Text | Evening of August 2nd

[rollstoseduce]

[It's finally time for the fantasy trio to leave for Kanto and start a new badge journey, and like last time, they're taking a night train to sleep through it. Or that's the idea anyway - because also like last time, Jaskier wants to take the chance to chat a bit with the network. And after a little misunderstanding from the steward regarding Kiri, there's a topic that won't leave his mind.]

Many a similarity I've found among the realms us otherworlders hail from, yet there's one thing from mine (besides witchers!) I haven't found anywhere else: the Law of Surprise.

It's a custom as old as humanity itself, the granting of a seemingly impossible wish, the price a man who saves another can demand:

"Give me that which you already have but do not know yet".

It is a request for something which neither the savior nor the saved knows the nature of, until the saved man returns home. It could be a cute little pup or a mere crop, mayhap a new pair of shoes... or even a baby. So many heroic stories from my world were starred by a Child Surprise, often known as the Children of Destiny.

So imagine yourselves, if you will, in front of a powerful king or queen that asks you what reward you'd like for your service. What is your answer?

Do you ask for gold? A lady's hand in marriage?

Or do you dare to ask for the Law of Surprise to see what Destiny has in store in for you?



((As always, Jaskier needs to be super extra with his font. Lmk if you need me to drop it!))

Comments

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[fearinahandfulof]

I have no wish.

[rollstoseduce]

I do not believe it, but may as well. What reward you'd be asking for then?

[fearinahandfulof]

[He's correct, but the wishes she has are not wishes that can be granted, unless Arceus is somehow feeling particularly merciful, so it more or less amounts to the same thing in Cassandra's mind.]

I don't think I could ask for anything. Is that wrong?

[rollstoseduce]

There is no wrong or right answer, merely philosophical discussion. Does that mean you'd claim the Law of Surprise then?

[fearinahandfulof]

Where I come from, surprises are not generally to be trusted.

So I would probably have to come up with a wish. Though I don't think anyone would make wishes to the kings in my world.

[rollstoseduce]

It doesn't have to be a wish. It can be something as simple as a horse - or a hundred horses, even!

[fearinahandfulof]

Where would you put a hundred horses?

[rollstoseduce]

[Jaskier thinks the Geralt-answer to that is in your heart.]

I suppose you could ask for them to come in a stable big enough to house them all.

[fearinahandfulof]

But then you're asking for horses AND a stable... although I suppose if you're asking for a hundred horses you're already asking for multiple things.

But then, you wouldn't ask them for horses in my world. You'd ask to not die.

[rollstoseduce]

That's when you carefully choose your wording and ask for *a* stable filled with horses. Technically just one thing.

Ah-ha, now we are getting somewhere. Would that entail asking for immortality? Or merely for safety?

[fearinahandfulof]

That both does and doesn't make sense.

Safety. Or at least hoping they're not hungry.

[rollstoseduce]

Does it not? Would a box of cookies not count as one thing? Same concept.

Food is indeed very important to survive, but I'd find it a waste of wish to simplify "safety" into just that. If you word it right, you can ask for food and more.

[fearinahandfulof]

That's true.

In this case, the person asking would be asking not to be THEIR food.

[rollstoseduce]

[................well then.]

Ah.

Mayhap the wisest request would be to ask for such a repulsive monster to disappear?

[fearinahandfulof]

Isley might find that request amusing, before he eats the requester. I'm not sure about the other one.