"As you know I had been experimenting on myself with an apparently unstable magical object. At the time my body was shutting down from my bones to muscles and internal organs and showing up as me coughing up pieces of my lungs specifically. In an effort to artificially extend my life, I was experimenting on my own body. I did not intend for it to affect anyone else but my research assistant was absorbed by said magical object and died in a most horrific way."
Viktor was so consumed by the guilt, he very seriously considered taking his own life.
"By the time I made my way to Folkmore I had already been experimenting on myself for some time. I was then unable to walk without the assistance of a crutch and had roughly four months left to live. That was the reason for the complete body replacement. It was ordinarily not something I would have thought was possible but I did come into contact with a god that was able to do it."
Now Viktor did grimace a little bit.
"But while it did have an effect on what showed in my hand, in hindsight I can see that it would have had no effect on my aether."
And Viktor now felt very foolish not to have counted on that.
"I should have realized what was happening when I was still able to use the sort of magic that I had been using whenever it would consume more of my aether, but I will fully admit that I've been frustrated by my lack of ability to be useful in any sort of fight. During the last Trial specifically, there were times when I could do so little with the sort of magic that I had been using and I..."
Here he faltered a bit but knew that he was going to have to explain this whether he wanted to or not.
"...I used the magic that I had been using to cause harm. To actively hurt something. At that moment my hand changed into what you are now seeing."
Most of it is what he already knows though he does not mind the mental refresher on Viktor's current situation and what brought him to it. What had happened since the last time he had seen the man, though, is all new to him and some of it...
Hmm.
Hythlodaeus shakes his head and brings his hand up to distractedly toy with the end of his braid as he thinks it all through.
"Magic is magic. It's neither good or bad in and of itself. How you decided to use it shouldn't have caused this kind of acceleration." The concept of all things being in balance is not strange to Hythlodaeus. He knows it well, but does not see how this could be an expression of it.
"Just how powerful is the magic you were using? If you can describe it."
Aether regenerates in time, but he already knows that Viktor's is being drawn out of him by something that he has no doubt someone like Emet-Selch would understand with far more ease than he could.
"Powerful enough that it initially caused a mutation in unhealthy cells."
Viktor's expression was haunted while explaining that.
"Based on what you said and my own experience of mutation and a mutation-caused magic, I have developed a theory for what I have been thinking of as magic."
His expression was pained now.
"I think it's not magic at all. I believe that because it is so limited in capability, what is actually happening is my aether is being consumed and the byproduct is what I have been using.
Since intentions are a form of magic in the world I come from it would be logical that my intentions were somehow connected to my aether."
If that is the case, Viktor isn't sure how he would be careful with his emotions. Or which emotions could full which intentions for that matter.
He can think of a few people off the top of his head who would be utterly fascinated with what is happening to Viktor. Hythlodaeus is, unfortunately, not one of them... though he has a personal stake in this now and can't simply walk away from it as if he doesn't care about what happens to someone he has begun to view as a friend.
"I see, I see." Yes, that does make sense. It would be a mistake to believe that he could judge all of this based only on his own understanding of magic. What Viktor says sounds something akin to creation magic, however, so it's not too difficult for him to adjust his thinking.
For a few long moments he's quiet, then he huffs out a soft breath.
"So, do you have an idea of what you're going to do next?"
It's better to think about it as the opposite of creation magic; un-magic. While Viktor does have some mutation that has started to change him, what is really happening is that the black hole that is consuming his aether is consuming everything from magic to organic material, which is why his hand is showing physical changes. Though he doesn't know it the Familiar bond he has created before this happened is helping to slow down the loss of his aether too.
"I don't know. I don't know of a way that would undo the loss that has already happened."
Though it would always be there and was the topic of this conversation Viktor put the black glove back over his hand.
"The problem has always seemed that you were losing your... 'life force', so to speak, more quickly than your body is able to regenerate it."
Aether not being a finite resource, though certainly having its limits... Hythlodaeus can still admit he's never seen anything quite like Viktor's problem before. He lapses into thought again, a crease forming in his brow as he frowns and thinks...
"And you can't keep relying on me to top you off, as happy as I am to do it."
A more permanent solution would be better, but it seems that whatever Viktor did to himself it's attached to his very being, not just the body he occupies. The researchers at Anyder would really have a field day with this.
Viktor took a moment to make certain the glove was snug on every finger as he thought over what Hythlodaeus said. Faster than his body could regenerate it...
"What if another body was linked to my 'life force', or my aether as you put it?"
Viktor wasn't sure where he was going with this line of thought, but the Familiar bond that he had created being linked to his own aether made as much sense as so much did here in Folmore.
He thinks about it, tilting his head slightly to one side and curling one finger against his chin. Viktor might not be sure where he's going with that line of thought but Hythlodaeus can see it.
"It could potentially balance you out, at least temporarily..." But... "But it could be dangerous in the long term, for you and for them. You'd need to be careful." He pauses, then makes a small gesture with one hand.
"Of course, I can only speculate based on my own knowledge."
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2023-06-26 08:01 pm (UTC)"As you know I had been experimenting on myself with an apparently unstable magical object. At the time my body was shutting down from my bones to muscles and internal organs and showing up as me coughing up pieces of my lungs specifically. In an effort to artificially extend my life, I was experimenting on my own body. I did not intend for it to affect anyone else but my research assistant was absorbed by said magical object and died in a most horrific way."
Viktor was so consumed by the guilt, he very seriously considered taking his own life.
"By the time I made my way to Folkmore I had already been experimenting on myself for some time. I was then unable to walk without the assistance of a crutch and had roughly four months left to live. That was the reason for the complete body replacement. It was ordinarily not something I would have thought was possible but I did come into contact with a god that was able to do it."
Now Viktor did grimace a little bit.
"But while it did have an effect on what showed in my hand, in hindsight I can see that it would have had no effect on my aether."
And Viktor now felt very foolish not to have counted on that.
"I should have realized what was happening when I was still able to use the sort of magic that I had been using whenever it would consume more of my aether, but I will fully admit that I've been frustrated by my lack of ability to be useful in any sort of fight. During the last Trial specifically, there were times when I could do so little with the sort of magic that I had been using and I..."
Here he faltered a bit but knew that he was going to have to explain this whether he wanted to or not.
"...I used the magic that I had been using to cause harm. To actively hurt something. At that moment my hand changed into what you are now seeing."
no subject
Date: 2023-06-29 06:53 pm (UTC)Hmm.
Hythlodaeus shakes his head and brings his hand up to distractedly toy with the end of his braid as he thinks it all through.
"Magic is magic. It's neither good or bad in and of itself. How you decided to use it shouldn't have caused this kind of acceleration." The concept of all things being in balance is not strange to Hythlodaeus. He knows it well, but does not see how this could be an expression of it.
"Just how powerful is the magic you were using? If you can describe it."
Aether regenerates in time, but he already knows that Viktor's is being drawn out of him by something that he has no doubt someone like Emet-Selch would understand with far more ease than he could.
no subject
Date: 2023-06-30 04:51 pm (UTC)Viktor's expression was haunted while explaining that.
"Based on what you said and my own experience of mutation and a mutation-caused magic, I have developed a theory for what I have been thinking of as magic."
His expression was pained now.
"I think it's not magic at all. I believe that because it is so limited in capability, what is actually happening is my aether is being consumed and the byproduct is what I have been using.
Since intentions are a form of magic in the world I come from it would be logical that my intentions were somehow connected to my aether."
If that is the case, Viktor isn't sure how he would be careful with his emotions. Or which emotions could full which intentions for that matter.
no subject
Date: 2023-07-03 09:29 pm (UTC)"I see, I see." Yes, that does make sense. It would be a mistake to believe that he could judge all of this based only on his own understanding of magic. What Viktor says sounds something akin to creation magic, however, so it's not too difficult for him to adjust his thinking.
For a few long moments he's quiet, then he huffs out a soft breath.
"So, do you have an idea of what you're going to do next?"
no subject
Date: 2023-07-04 06:46 pm (UTC)"I don't know. I don't know of a way that would undo the loss that has already happened."
Though it would always be there and was the topic of this conversation Viktor put the black glove back over his hand.
no subject
Date: 2023-07-09 10:00 pm (UTC)Aether not being a finite resource, though certainly having its limits... Hythlodaeus can still admit he's never seen anything quite like Viktor's problem before. He lapses into thought again, a crease forming in his brow as he frowns and thinks...
"And you can't keep relying on me to top you off, as happy as I am to do it."
A more permanent solution would be better, but it seems that whatever Viktor did to himself it's attached to his very being, not just the body he occupies. The researchers at Anyder would really have a field day with this.
"I suppose no one else has any ideas, either..."
no subject
Date: 2023-07-14 08:13 pm (UTC)"What if another body was linked to my 'life force', or my aether as you put it?"
Viktor wasn't sure where he was going with this line of thought, but the Familiar bond that he had created being linked to his own aether made as much sense as so much did here in Folmore.
no subject
Date: 2023-07-17 07:39 pm (UTC)He thinks about it, tilting his head slightly to one side and curling one finger against his chin. Viktor might not be sure where he's going with that line of thought but Hythlodaeus can see it.
"It could potentially balance you out, at least temporarily..." But... "But it could be dangerous in the long term, for you and for them. You'd need to be careful." He pauses, then makes a small gesture with one hand.
"Of course, I can only speculate based on my own knowledge."