first ⚡ a topic on summoning

[ramuhs]

Type: Text
Sender ID: ramuhs
To: General public
Subject: Summoning other creatures and people
Warnings: None except maybe FFXVI spoilers in their respective threads?

[// PUBLIC PORTION //]
A curious question to my fellow riftfarers — to those who are capable of "summoning" or calling upon powerful beings or even people, how does it work in your world? Any particular requirements? Contracts?

And have you any luck doing so while here? Any changes you've discovered?

[This is a general broadcast type post, so anyone can threadhop if they'd like to swap stories or anything! Cid will be reading everything...with very keen interest.]

[// PRIVATE TO FFXVI CAST //]

In case you're wondering what this is about, while on that ghost ship a girl somehow managed to summon me from a rock she had—materia she called it. She also knew about Ramuh and some of the other Eikons from our world.

Given there was no warning and that she might not be the only one, thought I should give everyone a heads up. For now I'll be trying some tests with her to see how it works and will share the results.

Comments

[ramuhs]

Are these constructs living creatures or inanimate? And what's a Mehrak?

[Those are definitely a bunch of terms that are both familiar and not familiar, so might as well get it straight.]

text -> video

[empyrean_mirror]

Some of them are...well they're closer to living creatures than inanimate, but they're made purely of elemental energy. As for Mehrak...it'll be easiest to show you.

[It takes him a couple seconds but Kaveh flips over to video so he can point it at the floating suitcase staring at the camera. It makes a ^_^ face and beeps cheerfully.]

--This is Mehrak. I made it to be my assistant and companion.

[ > video ]

[ramuhs]

[lol he's giving up on the psuedo-anonymity for at least a few people. Plus this thing looks fascinating—]

What exactly is it? ...A box?

[video]

[empyrean_mirror]

A briefcase. She--it can carry items for me, survey the area, and wield a claymore when necessary, though that's not...really what I made her for.

[Is Kaveh failing at not anthropomorphizing his briefcase after merely a few days away from home? Absolutely.]

Mehrak only responds to simple commands, but she can pick up on tone, so she's still a valued companion.

[ permavid, forgot to note this is locked to kaveh ]

[ramuhs]

And is...she? [The luggage has a gender what] Living, like breathing and all that? Or is it something else?

[THIS IS FASCINATING HE'S TRYING TO WRAP HIS HEAD AROUND IT.]

[and it shall be so; permavid \o/]

[empyrean_mirror]

Breathing, no. Living...well, existential questions aren't really what my degree is in. But she is sentient enough to understand being spoken to, and make basic decisions on her own. If being able to think for yourself counts as living, then yes, I'd say she's just as much alive as your average fox.

Her core originates from an ancient civilization. To this day, we still don't know much about how they achieved what they did. So the extent to which Mehrak is sentient, I can't really tell you. Legally speaking, she only acts within the confines of her programming, though.

[Kaveh did you just--did you just casually admit to breaking the law? KAVEH--]

[ramuhs]

[..."Legally speaking." That's quite the turn of phrase there—

But Cid is listening in rapt attention... Distracted only every so often as he watches Mehrek.]

Ancient civilizations... Now that I look at it, it does remind me of some of the echoes of the Fallen, an ancient civilization in my world. They're special constructs that were capable of moving on their own, but didn't eat or breathe.

[empyrean_mirror]

[What the Mahamatra do not hear him admit in another world is not admissible in a court of law okay.]

King Deshret's civilization left behind many machines and constructs such as the one Mehrak's core came from. It's rare to find intact cores, so when I saw a merchant with one, well, I couldn't quite help myself.

Come to think of it, the ruins of Dahri--ah, old Khaen'riah--also contain a great many machines. Also usually trying to kill you. I've always wondered about the similarities between the two...

[he stops when he realizes he is just rambling on, now.] I beg your pardon, I got off track. The Fallen?

[ramuhs]

No worries, this is actually quite interesting.

But the Fallen were a civilization that managed to create advanced magic technology to the point where they had airships and cities in the skies. However, it is said they sought too much power, and that cause their literal downfall—their creations falling to the surface.

[empyrean_mirror]

Was it some sort of divine retribution, then? Certainly, I'm familiar with stories of that having been the case for many bygone kingdoms, but...

[Well, people really are from different worlds here. It's bewildering...but it's also fascinating. He'll have to ask Aether if it always feels like this.]

[ramuhs]

That the texts are unclear... Though I have my suspicions that rather than "divine" retribution it may have been the jealousy of the so called gods.

[empyrean_mirror]

...I know someone who'd say there's not much of a difference between the two.

[Kaveh's own opinion on the gods and Celestia is something he will keep close to his chest.]

[ramuhs]

Depending on that entity, it's likely quite true. Not that I am much of a believer to begin with.

[Definitely not going to follow the one that tries to pretend to be one, that's for sure. Free will and all that—that's his preference.]

[empyrean_mirror]

Haa. Well, I'm sure the gods themselves differ between worlds, so it's not much of a matter for debate, huh? What's true in one world won't be true in another...

...And it's really not my place to convince someone what to believe in, right?

[ramuhs]

[A light chuckle.]

Very much so.

But it seems we've gotten off topic again.

[empyrean_mirror]

Isn't that just how discussions between scholars go?

[Kaveh shrugs a little bit, unashamed.]

I suppose to track all the way back--Mehrak isn't the same as some other things I've seen summoned. A friend of mine told me about a stuffed animal that throws explosives.

[ramuhs]

A stuffed animal that throws explosives? That's...a bit unusual. And disturbing.

[empyrean_mirror]

Honestly, I've seen worse.

[ramuhs]

Regardless, all these things seem more like objects than living beings.

[empyrean_mirror]

[He does think about this for a moment.]

You may be right. I've heard some stories but I wouldn't be able to confirm if they're anything but rumors.

[ramuhs]

Stories about summoning living creatures?

[empyrean_mirror]

Something like that. But they're largely rumors or old myths...And there's no way for me to confirm them, I'm afraid.

I can't rule them out either, unfortunately, because a distressing amount of myths seem to be true in the end.

[ramuhs]

Myths usually have that little kernel of truth, distorted the details may be.

[He knows that very well himself.]

But no matter. I found all this rather enlightening all the same.

[empyrean_mirror]

I'm glad it was of some use, then. A conversation that's enlightening is never truly wasted, no?

[A pause.]

I'm Kaveh.

[ramuhs]

Cid.

I hope you don't mind if we keep our little discussion and my identity confidential? It will all eventually be known, but I prefer to keep this as secretive as possible.