Side Scene B - What's up?

[Author]

Also that evening

Troy enters the Kitchen as Luc finishes cleaning up. "You said you wanted to talk to me?"

[Luc Weiyn]

Luc really does love his new kitchen. Any time he's in it or emerging from it, his mood always seems to be a little bit more chipper than usual, even now with a task as menial as rinsing off plates. His ears perk up a little bit as Troy enters, and he cranes his neck to glance at him.
"Huh? Oh, right."
He continues to clean as he speaks, periodically looking between Troy and the dishes.
"About the tigerfolk. I know next to nil about them, but you sure seem to know a thing or two."

[Author]

"Ah! Yes, well... I mean I know what can be read about. Very... isolated, as you can tell. From what I understand they're a clan-based people who's clans are centered around a family line of shamans who pass down a flame spirit - frankly I had thought the shaman part was a myth before this. At any rate, they have to go to great lengths to survive in their environment, so there's a lot of fighting between clans for resources. I hear they don't really hold grudges against each other though; so long as you don't invade and kill off children and caretakers, fighting and killing over food is just life to them. They probably don't see what they did to the Wolven as a big deal."

[Luc Weiyn]

Luc periodically nods during the explanation. He frowns a little at the mention of clan conflict, but shrugs it off. Survival was survival, and if that's what kept things in balance there...
"I'm guessing they wouldn't be very thrilled on swapping culture notes, either. I can uh, count the number of tigerfolk that like me on one hand, and even then, I'm using the term 'like' very loosely."

[Author]

"Heh, yeeeeeah there's a reason not a whole not is really known about them."

[Luc Weiyn]

Luc finishes cleaning off the last dirty plate, then swings his soaked hands downward at the sink. In just a few sturdy shakes, he manages to dry them entirely, not a drop present in his fur.
"Well... hrm. Suppose you wouldn't happen to know more about the shaman spiel then, would you? Like, passed down how? And how long has this been going on, again?"

[Author]

Troy shakes his head. "Very little is known about it. Tell me though, how did you come across yours? Even most shamans don't have a soul bound kami like yours or Valska's."

[Luc Weiyn]

"Ah..."
Luc opens his mouth to talk, but ultimately just shrugs with a resigned sigh.
"Well... I was half-hoping you'd be able to tell me. As far as I remember, Loire has just sort of always been there. Never had any real idea why when growing up, and honestly, I never had a concrete reason to worry myself over it either. Sure, I knew having Loire around wasn't normal, but... well, normal or not, that was just the way of things."
His brow furrows with a frown, and a hint of restlessness enters his tone.
"And here we are now. This is the first time I've even heard of another shaman, let alone meet one, let alone an apparently extra-rare breed of shaman with a bound spirit like mine... and she's the essential piece that keeps an entire village alive?"

[Author]

"You simply grew up with it? Any particular incident of meeting?

[Luc Weiyn]

"First meeting? No, at least not one I remember. I uh, I know I was found somewhere out in the ocean when I was a kid, but..."
Luc gives an exaggerated shrug, lifting his hands slightly.
"And bless Loire, but spirits aren't exactly the best at... words."

[Author]

He laughs, "Well, fitting of Kami to be meritorious even to those who know them. You seem to know little about them yourself. I'm no expert but I know... Well I know the basic theories."

[Luc Weiyn]

Luc sticks his hands in his pockets and leans against the counter, giving a small nod.
"Alright, let's hear 'em, then."

[Author]

"Many believe that they are the souls of the Old World, before there were gods and demons, before there was an afterlife. They believe that the fate of the dead was to break down into a primitive intelligence and merge with some aspect of the world after a great time.

I've also heard a theory based on the idea that Sol is not an intelligent being but a mass or well of spirit-stuff - that people are the product of that energy carefully crafted into souls, while Kami are wisps of pure spirit energy merged into some object. Perhaps they simply fly in on Sol's rays, or perhaps the fabric of the world was crafted with spirit energy in it. There are interesting medians between these theories to ponder, as well. I've also read ideas like they're the scraps of souls left behind when a person moves to the afterlife, that sort of thing. Given that most people cannot sense them, however, it is difficult to do research, especially considering how most of the kind who can sense them aren't the academic type."

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