[7rings] hm?

[shiftingwinds]

Comments

[aubins]

Terrible.

[ very very deadpan. ]

But if this is life without a Crest, I can see why someone would covet the idea. A world fuelled by talent alone, rather than the luck of the bloodline draw.

...

Not worth a five year war, though.

[liuli]

Oh, I wouldn't say that. The pavilion closest to the water always gets the best moonlight.

[ that is to say... bloodlines are a thing no matter where you are. ]

Could certainly be worse. Five years?

[aubins]

Oh, sure. Something something, the noble and powerful houses of the Empire/Holy Kingdom/Alliance.

But the breeding that goes on to pass down Crests is brutal. The rumours of what people do it try and force a Crest on someone is just as bad.

A world with a little less emphasis on it wouldn't be a bad thing.

[ he tilts his head, and adds, a little dryly: ]

I think a war of any length is a fairly bad outcome, don't you?

[liuli]

Well - yes, and no. Depending on the number of casualties and the scale of it, really. [ spoken like a true war hawk.... ]

That does sound quite terrible. Really, the longer I spend here, the more convinced I am that I live in a much better world without any sort of magic in it.

[aubins]

A lot, and a lot. [ he shrugs. ] War's going to be devastating to someone, no matter the scale. Even if you boil it down to the practicalities, I don't like to forget that.

[ hmmmmm. ]

Maybe. Magic definitely has benefits -- like healing magic. But the Crest system? [ he pulls a face. ] It's worse if you have a Major crest, and worst again if you have a rare Crest. Couple them together and you're like someone's catnip.

[liuli]

Sounds complicated.

[ this sounds like nerd shit ]

[aubins]

It is.

[ it IS nerd shit, people STUDY it. ]

Imagine building the spine of society off the back of it.

[liuli]

Well, you know my feelings on organized religion as the spine of society, let alone something like that.

[aubins]

I want to say is it worse if it's not a religion, but ... eh. They are named after saints and apostles.

[liuli]

Yuri, you've lost my attention completely.

[aubins]

It's like you're allergic to it, but mentally. It's really funny.

[liuli]

I've got a tolerance! And unlike my alcohol tolerance, it's very low.

[aubins]

Say it with me then: it's bullshit, and it's going to give me grey hairs keeping my people alive in the mess it's caused.

I don't deserve grey hairs.

[liuli]

I'm sure you'd be very fetching.

[aubins]

Distinguished, sure. In like thirty years.

[liuli]

Isn't that a nice way to say old?

[aubins]

In thirty years I will be.

[liuli]

Fufu. Yes, yes.