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portalling) wrote2022-04-02 01:17 pm
portalling) wrote2022-04-02 01:17 pm
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( they might never have spoken directly, but it's an easy list of usual suspects for a woman with that accent who's particularly concerned about the seneschal. and the detail of her introduction isn't too relevant besides, and strange is good in a crisis— so his response is equally brisk. )
De Cedoux, right?
Be right there.
De Cedoux, right?
Be right there.
Edited 2024-03-07 20:22 (UTC)
Jesus Christ, I don't know.
If he told you unprompted, I feel like that suggests not sociopathy, right? Like, Captain Rowntree said he had to tell me, so I thought he was maybe feigning distress to win my sympathy, but I really don't think it's that.
Look, we live in a place where magic exists, so I can't rule out that he's perfectly sane and just living through the most fucked up situation imaginable, but I also can't rule out the brain tumor thing, you know?
If he told you unprompted, I feel like that suggests not sociopathy, right? Like, Captain Rowntree said he had to tell me, so I thought he was maybe feigning distress to win my sympathy, but I really don't think it's that.
Look, we live in a place where magic exists, so I can't rule out that he's perfectly sane and just living through the most fucked up situation imaginable, but I also can't rule out the brain tumor thing, you know?
( miss he is already having a DAY— )
It happened to be my father’s surname, and his father’s father before him. Didn’t exactly have much choice in the matter.
Who’re you?
It happened to be my father’s surname, and his father’s father before him. Didn’t exactly have much choice in the matter.
Who’re you?
Yeah, he was astoundingly open about it, all things considered. I probably wouldn’t have been quite so transparent in his shoes. He does seem genuinely earnest and contrite about it: a sociopath presumably wouldn’t care, wouldn’t try so much to stop this from happening.
( Thinking it through aloud: )
My first thought went science. Something neurological, disassociative identity disorders, there’s so many psychological disorders which could cause outbursts of anger and violence… But, like you say, we live in a goddamn magic world. I asked Tav the cause, and he said, ( deep breath, there’s that headache again, ) it’s due to a blood bond between himself and his father, the god of murder.
Which. I mean.
But even where I come from, there’s gods and curses. Since becoming a sorcerer, I’ve had to remind myself so much more is possible than I ever imagined once. More things in heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy, etc.
( Thinking it through aloud: )
My first thought went science. Something neurological, disassociative identity disorders, there’s so many psychological disorders which could cause outbursts of anger and violence… But, like you say, we live in a goddamn magic world. I asked Tav the cause, and he said, ( deep breath, there’s that headache again, ) it’s due to a blood bond between himself and his father, the god of murder.
Which. I mean.
But even where I come from, there’s gods and curses. Since becoming a sorcerer, I’ve had to remind myself so much more is possible than I ever imagined once. More things in heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy, etc.
You know, it actually makes me feel a little better that you're an actual sorcerer and you still forget it can actually be magic sometimes. Like, at least I honestly come from a world with no magic at all, as far as I know.
[A small sigh.]
So, I guess, a couple things. In the short term, it kind of doesn't matter, in that the problem is compulsions to violence and murder, right? So whether that's magic or brain chemistry, the short-term solution is keep him restrained at night and tell people to be on their guard. Rowntree is dealing with the first part and the division heads have been discussing part two.
But. Longer term. He came to me because he wants to know if the Research division can cure him. And that... then it's going to matter what's causing it. A lot.
[A small sigh.]
So, I guess, a couple things. In the short term, it kind of doesn't matter, in that the problem is compulsions to violence and murder, right? So whether that's magic or brain chemistry, the short-term solution is keep him restrained at night and tell people to be on their guard. Rowntree is dealing with the first part and the division heads have been discussing part two.
But. Longer term. He came to me because he wants to know if the Research division can cure him. And that... then it's going to matter what's causing it. A lot.
And they just successfully kept an eye out, the whole time? Have you ever exhibited control over this thing and averted an episode, or does this— urge— always take over?
I'm not sure. I suppose they did.
I can exert control during the day, but in the evening, I start to lose control as I get tired. Once night hits, the additional fatigue from the fight makes it impossible to keep control deep in the night. I don't think I've ever prevented it altogether.
I can exert control during the day, but in the evening, I start to lose control as I get tired. Once night hits, the additional fatigue from the fight makes it impossible to keep control deep in the night. I don't think I've ever prevented it altogether.
( I’m rather busy right now, he almost snaps, almost lets his temper bare its teeth at this complete stranger,
but instead, Strange just stuffs the crystal in his pocket, leaving her on read. This is for Later Stephen to deal with. If it’s urgent, she’ll have to let him know. It’ll take about an hour before the hubbub of the day settles and he finally wends his way back to the conversation. )
but instead, Strange just stuffs the crystal in his pocket, leaving her on read. This is for Later Stephen to deal with. If it’s urgent, she’ll have to let him know. It’ll take about an hour before the hubbub of the day settles and he finally wends his way back to the conversation. )
( And eventually, then: sinking into a chair in his empty office, setting down a sad cold sandwich on a plate, letting the day slough off him. Strange made her wait, without much warning and thus not very politely, but it probably could’ve been worse? He thumbs the crystal awake again. )
Alright, Lady Vega Arany of Vyrantium, I’m back. Fire away.
Alright, Lady Vega Arany of Vyrantium, I’m back. Fire away.
I’ve had, say, thirty years of science and only about five of magic. Old habits die hard. I still find myself instinctively reaching for the former.
( But more to the point of a cure, )
He said the only way to stop it was for either himself or his father to die. Assuming that that’s incorrect, because we need to assume it’s doable— I still don’t know how in the world we’d diagnose this properly, let alone cure it. I still keep thinking mitigation. I’ve read about spells which can induce a magical sleep; I was thinking a rune that he can activate himself, say enscribed on a necklace or something, which can knock himself out.
But that still doesn’t feel sustainable. It’s still just a band-aid on the real problem.
( But more to the point of a cure, )
He said the only way to stop it was for either himself or his father to die. Assuming that that’s incorrect, because we need to assume it’s doable— I still don’t know how in the world we’d diagnose this properly, let alone cure it. I still keep thinking mitigation. I’ve read about spells which can induce a magical sleep; I was thinking a rune that he can activate himself, say enscribed on a necklace or something, which can knock himself out.
But that still doesn’t feel sustainable. It’s still just a band-aid on the real problem.
How long have you been like this?
( Diagnosis; note-taking. )
( Diagnosis; note-taking. )
Well, that’s better— Three months is nothing. You could still learn more about it, and anything can change after three months. You could learn to control this in time.
( But Strange prefers to actively work with what they have, rather than simply wait it out and hope for the best, so: )
You’ve probably been over this already with Rowntree, but was there anything before that helped? Anything that influenced it in either direction? Any little thing you can think of. I don’t think we can rely on a strip of rope into perpetuity.
( But Strange prefers to actively work with what they have, rather than simply wait it out and hope for the best, so: )
You’ve probably been over this already with Rowntree, but was there anything before that helped? Anything that influenced it in either direction? Any little thing you can think of. I don’t think we can rely on a strip of rope into perpetuity.
And there's no trend to when it happens, besides at night? No connection to the full moon, the passage of time, something you've eaten, the weather or the air pressure, whatever?
( And, belatedly: )
Sorry for the interrogation. I try to— solve things, generally. And this one's a puzzle.
( And, belatedly: )
Sorry for the interrogation. I try to— solve things, generally. And this one's a puzzle.
Ordered, but you didn’t.
Nearly lost control, but didn’t.
Nearly lost control, but didn’t.
Have you been receiving any soporifics? Sleeping aids. We could get you some, if not. It’s not the sleep spell I mentioned, but there’s a few herbs which help a bit with insomnia. If you’re in a deeper unconsciousness than a regular sleep, perhaps that’ll help.
( A bit isn’t 100%, but at least it’s something. Strange knows those herbs from personal experience, too: long restless nights unable to sleep. )
There’s also full sedatives — but I wouldn’t recommend that every single night. ( Unsustainable. ) Could be a stopgap, though, in the interim. While concerns are high.
( A bit isn’t 100%, but at least it’s something. Strange knows those herbs from personal experience, too: long restless nights unable to sleep. )
There’s also full sedatives — but I wouldn’t recommend that every single night. ( Unsustainable. ) Could be a stopgap, though, in the interim. While concerns are high.
[Sopo-whats? Tav tilts his head slightly to the side as he listens. The problem here isn’t that he wants more sleep.]
It’s not that I want more sleep; I’m afraid of what I might wake up to if I do sleep.
[Especially since his episodes have followed him here to Thedas. ]
It’s not that I want more sleep; I’m afraid of what I might wake up to if I do sleep.
[Especially since his episodes have followed him here to Thedas. ]
Yeah, I mean, a band-aid we need, but not a long-term solution. I wish there were a way to like ... do a reset, right? Since he's a rifter, regardless of how real the curse is where he comes from, as far as I know there's no god of murder in Thedas. Presumably not specifically his father, either way. So like ... the curse may be real, but just because the Fade thinks it should be, you know?
On the other hand, messing around with the Fade sounds like a great way for you or I to accidentally blink ourselves out of existence if we pull the wrong metaphorical lever.
On the other hand, messing around with the Fade sounds like a great way for you or I to accidentally blink ourselves out of existence if we pull the wrong metaphorical lever.
That is part of it, certainly. The rest? A combination of you don't remember anything of this place when you leave it and the multiversal tree, as it stands, is rather well-protected from further unnatural splitting or intrusion.
[ Still. Still. Loki knows something of desiring context regardless of the immediate usefulness of such a project. ]
The man who came out on top of all this forced the timeline he was from... I think?... to be viewed as the only true timeline. Anything that branched off and became a problem to the overarching goals and stories therein was deleted. Destroyed. Immediately dispatched with, by the Time Variance Authority, and anything that remained was shipped off to be fed to Alioth. Because he was from the future, or at least a future point than either of us, he also knew of the Avengers' time traveling in order to deal with the threat of Thanos and his, ah, passion at devising all living beings by half their numbers. A grand plan. He was very good at grand plans, I'll give him that.
When he set up the TVA, he immediately removed all their memories of him and the Time War. They believed they were created by the TVA and that they lived only in service to it.
Honestly, the list of despicable choices made by one man given completely control over the flow of time and possibility is almost impressive.
[ Still. Still. Loki knows something of desiring context regardless of the immediate usefulness of such a project. ]
The man who came out on top of all this forced the timeline he was from... I think?... to be viewed as the only true timeline. Anything that branched off and became a problem to the overarching goals and stories therein was deleted. Destroyed. Immediately dispatched with, by the Time Variance Authority, and anything that remained was shipped off to be fed to Alioth. Because he was from the future, or at least a future point than either of us, he also knew of the Avengers' time traveling in order to deal with the threat of Thanos and his, ah, passion at devising all living beings by half their numbers. A grand plan. He was very good at grand plans, I'll give him that.
When he set up the TVA, he immediately removed all their memories of him and the Time War. They believed they were created by the TVA and that they lived only in service to it.
Honestly, the list of despicable choices made by one man given completely control over the flow of time and possibility is almost impressive.
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