most of the cultures we met here so far.
[ The Fey were interesting, for certain, and probably would provide the most complete protection from the outside world if need be. But they weren't very trustworthy, it seemed a little bit like a game. The Lunae have done nothing wrong, but their conflict with Ikorr isn't great. He liked the Draconae. Simple, honestly. ]
A lot of people with different specializations were involved with all that. Make sure you're checking with people from other worlds, not just your own. [Lucifer's 2-cent special.]
It'd be boring to move in and all our neighbors were dead. [A consideration for the future comes with a morbid twist.
Eh.
Better than nothing.] I'm going to go loom over Urianger's class. [Perch in the window at the time Urianger just happens to be teaching.] Enjoy your scrap paper.
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no subject
Date: 2024-01-11 04:02 pm (UTC)[ The obvious being that Lucifer likes a thrill and doing something dangerous gives him that, something to do, something he can do. Avoiding the emotional toll of the birds is just an obvious bonus to that. Lucifer can take a lot of physical punishment, it's the mental punishment that lingers longer. He gently sets the book down so there is no risk of dropping them.
He reaches out to take Lucifer's hand, running his thumb over his knuckles. ]
I talked to Anneth. There's an interesting detail I didn't expect. She says the dragons used to be very strong and powerful, but they started to get weaker and fade after that first Summoning all that time ago.
[ It seems far too specific to be a coincidence. ]
it's (3am) 2am and I must be theorizing
Date: 2024-01-19 07:26 am (UTC)It sure makes Istredd attractive.]
I wonder if they're more connected to the Singularity than the rest of Abraxas. We were bolstering their lands just by presence alone, though not completely. It wouldn't stick. [He taps his thumb against Istredd's hand, staring off into space, unblinking.] If they're heavily connected to the Singularity, the Summoning ritual weakens the Singularity--we've considered that before already--it drains out of their lands, and then them. They traced the illness to the rifts, right? Like a bunch of mini Summoning rituals.
The first Summoning ritual dealt the major blow to their people, it was a new strain at the Singularity. Everything else chipped away but perhaps not as strong. The rifts were another new strain. Unexpectedly pulling at that thread, and tripping their already-present weakness into a sickness.
[He hums. He is 100% just spit-balling. It's been awhile since he went on a theorizing tangent.] Our presence in their lands was feeding that strained connection. The land literally nipping at the connection we had, synergizing with it, for just a moment.
it's the best time to theorize tbh
Date: 2024-01-19 03:40 pm (UTC)[ As they know, it's only getting worse. More Summons every few months, more people coming through. They had the most this time, he checks in as best as he can for new numbers as they progress, so they're going to keep going until there's no one left they want to Summon. Which is never. With no regard with how it is destroying the balance of this sphere. ]
They brought us here claiming they're worried about the Singularity's waning and thought it would strengthen it. But I think they're killing the land instead, pulling it apart each time.
[ Not that it's changed Istredd's mind about them staying there forever. It's not about a few of them, it's about the constancy of the spell. If they stopped Summoning tomorrow and everyone was left, it's probable they would only settle in. ]
We could possibly heal the Nether, given more time there. It wasn't permanent, but our presence could strengthen it. She gave me this dragon scale to experiment on. [ He has it in his pocket, not wanting to leave it anywhere Thorne could find, and pulls it out so show Lucifer. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-01-19 05:55 pm (UTC)He blinks, mildly baffled, at the scale.] And how exactly is that going to help in experimenting?
no subject
Date: 2024-01-19 09:35 pm (UTC)[ He'll give him that. But he's skeptical. They can't control the Singularity. It'll do whatever it wants. He doubts it'll let them go any time soon, after letting them into its psychic realm and playing with a few people in particular. Istredd doesn't want to have to deal with the idea that they may have to trade the Singularity to stay there. It's possible, but yes, last resort. ]
It depends on what properties I can glean from it. I was thinking Yenna and I might be able to see what we can pick up, and from what we remember about the dragon cure. What if we can amplify the cure?
no subject
Date: 2024-01-25 05:35 am (UTC)And hey!
If it ever becomes true!
It won't be a surprise because Lucifer's been Annoying About It.] I brought back the materials for the cure but I wasn't involved with its construction. How did it operate?
no subject
Date: 2024-01-25 01:42 pm (UTC)Lucifer being right would be unfortunate on a few levels, and his gloating over it annoying, but if he's right, he's right. ]
Our presence helped bring those ingredients back to life and available. From there it was understanding dragon physiology and what was actually missing from them. I don't know that I trust it as a permanent stopgap. It may be inevitable.
[ A dire way of looking at it, but a logical one. They've been fading away as a species for over a thousand years. The hatchlings might make it but they won't be as hearty. That's why continuing a study of it might help. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-01-31 05:44 am (UTC)[He thinks their fall at this point is what is actually inevitable. Anything they do really feels like it is just prolonging things but...
Maybe.
Maybe if they can just extend the life of the Nether for their own benefit...]
no subject
Date: 2024-01-31 03:09 pm (UTC)[ And if he and Lucifer do end up living here a long time, if they're lucky, they'll have to witness it in person. He doubts it would take more than another century or so, if the decline continues. This was a stopgap. He doesn't have a lot of faith. Some things are inevitable but they don't have to be. ]
I liked them. Probably the most of the cultures we met here so far.
[ The Fey were interesting, for certain, and probably would provide the most complete protection from the outside world if need be. But they weren't very trustworthy, it seemed a little bit like a game. The Lunae have done nothing wrong, but their conflict with Ikorr isn't great. He liked the Draconae. Simple, honestly. ]
wrap on yours?
Date: 2024-02-16 02:13 am (UTC)It'd be boring to move in and all our neighbors were dead. [A consideration for the future comes with a morbid twist.
Eh.
Better than nothing.] I'm going to go loom over Urianger's class. [Perch in the window at the time Urianger just happens to be teaching.] Enjoy your scrap paper.
wrap!
Date: 2024-02-16 02:17 am (UTC)[ Istredd says dryly. ]
Thank you for this. Have fun, don't make him nervous.