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]

[Oh, uh. ...Damn, what did they call it again?]

Believe a yalm is the equivalent of a "yard" here, which is about 3 feet.

[yuezun]

[A yard. What mortal had a lawn so small that they could cross it in three steps? And why had it became the standard for counting? Such a strange of measuring. But at least he understood that a 'foot' was around the length of a chǐ. And three were half a bù.]

If you are able to recreate the event, you will have to test how far you are able to be summoned from. Less than a... the term here is 'quarter-mile'? is almost without a use.

[ramuhs]

You assume I'd want to be summoned. Farther the distance the better I say.

[yuezun]

This venerable assumes nothing of your wants nor does this venerable one care about them. Yuffie meant to summon a 'big gun' but drew you to her. If the error in her technique which caused that outcome can be recreated, it can be tested to determine how to summon other creatures instead.

[He is unfamiliar with materia or the way summons work, so he's assuming it's a specific ritual or spell or technique which can potentially be adjusted to summon someone or something more suited to the battle it would be called to.]

The further the distance ones allies can be pulled from, the more useful the technique.

[ramuhs]

[...

Okay, he has to give the man some credit. It's a fair concept to think about...personal feelings aside.]

You'd have to ask her, but from what I understand what she has can only summon one thing.

[Unfortunately that thing being "him" at the moment.]

But I'll give you that figuring out the distance would be beneficial for her. At the very least she wouldn't have to waste time if there is a restriction.

[yuezun]

[Battle tactics and logistics were something he was well versed in. One could only succeed if they knew the limitations of the resources they had and how to use them to their fullest ability.

The phrasing of Ramuhs reply gave him pause, however. If she intended to summon one thing, but had clearly summoned him on accident, then she should be able to summon more than one thing and as such, it could be tested. The statement that she could only summon one thing implied that Ramuhs felt she had not actually made a mistake in her method and he was, for some reason, the one thing she could summon.

Interesting.

It also meant that Yuffie was the better one to continue this line of investigation with.]

Then you are willing to serve under her in battle should the need arise?

[ramuhs]

[RIP Yuffie.]

If she needed my abilities, of course. I'm not so coldhearted to leave someone if they're in trouble.

But if she, or anyone else, summons me to mess around, then I'd leave.

[He's nice. But not that nice.

...

That said if said whim was actually entertaining or interesting he'd still stick around, but still. Boundaries!! He wants to set them!!!]

[yuezun]

[Dongfang was coldhearted enough to. But he also wasn't at risk of being dragged somewhere without his consent.

...well, other than having been dragged to this world from his own. But not within this world now that he's already here.]

What are your capabilities?

[ramuhs]

Put simply, lightning magic.

But I am a Dominant, which means I am a vessel that holds and has access to the powers of Ramuh, Eikon of Thunder. And Eikons are godlike entities in terms of power and scale.

[yuezun]

[He is visibly more interested even if his tone of voice does not change in the slightest.]

You are the vessel of a god?

[ramuhs]

Something like that.

[Even his words sound less enthused.]

But before you have any grand ideas, my powers are considerably more limited.

[yuezun]

As are this venerable one's. To what extent this venerable one is not yet certain.

[His expression opened and though he did not smile, he looked far kinder than he had until now.]

This venerable one would face you in spar to test these limits, Dominant of Ramuh, Eikon of Thunder. As a vessel of a god, your power is likely to be closer to this venerable one's than anyone who cannot claim to be a god or the holder of a god's power.

[ramuhs]

[...Hmmm. He's noting the difference, and as...stiff as this guy has been. Although it's all going out the window when he asks to spar—]

Didn't I just say not to have grand ideas?

[A small sigh.]

While I won't mind sparring, I doubt in my current state I'd be as strong as you think.

[This is the one time Cid will think too bad Barnabas isn't here—]

[yuezun]

This venerable one does not see the need to know what is or is not possible as a 'grand idea'. It is necessary. If this venerable one does not know what limitations have been placed on his power, he cannot make accurate decisions. Be it in the heart of battle or otherwise.

[His brows creased in a frown as this was a very real problem for him.]

Testing these limits is.... difficult. Mortals are far too fragile. It is possible you may not be.

[ramuhs]

Oh no, I am very mortal.

[Very very mortal.

...]

You said your powers are on par to a god in your world? What are you then?

[yuezun]

Gods are what the immortals of Shuiyuntian are called. This venerable one is Dongfang Qingcang, Moon Supreme of the Moon Tribe and most powerful being in the Three Realms. The eternal enemy and killer of gods.

[He tilted his head in consideration.]

Mortals would not understand the difference. To them, this venerable one is also a god.

[His tone did not change and he stated all of it the way one might comment on the weather.]

[ramuhs]

[...Boy. 1) That is quite the title and 2) eternal enemy and killer of gods. Somehow, and perhaps because of the delivery, all those titles are more amusing to him. Again, the one time he's going to wish Barnabas was around. They can fight each other and he'll root for Dongfang—]

You say you are a killer of gods. That already begs a lot of questions, but first of all: how do you treat mortals then?

[He may be a little skeptical, too, but he'll give the guy the benefit of the doubt. He certainly behaves not quite...normal.]

[yuezun]

[He shrugged.]

They are mortals. Until coming here, they have been largely beneath this venerable one's notice. This venerable one has not had reason to interfere in their lives since he conquered Yunmengze, the Mortal Realm of the Three Realms, more than thirty-thousand years ago.

[Daqiang's lips finally lifted in the ghost of a smile.]

Some of the mortals this venerable one has met since his arrival have proven very interesting. When this venerable one met Yuffie, Yuffie introduced this venerable one to a food called 'da-chao beans' that this venerable one found to be more satisfying than many other mortal foods he has tried.

[ramuhs]

[...All right. Aside from his funny way of talking, he doesn't seem so bad. With having rather not so great experiences with the so called god of his world, he can't help but be wary of any actual ones. But so far he seems more hands off, which is a plus.]

And why did you kill other gods? I'm presuming there must have been a fair number of them.

[All these realms and all.]

[yuezun]

[Que instant transformation from quietly happy to coldly hateful.]

The immortals of Shuiyuntian have oppressed Cangyanhai and the Moon Tribe for hundreds of thousands of years. They chased our ancestors when the first of the Moon Tribe left the Celestial Heavens and crossed the Memory Loss river upon being betrayed by her immortal lover. They have taken our homes, claimed our lands, slaughtered our children, and named us criminals for not accepting their condemnation of us after Yannv was betrayed. The hatred of the Moon Tribe will not be avenged until every last god in Shuiyuntian has been slain, their leaders skins carved off to make lanterns of them, and their primordial spirits burned to ash that they may never reincarnate again.

[Delivered in that, you guessed it, coldly bored tone.]

[ramuhs]

[...

Just a low whistle on his end, which fortunately Dongfang can't hear. He wasn't sure what to expect, but it wasn't that... And hearing it all, he can at least understand a little more.

Of course, it's just his side, so he can't make a judgment either way. Nor is he one to really make a judgment—just as his own motives are, Cid was essentially taking the role of villain to achieve his own goals.

Regardless there's one thing he can take away from this: don't ever get on this man's bad side.]

And so you took it upon yourself to exact that vengeance. But while I understand your motivations, you do realize that will only perpetuate a cycle, where they see you as the same evil and someone else will do the same to you and your people.

[yuezun]

You are unfamiliar with the truth of this conflict. You assume that this venerable one 'took it upon himself' to exact vengeance. This venerable one exists to be the ruler and weapon of his people. The sword at the front of their army. A monster capable of doing whatever must be done. Because nothing less could protect them. He was forged in Hellfire for this purpose and this purpose alone. If this venerable one had not been able to achieve what he has, his people would no longer exist. The armies of Shuiyuntian would have wiped them out to the last child at a time that this venerable one's voice had not yet cracked with the first sound of the adult he would become.

There is no cycle to perpetuate, Dominant of Ramuh, Eikon of Thunder. Shuiyuntian saw us as evil the moment Yannv chose to lead our ancestors across the Memory Loss River and they have sought our destruction in every millennia since.

[ramuhs]

[...Whoo. This is certainly quite a lot. Not that he really intended to learn this fellow's life story, especially on their first conversation. So he taps his finger against the desk, weighing his options. Part of him is saying he should stay far, far away from this guy.

And then the other part of him, that meddlesome part, thinks otherwise.

Why are immortals so complicated—]

I'll say this is a lot more than I can fully comprehend, but at the very least I can understand your position. An unfortunate one, given the circumstances.

[yuezun]

[He frowned, the cold hatred bleeding into confusion.]

How is this venerable one's position unfortunate?

[ramuhs]

Mostly because of what happened to your people. Were it not for that, there would have been no need for you become such a force to protect them. Fights and wars would still arise, of course, but this sounds to be of a larger scale that is difficult to comprehend.

[Though he also thinks Dongfang a bit unfortunate, but he also doesn't know everything or how he feels about it. So he won't say anything.]