01: video

[baldrshand]

Hello all! For those of you who haven't yet met me, I'm Ethlyn.

I've started working in one of the clinics here, and it's both familiar and not... and it's become clear to me that the places we all come from are far more different than I could have imagined.

So I'd like to ask you about how medicine is in your homelands. Where I'm from, we use magic to heal wounds cleanly and quickly, but we don't always know what causes illness and infirmity. How are things for you--do you use magic to heal, or do you have to rely on technique?

As well as that--who else is a healer themselves? (And: can you ride?)

Comments

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[fatalism]

how skilled of a healer are you?

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[baldrshand]

Very skilled--if I say so myself.

Are you in need of a healer now?

[fatalism]

I am not, but thank you for the concern. It does happen to be the case that I have a delicate constitution so knowing a healer is beneficial.

[ half true, half lie ]

[baldrshand]

I see, that's good to know. When you are in need of help, feel free to call on me.

What's your name?

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[starguy]

Hey there, Ethyln! That's cool that you've been helping out. I'm Peter, nice to meetcha.

[ He waves into the 'camera'. ]

Healing magic is pretty rare where I'm from. It's enough that people who can heal tend to attract, uh, a lot of followers.

[ And maybe a whole Unification Church to go with it. But he digresses, ]

Mostly we use technology! Like shots and med-sprays and whatever else. You... probably don't know what that means, so: we usually know the cause of what's making somebody sick, and target that directly. Unless it's like, an injury -- med-spray just covers the wound and numbs a bit of the pain while the body does the rest.

Re: video

[baldrshand]

...Followers? That sounds a little ominous.

[HOPEFULLY IT ISN'T

She smiles a little at his description, even though it sounds wildly different than what she's used to.]

To me, 'shots' makes me think of shooting an arrow full of medicine into someone--but I'm sure it must mean something else. [She looks thoughtful.] That's very interesting, it's almost the opposite of what we do. Healing physical injuries is easier, in a sense, because it can be very clear what the problem is. How do your people figure out the cause of an illness?

[starguy]

Hah, yeah... it was kinda bad. People were real down after the War, so they kinda went overboard.

[ He laughs it off though. Let's not get into that. ]

Oh, yeah! They're like. Vaccines with needles. We call 'em shots cause they hurt when you get poked.

[ Even in space... you gotta get your shots. ]

I'm no doctor so I don't know the details, but I think scientists try out a bunch of different medicines and microbes or whatever until they find something that kills the disease. But that's because they get down to like, microscope level, you know?

[ Something tells him she does not, in fact, know... ]

[baldrshand]

...I can imagine.

[After a war... yes, Ethlyn can imagine how a powerful healer with lacking morals could take advantage of that.]

Ah--so you inject medicine into people! More like a spider than an archer, then. [She's never heard the word microscope, but she thinks she can pull it apart a little to have a good guess.] And a microscope is a device for looking at very small things?

[Jugdral has telescopes, so microscopes must also be for looking, yes?]

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[twelfthsong]

That depends on the worl, the species and time. Some have more sophisticated means of technology and eradicated certain diseases that ran rampant. Some species simply do not experience sickness at all.

There's no magic generally involved though. Not like how you're describing.

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[baldrshand]

I realize that traveling from one world to another isn't as far-fetched as I thought. Please tell me that it isn't so easy to move through time.

[if she were speaking aloud, she'd make an effort to sound like she was joking, but uh. time too??]

Is it really possible for there to be creatures who don't know any sickness? Even plants can become ill and rot.

[twelfthsong]

Easy is rather relative. If you want to start talking about time as a passage of time in the mind instead of physically, it can get rather complicated. Physically through time is more straight forward if you have the right tools. Like a ship.

[ Time too!! ]

Universes and worlds are infinite. Why wouldn't it be a possibility?

[baldrshand]

I can conceive of worlds being infinite. I don't believe anyone has made a full count of the stars in the sky, and if each is a world like ours... I suppose there are forms of life capable of doing things human beings never could.

It sounds extremely complicated. Would this ship be something like a sailing ship, or more like a "tin can with wings?"

[a certain someone described airplanes like that recently]

[thornygunner]

You work in the clinics? What's that like?

As for the medicines available where I'm from, there are gels that heal in battle or can replenish your energy pool for recovery artes. However, most of my healing is done with those. I mean, there are also life bottles and panacea bottles. Having the items does mean that if I'm in the middle of an attack that someone can heal themselves if they need to in the heat of battle.

What do you mean "can you ride"? Ride what?

[baldrshand]

I find it--this may sound odd--relaxing. It's familiar work that I know hot to do well. And it's satisfying to be able to send people home feeling better than when they came in. People here do a lot of hard work, so there are plenty of sprains, cuts, and bruises to deal with.

Ah... people where I'm from have been trying to figure out how to reliably get healing magic into a bottle. The alchemists are close, but they aren't there quite yet. It must be reassuring to have those to hand when you're in the midst of combat.

[aka: fire emblem 4 has no vulneraries.]

Ride a horse. [...] Is this another thing that I think is everyday that isn't?

[thornygunner]

I do most of the healing in my group as we travel. Only myself and my fellow Renan have the ability to do so, but the items are useful. I'm not sure when they were made, but every seller has them available.

[Time to level up, Ethlyn. Come to the Tales universe.]

You ride horses? We...don't do that back home.

[baldrshand]

Ah, so you have a group of compatriots. Are they much trouble to keep in one piece?

[WELL FIRE EMBLEM IS ANIME ENOUGH TO MAKE THE CROSS]

How do you get from place to place, then? I'm assuming you have a way besides your own two feet.

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[crybabyhero]

[Takemichi's tight frown stems from a strange discomfort toward the subject matter, clearly evidenced by the way he shifts in his seat.]

Talking about magic at all is pretty crazy where I'm from. You're only gonna see that on tv or in comics.

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[baldrshand]

[tv or comics... uh...]

Do you mean that it's a matter of storytelling, rather than something people really use?

[crybabyhero]

Yeah, I mean it's all made up! All of it! [He wiggles his fingers in the air around his face in a poor attempt to illustrate magic in its entirety.] If you're hurting, all you've got is spit, pills, and slicing people open.

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[usarinpa]

[ Mizuki's no doctor, nor an expert on the subject, though the question at the tail end seems to entice her to respond anyway. ]

I've got a bike back home, if that's what you mean.

[ Ride what? ]

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[baldrshand]

A bike? What's that?

[usarinpa]

It's—

[ Wait, she doesn't know what a bike is? Well, to be fair, magic isn't a thing back on Earth either... ]

Uh, there are different kinds, actually, but the general idea is that it comes on two wheels, with a seat where you can sit, and handles so that you can steer. There are some you have to pedal, but mine was motorized and could go really fast.

It was a great way to get around.

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[wishupona]

That's a really good question. Hi Ethlyn!

[Best believe she'll be curious how everyone else answers this.]

My world uses a mixture of medicine and magic. But most people rely more on medicine and science, because not everyone can use magic.

[A pause, as if she's feeling something out. Probably for the first time since she's arrived.]

I guess you could call me a healer? I've access to healing anyway.

[And then finally, with quite a lot of enthusiasm.]

I'm not the most experienced rider, but I've ridden a little. On horseback, right? I haven't had a lot of chances to ride, but I'd love to! Horses are beautiful!

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[baldrshand]

Hello, Rinoa!

It sounds like medicine has advanced very far on some other worlds--maybe farther than magic could get, in some ways. But when you say you've had access to healing, what do you mean? Did you use tools like a healing staff?

[She grins at Rinoa's enthusiasm for the final question.]

Yes, on horseback--there are plenty of horses here if you would like to practice. You might have to do some odd jobs to earn the loan of one, but it's worth it in my opinion. They really are wonderful animals.

Re: Video

[wishupona]

No. It's not done with a staff. It's just done with... magic? That comes from within I guess? I just have to think it, basically.

[She's probably not the best at explaining this, but how do you explain GF's and junctioning to someone who's never heard of either? Especially when you, yourself personally, don't actually have to use a GF to use magic. Because it's just what she is now. Magic.

But yes. Horses. Horses are so cool.]

I want to learn! [And it shows, she's practically glowing, about ready to wiggle off screen with her enthusiasm.] I've gotten pretty good at doing odd jobs. Helping around shops, hunting beasts, or whatever. I'm working on becoming extra tough too!