Though Rita listened with great interest, her eyes were distracted by the cat that came between them. There was the slightest hint of disappointment in her face when it opted to join Lingormr rather than herself.
Never mind the cat. Focus on the topic. Rita looked back up to Lingormr's face, her expression mostly neutral, though she watched with a hint of skepticism at his attitude.
The only other interested person he knew was a 'very bad man'? Rita had to give a small snort to that. "Wouldn't surprise me, considering the possible applications." Off the top of her head, she could picture it being used for deception, spying, assassination, seduction... Rita could think of one old man who'd go to town if he had access to an ability like that. Too bad even the greatest minds in the world hadn't come up with a magical cure for an obnoxious personality.
But on that note, it really was a suspicious field for someone to take so much interest in. Rita had to wonder just what Lingormr wanted to do with it. She watched the man with an appraising look as she considered asking, but she soon decided against it. If it led to an ethics debate, she could miss out on useful information. Best to leave that sort of thing for another time.
"You said before that the talent for magic was something people are born with on your world. About how common is it? Is it a predictably inherited trait?"
He nodded slowly as he stroked the cat's head, though he was watching Rita far more carefully than his attitude implied. "It is perhaps a dangerous line of research because it can easily welcome abuse by those that are... morally flexible. But I also firmly believe that no question ought remain unanswered." He sighed. "I probably should not have mentioned it at all, but I do try to be honest. I sought out the other... practitioner because I wished to have a conversation similar to what we're having now - a collegiate exchange between scholars. What I found forced me to deal with him... permanently." He sighed, allowing his expression to become troubled.
All of it a strange fabrication of lie and truth delivered as a whole truth; it was in line with the character that he was attempting to build.
"The talent for magics is... not terribly common. Most people with any talent at all become shaman. Which is to say that they eschew research in favor of spiritualism. But most talents are quite weak as well. Strong talents are quite rare." He paused for a moment, thinking about his fake, lying parents, and what little he knew of his real father. With great honesty, he could say, "It is most unpredictable trait."
Rita narrowed her eyes when Lingormr alluded to having killed the other scholar. It wasn't necessarily a shock, as Rita had killed a few people herself, and she wouldn't hesitate to take down someone who misused blastia. Though Rita still had to wonder about Lingormr's intentions in choosing such a field, it looked like he had some concerns about ethics... though it remained to be seen just how closely his ideas resembled Rita's.
But then he addressed her question, and the mage returned to taking notes and nodding to show she was following. An unpredictable trait... though Rita had that possibility in her mind when she asked her question, it was unlike any other system of magic she was familiar with.
"That's interesting. While anyone in my world can use magic if they study it, there are some people with unique magic-related traits. They're all hereditary, though. You wouldn't find them springing up in people at random." So how did Lingormr and his people acquire their talents? Recessive traits? Mutations? Environmental influences? It was an interesting question.
As it turned out, she didn't get a chance to pursue that line of thinking. The intercom sounded, informing everyone of the shift change.
"Looks like we're out of time," she observed with a small sigh. As she rose to her feet, Rita regarded Lingormr with a rare amicable expression. "Well, this was productive. If you don't mind, I'd like to talk again in the future. Maybe after we've both had a chance to collect more information."
Loki nodded. "It's possible that there's some heredity involved. There are a few families that have produced more than their fair share of shaman, though the question is always if they've actually got talent or if they're more in it for the spiritual side of things." He shrugged. "Though since being a scholar isn't a favored pursuit, it's difficult to know how things really are distributed. But it does seem that stronger talents seem to be... rather wild. I honestly haven't looked into that particular side of things over much, since it never really occurred to me that there might be a pattern. And I was rather caught up in my own personal interests." He smiled sheepishly.
Loki rose as well, giving the cat one last pat. He bowed politely to Rita. "I greatly enjoyed speaking with you. And I would like it if we could do so again some time soon. It's a relief and a pleasure to speak with another scholar. And I do look forward to seeing some of your equations."
Never mind the cat. Focus on the topic. Rita looked back up to Lingormr's face, her expression mostly neutral, though she watched with a hint of skepticism at his attitude.
The only other interested person he knew was a 'very bad man'? Rita had to give a small snort to that. "Wouldn't surprise me, considering the possible applications." Off the top of her head, she could picture it being used for deception, spying, assassination, seduction... Rita could think of one old man who'd go to town if he had access to an ability like that. Too bad even the greatest minds in the world hadn't come up with a magical cure for an obnoxious personality.
But on that note, it really was a suspicious field for someone to take so much interest in. Rita had to wonder just what Lingormr wanted to do with it. She watched the man with an appraising look as she considered asking, but she soon decided against it. If it led to an ethics debate, she could miss out on useful information. Best to leave that sort of thing for another time.
"You said before that the talent for magic was something people are born with on your world. About how common is it? Is it a predictably inherited trait?"
Reply
All of it a strange fabrication of lie and truth delivered as a whole truth; it was in line with the character that he was attempting to build.
"The talent for magics is... not terribly common. Most people with any talent at all become shaman. Which is to say that they eschew research in favor of spiritualism. But most talents are quite weak as well. Strong talents are quite rare." He paused for a moment, thinking about his fake, lying parents, and what little he knew of his real father. With great honesty, he could say, "It is most unpredictable trait."
Reply
But then he addressed her question, and the mage returned to taking notes and nodding to show she was following. An unpredictable trait... though Rita had that possibility in her mind when she asked her question, it was unlike any other system of magic she was familiar with.
"That's interesting. While anyone in my world can use magic if they study it, there are some people with unique magic-related traits. They're all hereditary, though. You wouldn't find them springing up in people at random." So how did Lingormr and his people acquire their talents? Recessive traits? Mutations? Environmental influences? It was an interesting question.
As it turned out, she didn't get a chance to pursue that line of thinking. The intercom sounded, informing everyone of the shift change.
"Looks like we're out of time," she observed with a small sigh. As she rose to her feet, Rita regarded Lingormr with a rare amicable expression. "Well, this was productive. If you don't mind, I'd like to talk again in the future. Maybe after we've both had a chance to collect more information."
Reply
Loki rose as well, giving the cat one last pat. He bowed politely to Rita. "I greatly enjoyed speaking with you. And I would like it if we could do so again some time soon. It's a relief and a pleasure to speak with another scholar. And I do look forward to seeing some of your equations."
Reply
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