(no subject)

[sythyry]

Levande [4 Lage 4261]

Me:"What sort of 'what do we do?' do you mean?"

Levande:"How do we take care of Thery? I, personally, see three questions. First, what sorts of help are medically possible? Second, how much will it cost, or how do we otherwise acquire it? Third, how do we persuade Thery to accept it?"

Me:"First, I have no idea. Second, more than I can afford. Third ... I can try. It might work better coming from me than from you, after what you did sponsoring her at the Academy."

Levande:"That was a mistake, yes. But I think you might have some better contacts than I do on the first."

Me:"Who?"

Levande:"Glikkonen."

Well, of course. Everyone seems to want to use me to get to Glikkonen, eventually.

This is understandable, I suppose. Glikkonen is famous ... Glikkonen is downright legendary. Glikkonen is a first-created Zi Ri, over four thousand years old. Glikkonen invented a goodly bit of magic, some of it still used today. Glikkonen can make city walls, or terrible devices used in the Holocaust Wars, or the more subtle ones used to clean up after the Holocaust Wars.

And of course Glikkonen gets tricked and manipulated now and then, in ways that other wizards are sometimes too canny for. Zie's immune to flattery, but zie's a sucker for a plausible story about doing good, sometimes.

But zie's a bit standoffish now and then. Not quite reclusive, but apt to put off strangers for a year or two unless they catch zir at just the right moment. But zie generally has time for friends and relations.

Now, I have spent more time with Glikkonen than most people ever will. Zie knows me by sight, and zie replies to my letters ... or at least zie did when the letters were "HlLlLLo Grandparrt!" scribbled with a stick of charcoal on a sheet of paper that had previously been used to wrap some books my ~mother~ had bought. I don't write to zir all that often anymore -- three times since I started school, I think -- or as enthusiastically, though I try to be a bit more literate. Zie hasn't answered my last letter, though likely zie hasn't gotten it yet. Zie lives underground at Drchmaer much of the time, and only stops by settled places to check mail every month or so.

So I certainly understand why people think I have a quick powerful conduit to Glikkonen. Compared to most people, I do. I imagine that in a thousand years, if I'm generally sensible and cooperative to zir in the meantime, I'll actually be able to call zir up and ask for the occasional favor.

But now ... no, not really. I might get zir attention if it was my life at risk. But Rassimel die all the time, even pregnant ones, even ones that Zi Ri care about. You can't expect Glikkonen to intervene all the time.

Me:"Unlikely. Zie's not at my beck and call."

Levande said various unhappy things which I will not record. She even accused me of not being mighty and powerful. I pointed out that I am not, in fact, mighty and powerful: that I am younger than she is, and, while of honorable and important lineage, my family's power is sorcerous not political or financial, and that takes time to develop.

Levande:(Eventually accepting my point) "Well, what can we do?"

Me:"Um ... talk to Thery's healers and see what our choices are, if money were not an object?"

Levande:"Compared with tracking down an immortal wizard and demanding favors that we cannot repay? Bah, far too simple a plan."

So we tried. Rather, Levande asked her factotum to make all appropriate inquiries and get us an appointment with whoever the right healer is.

And I never did get to ask her questions about copulating with counts. Just as well, really. I was rattled enough that she'd probably think I was making a pass at her.

Comments

[yotogi.livejournal.com]

So, do these favors come in perpetuity if you're immortal? I'd probably be more liberal in handing them out if I knew I could always just come collecting from the next of kin.

[striderhlc.livejournal.com]

I'm not so sure about that. I mean, unless you really went out of your way to impress it upon someone that you may take your favor from their next of kin, I suppose it could be effective for a couple generations... But on the other hand, a couple of generations later, it may be that their descendants are just as likely to squint and say "Wait, you did what for who?"

And that's if you can even track them down, which may prove after surnames have changed through marriage and your existing contacts have died or grown senile.

- HC

[yotogi.livejournal.com]

I reckon if I'm a wizard that invented large parts of the magic system currently in use, and I live forever, if I decided to take my favor from your grandkids, there's probably not much they're going to be able to do about it.

[brennabat.livejournal.com]

I am rather curious as to the strength of memory such immortals possess. If I take you, O Zi Ri, as an example of basic Zi Ri memory I think I can safely say that it does appear quite similar to that of non-immortal Primes. This does make me wonder if Zi Ri of considerable duration are forced to master a face of exceptional knowing with, of course, no idea of what the other speaks. Social encounters may be rife with commentary on activities you have long since forgotten, and of course consulting a history book on something you yourself did would be mighty embarrassing. You would also never quite know if the adventurer with the oversized sword and clashing armor storming up to you is a) a hero on a most noble quest which you, alone (again), can help, b) a hero out to slay you for destroying whats-its-name the village over in where ever from back when you did that thing -- whatever it was c) a random stranger or d) a fashondysaster, a monster you created while in hundred year slump. Immortality seems mighty troublesome indeed!

Early mastery of knowledgeable facade may be to your advantage Sythyry! Cryptic commentary such as, "Of course, it could be no other way," and, "Ah, the time has finally come," may intimidate and confuse all who oppose you! People may make their own connections -- connections to your connections. Or they may think you are putting on airs.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Glikkonen's choice of a perpetual journal-book as zir chief present to me should, I think, be a full and complete answer to your question.

[yotogi.livejournal.com]

Airs, check.

A thought

[greenreaper.livejournal.com]

Just hope zie's not the sort to make a book that would make a copy of everything you write in it somewhere else - say, in another book zie reads for a giggle now and then. ;-)

[brennabat.livejournal.com]

Now you know that makes me wonder if there's a Glikkonen's Journal out there somewhere. I imagine its readership would be more more restricted. Gods perhaps, with their little godicons, posting the sort of remarks gods post, writing in their fantabulous choice of most interesting divine fonts. Them, or perhaps other beings of power. Or very careful beings of non-power. You never know when a bad remark might invoke some sort of wrath, and being quite powerless and such would become a distinct point of trouble.

Hm. I do suppose you will become that powerful in time. Luckily I will be dead by then! Eh, hm, I suppose there's always finding my reincarnation. Have I mentioned how FABULOUS your feathers are? They really are. Oh and say hi to Glikkonen for me -- tell him he looks fabulous too and, ah, my education can be considered a VERY good and VERY noble cause.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

I can only imagine the flame-wars in such journals.

(Actually, Glikkonen says that the extradimensional readership is a small design flaw of this journal.)

[yotogi.livejournal.com]

For some reason all I can think of when I try to imagine a Flokin post is

OMG NERF KVARSE

[niss-the-ai.livejournal.com]

(Laughs) Ah, the fonts of wisdom!

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

And then who knows, maybe Glikkonen is bored with ineffable stuff and ready to get zir hands dirty with a little meddling in mortal lives. Of course the consequences of such meddling might not be easy to explain.

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

You have to wonder what 'small design flaws' Thery's baby might have if zie got zir claws into her.