fandomhigh | Cultural Understanding, Monday (The Alistair & Morrigan Show).

"Right. So, cultural appreciation," Alistair began, trying to look official and sort of succeeding. "It starts by recognizing what we don't appreciate in our own cultures. As I said last week, my country, Ferelden, has a... moderate stance on magic, but it is still strict by many people's standards."

"If one counts as moderate the fact that mage-children are stolen away from their families by the Chantry and their Templars and locked into prison towers for the rest of their lives, aye, 'tis moderate," Morrigan retorted. "'Least you do not burn them, as some villagers are prone to do during a bad harvest."

It was probably rather obvious that Morrigan didn't grow up in the Tower, wasn't it?

"It's better," Alistair said, "Than what's going on in the Free Marches, from what I hear." He glanced at the class. "The Chantry fears mages," he explained, "because some of them have a tendency to run off, practice blood magic, become maleficar and get possessed by demons, leading to what we call 'abominations'." With that out of the way, though, he added: "But that's not a good reason to run around locking up every mage you find, if you ask me. Of course, several countries over in Tevinter, mages rule, whereas in some of the Free Marches they are hunted on sight."

Morrigan muttered something very uncomplimentary under her breath about someone called a Knight Commander. "So today, we shall start with discussing magic, and how it is viewed in your world," she stated. "If you would like to stand up and speak to the class, or show an object relating to magic from your homeland, please do. We will invite everyone to speak at every class for the rest of the semester, and I encourage debate and questions."

"Next week shall be religion and religious freedom and tolerance, so be prepared."

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Magically!

Take notes, pass notes, think of something you can share with the class! If you have an object you want to talk about, you can run back to your room quickly and get it.

Starting this week, every week, you have the opportunity to bring something back from home and tell us about what it means. Congratulations! If there is a topic you'd love to see covered for this class, please feel free to drop it in the OOC or email your teachers.

How is magic dealt with in your world? Do you think it is real? Are practitioners subject to persecution, and what sort of training is available for those with powers?

They're here!

Got an idea for a future class? Share it with us!

Princess Rosella of Daventry

Mercy Thompson

Oh man.

Well... she considered this carefully. She could talk about the fae. They were out after all. At least some of them.

She didn't own anything magical and she sure wasn't going to demonstrate her own ability, so Mercy'd just be passing on this part.

Really, they had Rosella at kidnappings and towers. Now that was something she could easily relate to!

Er, in a relative way, at least. It wasn't like she'd experienced those things that much herself, but she'd known quite a few people who had experienced it quite a few times.

"I can't say anything about magic practitioners," Mercy said, being literally honest. She wasn't allowed to say anything. "But the fae came out to the public a number of years ago. It went well at first, but now there's a lot of anti-fae outcry and they're putting them all on reservations. For their safety, supposedly."

"Magic," Rosella offered, after taking a moment or two to consider a good answer, "is everywhere in my world. Some of it is just natural, seeping into the very fabric of life, while some of it is more intuitive, showing itself in people as well as places. Magic in my world is neither good nor evil; it's how that magic is being used that determines such a thing, and, unfortunately, people of my world who have the ability to wield magic seem much more fond of causing trouble than anything else. There are many powerful, evil magicians who scour the land and look to oppress it, but, thankfully, there are some good wizards and fairies and the like who use it to a much kinder effect. I myself was not blessed with magical talents of my own, though my brother has the gift. I am not sure if that's merely natural, or just a product of his upbringing, because, you see, he was kidnapped by an evil wizard when he was just an infant and raised as his slave, so he probably picked up a few tricks here and there, at least enough to defeat the wizard and avoid being killed and all. So it's a bit like a coin: there are two sides of magic, and, while you can't have one side without the other, there's usually just one side that can be shown at a time. That doesn't mean, however, that the coin can't be flipped."

Raven

Simon Bellamy

Raven listened attentively and took notes, but she couldn't help but twitch just a little bit at the mention of demons and abominations.

All Simon could think to share as an object relating to magic from his home was a dvd boxset of just about any fantasy show.

So, no, he wasn't going to be running back to the dorms to grab anything. But he was going to watch and listen with interest if others spoke up.

"I thought of asking Mother if I could borrow our Magic Mirror or the magic chest for class today," said Rosella with a roguish grin, "but I don't think she would have been too keen on the idea."

Warren Worthington III

"Magic in my mother's world has had much the same history as the world Fandom is part of," Raven said. "It was regarded as mere superstition or the result of pacts with demons...which was not entirely untrue in some cases." Like the Church of Blood, she knew far too well. "But there are those who use magic to protect and to help, and they are regarded as heroes. I suppose some may still think it is some sort of trick, but most have accepted some sort of magic is real."

"Magic is..." Firekeeper frowned, trying to figure out how to phrase it. "Mostly gone from the New World, after the querinalo, the fire plague. Most think this were proof of how such things were wicked." Although those with small, helpful gifts were often valued for them, with the source of their gift overlooked.

Warren... was aware, peripherally, that there were people who did magic, or something like magic, back in his own world.

Aaand Warren had zero experience with anything quite like it, before Fandom. Hrm.

"Magic exists," Warren said, shrugging his shoulders a little. "But it's rare, at best. You don't really hear much about it, and I think most people figure it's just some kind of fairy tale thing, or a government conspiracy, or maybe a cover for being mutant."

There was a wry smile, almost a sneer, as Warren said 'mutant.' The word itself, that was just a word. But the connotations when other people used it were... unpleasant.

"People are more worried about mutant powers than magical ones. It's harder to ignore when your own children could suddenly develop the ability to light things on fire, or read minds, all out of nowhere."

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!

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Cultural Understanding, Monday (The Alistair & Morrigan Show).

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