RITUAL 32 - never have i ever

[manwhofelltoearth]

WHO: you
WHERE: around the pasture
WHEN: morning 86

[so how are we doing, everybody? feeling a little more together? feeling a little furry, floaty, or both? well–don’t mind this newer Weed who’s just climbed up on a big rock, clapping his mildly bloody hands together to get your attention.

is that a new demon hovering around him? well–this might as well happen.]

‘Scuse me! I’m Father Argent, if we haven’t previously met. I know this is a little presumptuous and all, but it seems like most people could use a pick-me-up right now? So my friend over here and I have, well, arranged something. I hope you’ll indulge us today!

[and a little ripple of movement goes through the surrounding area, transforming it – the colours of this part of the pasture go pastel, and everything gets bubbly. rocks are now round and bouncy, the grass loses its edges and looks more like a carpet of fat succulents, fences look and feel kinda like pool noodles. you can bounce around without damaging anything, if you build up enough momentum, but even without doing that it’s just…nice to hang out on, soft and springy. there’s also some random clear spheres hanging here and there in the air, filled with small round crunchy snacks and drinks like popcorn, or pork rind and grain puffs, or gummies, or cold water, or weak beer. not enough to fill up on or really get drunk, but something to munch and keep you refreshed.

y’all are stuck here for a bit! and even if you’re not in immediate range or holed up indoors, you might feel the pull to come see what’s up – or simply be teleported into the ritual zone, in a bright popping flurry of bubbles.]

rules | turn-in | winners and prizes

Comments

[endsjustified]

…

What’s your world—like? I don’t think I ever had a chance to ask.

[damegane]

Well, despite the rumors I just mentioned - it isn't a world that has any magic, or at least nothing provable. It doesn't stop some people from believing in it, but the kind of stuff you see people do here with their original powers would be unthinkable in my world.

We make do with technology instead.

[endsjustified]

‘Make do’…

I’m from a magical world, but the technology here is sufficiently advanced it would be a marvel there, too.

[damegane]

The technology we've gotten in the communal areas seems to be at about my world's level... Maybe a decade or so ahead?

[Try two decades but fuck if he knows that.]

[endsjustified]

We barely have firearms, and we do not have electricity as would be recognized here, or long distance communications.

I’ve been doing my best to compile what concepts might be most useful to bring back and introduce, though I don’t know how that will work out.

[damegane]

Pretty far back in terms of technology, huh...

What's your list include so far?

[endsjustified]

Hydroelectricity. Telecommunications. Vehicles; aircraft. More advanced plumbing.

[he just doesn’t mention any of the things that are specifically combat and war applications]

They’ll probably come out very differently, though. The concepts and an idea of how to make them work is enough to pass on; Runes and human ingenuity will make up the difference in our available technological resources.

[damegane]

Runes?

[endsjustified]

[he hesitates a moment, then takes the glove off of one hand; there’s a symbol etched into the back of his palm, kinda like a stylized set of stalagmites. it glows faintly gold]

They’re…magic stones, I suppose. Whole Runes contain sets of spells and are used for combat if they’re properly implanted in someone’s body, but one can also break them down and use the fragments for all sorts of other applications.

[damegane]

[Oh. ...Hhhhhuh.]

How common is it to implant them?

[endsjustified]

As common as dirt. Almost anyone with enough affinity will wear one, if the Runes they have affinity to suit their lifestyle and profession in some way.

[damegane]

But they aren't capable of matching the uses of the technology here?

[endsjustified]

They're...limited. I think the potential is there, but you'd need Rune Sages and engineers to find the best way to harness and manipulate them. It's like having several different kinds of gears and levers that each only have perhaps four functions each; you still need to actually put them together and find the right interactions to accomplish an equivalent. I can't conceive how you would replicate, say, the functions of a phone solely from those pieces. Or a computer, or an arcade machine.

Which isn't to say it can't be done -- but it would require a lot of ingenuity, and specialists who were looking to make some extremely specific things happen.

[damegane]

Technology's much more flexible, yeah... But I wonder how long it'll take to get to that level to begin with.

[endsjustified]

It's hard to say. I'm not really an expert on such things.

If I can bring back the knowledge from here, though, that's likely to speed up development.

[damegane]

Yeah, every bit helps.

Good luck with that project.