[despite their previous disagreement, Skulduggery feels a BIG MOOD over Pal's first text. in the end, they can both agree that MIND-WIPING IS NOT A SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEMS.]
Big yikes, indeed. I don't know what he was thinking. OBVIOUSLY, neither does he! 🙄
The necromancer angle still holds water, I agree. We know that he's from Earth, but that only limits the various cults he might belong to. Not mine, certainly. Darlington is from an Earth with magic, so he may be a good resource. There aren't many magically-oriented Earths present, however, so we may be limited in that respect.
Hmm... Best not to be hasty and give him something that may make the situation worse. Although of course, now I'm interested to know what sort of process it would entail. And would it work even if we don't know what the Captain is? Definitely something to keep in mind; let me know if you need my help, whatever it amounts to.
Ah. In this case, I mean more-or-less that, if we're faced with an impossible situation where death is the only safe outcome -- as opposed to, say, torture on the atomic level -- then we should plan to take as much of the suffering out of the equation as possible. I wouldn't suggest we simply turn each other over for wanton destruction. Although, as Natsuno has so helpfully pointed out, there are certainly people aboard who delight in the murder and mayhem. Mmm. It's a tricky position.
[he's thinking about Max, obviously. His favorite friend who loves murdering people with guns. AND SPEAKING OF MAX --]
AH! I just remembered something I need to tell you. Two things, actually.
1) Venti managed to retrieve a star map from Jinx, which was gained when earlier passengers got aboard Jenny's ship. I know your talents lie with reading objects -- would you like to take a look?
2) I learned recently that the Captain has referred to the ship as an "astral chamber." This means very little to me, except that it's like learning which of the fifteen castles in the vicinity is housing the evil lair. Maybe it means something to you?
[Up until now, Palamedes has been hesitant to tell anyone what he discovered at Canaan House, but now he has begun to wonder if what he learned there might be relevant to Captain, and may even be used as a bargaining chip. The idea has stuck, and he can’t quite let it go.]
I know a theorem, or part of a theorem, for becoming what we call a Lyctor. Lyctors are necromancers of almost unlimited power; the first necromancers to ascend did so nearly 10,000 years ago; they founded the Houses and have served the King Undying since.
As in the Captain’s case, maintaining that power requires a sacrifice. But there is a key difference: where the Captain continually requires new souls, the Lyctorhood theorem allows one to absorb the thanergy of a soul—its power—without consuming it. That single soul becomes a sort of well one can return to again and again.
I tell you all of this in confidence. I have qualms about this theorem, to say the least. It’s inefficient and purposefully cruel, and I fear it has caused nothing but harm to my world. There’s an alternative path to Lyctorhood; before I arrived here, I was so close to figuring it out that I could taste it.
Perhaps Lyctorhood will be irrelevant to the Captain. Perhaps, as you note, he is far too different a sort of necromancer for it to have any effect on him. I certainly have no intention of handing him the formula for one of the greatest sources of power I know of without additional study. But it is the closest thing to apotheosis that I have heard of, and for that reason it may be a bargaining chip we can use if necessary.
First, though, I need to see if I can recreate my notes. I may need your advice. Consulting Darlington is an excellent suggestion, and I suspect Colonel Curtis might be able to contribute as well.
[And now for the rest; wow, these texts just keep getting longer and longer]
RE: the possibility of necessary death: forgive my misunderstanding. In that case, I am inclined to agree with your assessment. I suspect the time may come when each one of us will have to decide for ourselves if we prefer to die, and potentially return whole, or if we prefer the kind of suffering you describe to the potentiality of ceasing to exist.
Interestingly, Venti mentioned such a star chart to me once! But I am afraid he was never able to retrieve it for me. I would be happy to examine it.
I’m afraid that astral chamber means nothing to me, but perhaps it would be worth examining the books aboard for references to such a thing? Given the Captain’s penchant for recreating stories, the novels aboard are turning out to be a better source of information than I had initially suspected.
You have my word that I will not share any of this information. Frankly, I wouldn't have the vocabulary necessary to truly explain it, and I don't trust spells that are designed to bring about unlimited (or near-enough) power. Too many things can go wrong, even when you know what you're doing, and with something as complicated as necromancy, where other people's lives are by necessity involved...
That said, if it isn't one of the many ascension rituals he's said to have tried, he'll likely want to give it a try. Best if we keep that one under our hats until you're certain you have something a bit less... awful.
I'll make sure to bring it to you soon. Jinx... drew on the back of it, and Venti implied she would want it back, so... temporary access, I suppose.
Yet another trip to the library. Whoopee. đź’€
[HE'S JUST PLAYING, the library is great! But yeah, there's a lot of fiction and he is getting a little tired of it all.]
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Big yikes, indeed. I don't know what he was thinking. OBVIOUSLY, neither does he! 🙄
[he's thinking about Max, obviously. His favorite friend who loves murdering people with guns. AND SPEAKING OF MAX --]The necromancer angle still holds water, I agree. We know that he's from Earth, but that only limits the various cults he might belong to. Not mine, certainly. Darlington is from an Earth with magic, so he may be a good resource. There aren't many magically-oriented Earths present, however, so we may be limited in that respect.
Hmm... Best not to be hasty and give him something that may make the situation worse. Although of course, now I'm interested to know what sort of process it would entail. And would it work even if we don't know what the Captain is? Definitely something to keep in mind; let me know if you need my help, whatever it amounts to.
Ah. In this case, I mean more-or-less that, if we're faced with an impossible situation where death is the only safe outcome -- as opposed to, say, torture on the atomic level -- then we should plan to take as much of the suffering out of the equation as possible. I wouldn't suggest we simply turn each other over for wanton destruction. Although, as Natsuno has so helpfully pointed out, there are certainly people aboard who delight in the murder and mayhem. Mmm. It's a tricky position.
AH! I just remembered something I need to tell you. Two things, actually.
1) Venti managed to retrieve a star map from Jinx, which was gained when earlier passengers got aboard Jenny's ship. I know your talents lie with reading objects -- would you like to take a look?
2) I learned recently that the Captain has referred to the ship as an "astral chamber." This means very little to me, except that it's like learning which of the fifteen castles in the vicinity is housing the evil lair. Maybe it means something to you?
no subject
I know a theorem, or part of a theorem, for becoming what we call a Lyctor. Lyctors are necromancers of almost unlimited power; the first necromancers to ascend did so nearly 10,000 years ago; they founded the Houses and have served the King Undying since.
As in the Captain’s case, maintaining that power requires a sacrifice. But there is a key difference: where the Captain continually requires new souls, the Lyctorhood theorem allows one to absorb the thanergy of a soul—its power—without consuming it. That single soul becomes a sort of well one can return to again and again.
I tell you all of this in confidence. I have qualms about this theorem, to say the least. It’s inefficient and purposefully cruel, and I fear it has caused nothing but harm to my world. There’s an alternative path to Lyctorhood; before I arrived here, I was so close to figuring it out that I could taste it.
Perhaps Lyctorhood will be irrelevant to the Captain. Perhaps, as you note, he is far too different a sort of necromancer for it to have any effect on him. I certainly have no intention of handing him the formula for one of the greatest sources of power I know of without additional study. But it is the closest thing to apotheosis that I have heard of, and for that reason it may be a bargaining chip we can use if necessary.
First, though, I need to see if I can recreate my notes. I may need your advice. Consulting Darlington is an excellent suggestion, and I suspect Colonel Curtis might be able to contribute as well.
[And now for the rest; wow, these texts just keep getting longer and longer]
RE: the possibility of necessary death: forgive my misunderstanding. In that case, I am inclined to agree with your assessment. I suspect the time may come when each one of us will have to decide for ourselves if we prefer to die, and potentially return whole, or if we prefer the kind of suffering you describe to the potentiality of ceasing to exist.
Interestingly, Venti mentioned such a star chart to me once! But I am afraid he was never able to retrieve it for me. I would be happy to examine it.
I’m afraid that astral chamber means nothing to me, but perhaps it would be worth examining the books aboard for references to such a thing? Given the Captain’s penchant for recreating stories, the novels aboard are turning out to be a better source of information than I had initially suspected.
no subject
You have my word that I will not share any of this information. Frankly, I wouldn't have the vocabulary necessary to truly explain it, and I don't trust spells that are designed to bring about unlimited (or near-enough) power. Too many things can go wrong, even when you know what you're doing, and with something as complicated as necromancy, where other people's lives are by necessity involved...
[HE'S JUST PLAYING, the library is great! But yeah, there's a lot of fiction and he is getting a little tired of it all.]That said, if it isn't one of the many ascension rituals he's said to have tried, he'll likely want to give it a try. Best if we keep that one under our hats until you're certain you have something a bit less... awful.
I'll make sure to bring it to you soon. Jinx... drew on the back of it, and Venti implied she would want it back, so... temporary access, I suppose.
Yet another trip to the library. Whoopee. đź’€