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[gwenhwyfar]

I don't like these things.

[ She is a young, ghostly-looking teenaged girl, dressed oddly for some. Gwenhwyfar, if anyone notices, looks a little worn out. She would rather speak to someone in person than this bizarre method of scrying. No thanks from an impromptu departure, here she is, in all of her glory, hunkered down in the forest. Surprise. ]

And this doesn't mean I'll become dependent on it, either.

[ Her sulking changes dramatically, to something more regal, after Gwenhwyfar scoffing at herself and rolling her eyes. It's been a while since she's bothered to introduce herself properly. ]

My name is Gwenhwyfar. I come from a place where mortals, immortals, and... beings that are not human. Which, by the way, I am not. Only half... A Nephilim. If anyone wants to take issue with that, spare me your disgust and don't speak with me. However, before I find myself in another tussle, to put it mildly, this is not about that.

I was raised by a very powerful and knowledgeable archdruid -- Myrddin Wylt if anyone knows of him. The strongest of my kind. He raised me in the ways of becoming a druidess, even old magic. He taught me... the best way to survive is to acquire knowledge from the world and others around you. Like now.

[ Not mentioning the fact that her teacher was also a mad hermit in the woods, but hey. ]

I seek answers. There exists a very powerful object in my world... the Otherworld, actually. Said to be plenty, bring fortune and prosperity to kings that can obtain it. Even raise the dead and it has.

It's- [ She stops herself from elaborating further about it. ]

No, that would not be wise... I will say no further that only someone pure of heart can bring it back, allegedly. And despite the promises that it will bring, whoever seeks it will go mad and I've seen that first hand. The dead that spring from it are corrupted and not able to find rest. Something like this... it does not belong in the hands of anyone, only the gods. Yet, as it exists in the land of the gods, it is not out of the question to find a doorway to it.

I wish to seal it away. I want to close any portals or doors to it. It isn't a frivolous matter of glory or nobility, it's to spare a life. Many lifes. So I ask anyone that practices magic that knows their magic well to give me your knowledge. I offer my own knowledge in return, the knowledge of generations of what many think has died out in return, my people's knowledge. Britons, Ordovices, Celts... whatever you would like to call us.

I hope that is a simple request, despite the specifics.

Comments

[nosuchthingasnosuchthing]

The Philosopher’s Stone, you mean?

[Greed is not sure what she means by the Otherworld and there is some stuff in her description that doesn’t entirely fit the Stone buuut... he thinks the Stone is a lot like what she’s describing. And he doesn’t know of what else it could be.]

[And he needs to know if she’s planning on doing that sealing away stuff to him.]

[gwenhwyfar]

I'm afraid I've never heard of a "philosopher's stone".

[ Running it through her head several times, she's confident she hasn't heard Myrddin mention something like a stone. ]

What is that?

[nosuchthingasnosuchthing]

[Greed lets out a sigh of relief.]

[It seems she won’t try to seal him away, after all.]

An alchemic amplifier, basically.

And it’s like your object ‘cause it can raise the dead and get people a lot of wealth and stuff. And seeking it doesn’t work out well for people.

Though it doesn’t come from the Otherworld, wherever that is, and if you’re pure of heart - unless that means pure evil, of course - there’s no way you’d ever make one.

[gwenhwyfar]

Anything that can bring the dead back to a semi-state of life is cursed. It shouldn't be dealt with. I would hope the same would apply to the stone you speak of. Rest assured I wouldn't make one, no good will come of it, I am certain.

Alchemic? [ It was the Greeks and the Romans that brought that from distant lands, wasn't it? She squints, sure that Myrddin, at least, told her some things about it. ]

Is that not the practice of combining elements and transforming them into a physical form?

[nosuchthingasnosuchthing]

Yeah, that’s basically what it is.

But Elric’s the one you should ask about alchemy, not me.

[Though Greed does know something of alchemy, he doesn’t know that much about it. He’s a homunculus, not an alchemist, after all.]

[And even though he has his pride, he’s still able to admit that some people are better at some things than he is.]

I wouldn’t say the Stone is cursed, though.

[Greed laughs.]

I mean, unless you want to say that I’m cursed.

( VIDEO. ) i'm sorry ilu nat

[herocomplex]

I don't know what you're talking about.

_{[ Granted, he was barely listening. ]}

But hey, yo, I just came in here to say that magic isn't real.

IT'S OKAY DUDE she's a sassy teen

[gwenhwyfar]

[ The literal embodiment of this. Gwenhwyfar's face contorts, pressing into a thin line.

Does she have to show an example? ]

And you're an absolute idiot. Do you have something to actually contribute?

[herocomplex]

Uhhh, no, not really. I just wanted to tell you that you're wrong.

_{[ This seems like a perfectly okay thing to say to her. ]}

The English dude-guy who raised me, right? He was all into black magic shenanigans but he could never really teach me anything about it so that kind of proved to me that it isn't real.

_{[ It's really because America refused to believe in such things, even as a small colony. ]}

Any supernatural phenomenon has to have a scientific explanation. Some people here have argued with me about this, but I've never actually seen anyone do something magical.

[gwenhwyfar]

That's fantastic, but that is your opinion. If you have no noble pursuits like education and the world around you, of course, you would think that.

[ Sadly, Gwenhwyfar has no idea what he's talking about. Other than he should thank his lucky stars that he isn't around. The idea of punching him in the fact sounds wonderful right now. ]

Just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean it exists.

[herocomplex]

Yeah, but like.. my opinion is right, so I mean--

_{[ awkward hand gestures... he trails off. ]}

I used to think that way, but I really like facts as opposed to just believing in something that I can't see.

Anywhoodles. If you're so set on it being real, let me see something you can do.

video;

[galatining]

[Oh hi, his sort of aunt from another reality! Gawain is glad to see her seemingly well. Mostly, sort of well.

But before he can ask he reads through that pure mass of info to unpack. And then focuses on the last bit.]

Do you ask about the grail? Or is this some other object?

[gwenhwyfar]

[ Precious nephew! Who doesn't need the details of some of the things her crew has had to deal with.

But he might hear some of them if he's asking her that. ]

... The grail? [ Not quite. With a gentle shake of her head, Gawain would be a person she trusts to divulge more information with. ]

No, it's a cauldron. Either of rebirth or plenty... both, actually.

[galatining]

[It's nice to know they are both hiding details of their lives back home from one another.]

...a cauldron. I have heard some myths of a similar thing.

And you are hunting it?

[gwenhwyfar]

Oh, no. Others are... Arthur is.

[ A pause, as Gwenhwyfar, lowers her head before looking up, almost anxious. ]

Do you know of King Melwas...?

[galatining]

...Arthur is? Hmmmm, how strange.

[He's thinking now when he pauses at the name. So many of the old naming conventions where she is from it seems.]

I do know of such a man, though we called him Maleagant. Don't tell me you encountered him, Gwenhwyfar?

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[wearingguess]

Oh! Well met, Lady Gwenhwyfar. I am Titus Alexius! I too am a rather accomplished magician. [ and an extremely humble one ] I am happy to tell you what I know, although... when it comes to the topic at hand, that is nothing at all. I have never heard of the object you describe. —but if I find anything out, I shall let you know!
In the meantime, pray tell me, what is a Nephilim, where is the Otherworld, and who exactly are the Britons, Ordovices, and Celts?

[gwenhwyfar]

I would consider your lack of knowledge of this item to be a good thing, Titus. [ Oh, but, he knows magic! She isn't about to dismiss him from that. ]

Actually... I like to learn more magic and skills from others. I would be honored to learn what you know, that way, it can benefit my people at home.

Ah-

[ She doesn't expect anyone to know what her homeland is or her people's past. The fact that half-demons isn't well-known to anyone here surprises her. That is, of course, if the Sparda family didn't have another huge fight to draw attention to them. ]

The Nephilim are children of demons and human women, making us half-demon and half-human. Where I come from, people fear us and usually, humans aren't so willing to interact with us. As for Celts, that was a name given to my ancestors by Greeks. Ordovices are the tribe my family is descended from and Britons are the people that live on the Briton island. That is where I'm from.

[wearingguess]

Demons?
Demons.
Ahh, I am afraid I don't know "demons." Are they anything like djinni? ...though I do not think it is possible for a djinn and a human to reproduce... but there are many things I do not know...
—What are demons like? I hope you won't think it bold of me to say it, but you look perfectly human to me.

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[gwenhwyfar]

I... look human?

[ Mouth agape, Gwenhwyfar can't help but press her hands to her cheeks, slightly flustered, wide-eyed, and to her white hair, pushing it back behind her shoulders.

Granted, she has never seen a demon herself, but white hair is usually the mark of demons and otherworldly. ]

[gwenhwyfar]

[ Heaving a small sigh, Gwenhwyfar's shoulders drop. ]

No... it's fine. I must confess, I don't know what a "djinn" is, either, if that is any consolation.

[ What are demons like is a good question. ]

The same could be said for demons and humans. We're unstable beings, we shouldn't exist. But, ah... I know only a little of demons, the watchers as they were called before our time were horrifying creatures. They care little for life and devour almost anything in their way. I couldn't tell you what they look like; I was told that their physical forms were ones they crafted themselves. No mortal knows what they look like.

[wearingguess]

[ titus is a bit taken aback by her reaction... and he can't tell whether he's offended her. ]

W-well, yes...
I hope you don't take that as an insult. I did not mean it as one. Is there something inhuman I should have noticed about you?

[ aaaaaand he's surprised, again, to hear her talk about demons as though she's only heard stories about them. ]

You... know only a little?
But wasn't your father a demon? If nothing else, your mother should know, right?

[ then again, she said she was raised by someone or other, so maybe she doesn't know her parents?? ahh, he hopes he didn't say something horribly insensitive. ]

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[tactically]

[Ohoho. Truthfully, it's good to see the girl well (or... well enough, all things considered). But Gilgamesh being Gilgamesh, he doesn't say so outright. Instead, he focuses on the more interesting points, the things that he had not been easily able to tell the first time around.

In contrast, though, Gilgamesh doesn't seem uncomfortable at all with talking through this device. The truth is, he doesn't actually like it, but he doesn't seem bothered by it, either.]

Myrddin, you say? Tell me about this Myrddin.

[He's already relatively certain that he's different. He has to be—after all, he could not easily "see" this girl the same way he could others. Still, it's a curious thing, and so he asks (well, demands) anyway.]

[gwenhwyfar]

[ And Gwenhwyfar, on the other hand, doesn't seem to react differently. She supposes he has heard of her teacher, too. He was a fairly notorious man, a lot of people heard of him. The demand is a little strange but she shrugs it off. ]

Myrddin is an Archdruid and Bard where I come from. He is like me... half human. Those who practice the old faith revere him and come to him for help. Some see him as a sorcerer. He has served as a council to kings in the past-- oh, I suppose he still serves as the council to one king.

[ She is very reluctant to say which king that may be. ]

The do... know one another. But that doesn't matter; he is a keeper of knowledge and no other surpasses him.

[tactically]

Hmm. Yes, that's pretty much what I expected.

[Similar, but slightly different. Still, there's no doubting it, he thinks.]

Would you call him reliable?

[That's the real test.]

[gwenhwyfar]

[ And without pause. ]

Yes, he's reliable.

[ She is almost tempted to add he is the closest thing she has to a father. ]