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

[rollstoseduce]

Paying for villains! I must say, I'm flabbergasted by this concept! I appreciate the idea of creating drama, a show if you will, for the sake of tourism and coin! A different way to spread tales! But it seems this dichotomy crosses the line from fiction into reality! So villains get paid for what? Stealing treasure? Hurting people?!

[necrodentia]

Basically, yeah! Stealing valuables, sabotaging big events or projects, holding stuff for ransom. Often, when there were two parties having a dispute, a team of heroes would be sent to assist and advise one side, and a team of villains to assist and advise the other!

Of course, if the villains are doing it right, nobody will actually be hurt and the heroes will save the day in the end. Any villains (or heroes) who stepped out of line would have to answer to the Heroic Oversight Guild, and were in danger of being blacklisted from future heroism or villainy work.

[rollstoseduce]

Oh, so it's all rather organized and regulated! That's a relief to hear. As a performer myself, I admit I'm a bit skeptical about the idea of possible villains sabotaging my show and stealing the fanfare. However, as a spectator? I must say, it does sound like brilliant entertainment! How exciting it must be to get to participate in the action, to enjoy the heroics while being right in the middle of it but without the risk of death involved! Pray tell, why has this practice been demolished?

[necrodentia]

Really, as long as everyone is doing their jobs right, the heroes will still save the day and receive all the appropriate fanfare. Heroes and villains are well trained in that way. There are entire schools dedicated to training heroes/villains... My alma mater is one of them! So you shouldn't have to worry about losing your fame and attention!

As to why it's been done away with... Do you remember what I told you about the embodiments of Chaos and Order trying to summon a demon prince to take over Nua and start a war that would kill thousands of people and shake up what they saw as too much stagnation in our way of life?

Well, they didn't quite get the war they wanted, but my friends who managed to defeat Chaos and Order sort of blew up the records department of the Heroic Oversight Guild so that no heroes or villains could get paid, so when tens of thousands of demons spewed through portals into our plane, no heroes (or villains, for that matter) stepped up to defend people. Everyone was sort of left to their own devices. I guess that's what it took to make people realize that the system had a lot of flaws, and it was time to let it go.

[rollstoseduce]

Now that's curious - people expected the heroes to step up in front of real threat? I understand they didn't because they wouldn't get paid, which honestly just makes them mercenaries - not the most heroic but not unheard of either. But even if there had been coin ready to pay, I wouldn't have expected anyone to hire these heroes to save the world! They would be used to fight in controlled environments! A more realistic stage than a theatre, but all acted still! Nothing compared to risking your life and going against a demon prince!

If I'm allowed to take a guess as an outsider, I think that it wasn't the flaws that made them reconsider things. It was people getting hit with the truth behind the illusion.

[necrodentia]

Well, yes. Back in the olden times, before heroism and villainy were monetized, stepping up for real threats was what heroes were expected to do. I don't really blame people for expecting Nua's heroes to answer the call in their time of need.

Maybe you're right. Maybe the whole idea was just destined to fail eventually, once people realized the truth of what was going on. The system crashing and burning makes my future a little more nebulous in the short term, but long term I still know what I want to do with my life, so I guess it doesn't matter whether I'm paying the bills with villainy in the meantime.

[rollstoseduce]

I would've thought being here is what made your future a little more nebulous in the short term. ;)

I've always been a bard, so it's hard for me to imagine what it must feel like not to know what to do with your life. In this realm, I'm not allowed to sing in just any tavern, but there are still plenty of means to be an artist and reach a wide public, so I only had to adapt my tools, not my goals. Do you still know what you want to do with your life here or is this conclusion of yours something home-related?

[necrodentia]

Oh, it's definitely home-related. Arceus or whoever took my magic away, so I can't exactly do what I had planned while I'm stuck here. BUT!!! The goal is to eventually follow in my dad's footsteps and use my Necromancy powers to help guide restless spirits to the afterlife!

[rollstoseduce]

Necromancy! My my, Rainer, you are full of surprises today! So such practice isn't forbidden in your realm? Fascinating. Guiding restless spirits sounds like an honorable, rewarding deed. Does that mean you can talk to the dead? Get answers to mysteries they've taken to their grave?

[necrodentia]

Not forbidden, no. It is sort of generally frowned upon, which is why most necromancers just got shuffled straight into the villain track, whether they're actually evil aligned or not. But I've had a natural affinity for necromancy since I was a little girl! My dad has, too. That's why he adopted me when my birth parents kicked me out.

I could cast Speak With Dead, sure... *If* I still had access to my magic. As it is, I'm cut off from the afterlife completely, save for the ghost Pokemon I've teamed up with!

[rollstoseduce]

[When my birth parents kicked me out. Well, that sure hits a bit too close to home. Jaskier wants to show his sympathy, but he's also a little worried Rainer will ask him about his own family in return. Decisions, decisions.]

How hard it is to express both sympathy for such tragedy but also delight for taking you to such an opportunity. Since you sound nothing but content with your life, I shall go ahead and congratulate you on having found such a father and mentor that could help you with your abilities.

Speak With Dead, you say, sounding so simple and matter-of-fact! What a marvelous spell! You could make coin and fame by solving ancient mysteries! Learning the true stories behind tragic murders committed by jealousy and greed! Imagine the opportunities!

Powers sometimes come back during particular weekends, usually once or twice per year, from what I've heard. I wonder what you could learn from using such a spell on the local population.

[necrodentia]

Thank you! My dad really is the best. I wish you could meet him, I think he'd like you.

[ Then again, she thinks her dad would like anyone. That's not always true, but as long as they have Rainer's best interests at heart, her dad would probably come around. ]

Oh, I never thought about using Speak With Dead that way! It's fairly limited— it only lasts 10 minutes or until I ask the corpse 5 questions, whichever comes first. And the corpse only knows what they would have known up until the point that they died. I can't impart any new information to them to take to the afterlife.

I knew about the weird weekends! We had one of them a little bit after I arrived here. I mostly spent the weekend throwing a giant party with some skeletons in a cemetery in Goldenrod! That was a blast, you should've been there.

[rollstoseduce]

[You should've been there, Rainer says, and honestly? Considering how that weekend ended for him? He agrees. That's what he gets for choosing to watch sweaty men sparring.]

Ten minutes or five questions! How limited is that? Although I suppose if their knowledge is limited as well, they do not have any answer about what awaits them after death, now do they?

Oh, that sounds like such a unique opportunity! I'm incredibly sorry for missing it. Promise me to send me a message next time you get your magic back, I beg you. I shall sing for your skeletons and we can create the most fantastic Samhain-themed show this realm has ever had the honor to witness.

[necrodentia]

You bet I'll give you a call! This world could use a good skeleton concert!