Cryptozoology 101, Thursday, Period One

[nohattrick.livejournal.com]

Back in the classroom today, no Fae servants or flesh-eating horses in sight. You're welcome students. This week was something of a break for you. Yes, Trick was still going to tell you about a sinister type of Fae that looked completely normal and yet could do horrible things to many of you without reprisal, but at least you weren't going to have to deal with any of them, either before or after class?

Maybe he was feeling a bit sorry for the last two weeks. Or maybe he was saving up for something extra-special next week. Who knew?

"Mesmers are a type of Fae that gain control over others by manipulating their locomotive systems," Trick began, as he enjoyed starting class on a cheerful note. "Using hand gestures, Mesmers control victims like marionettes; with a simple twirl of their hands, they can force their victims to do any physical action they choose. While this can be as simple as forcing someone to make a fool of themselves in public, it can also be used for much darker purposes, using catspaws to commit acts of robbery, treason, and murder. Once a Mesmer has gained control over someone, it is almost impossible to break free without significant outside help. This is true whether the victim in question is a human or another Fae; even the most powerful Fae can be held by a Mesmer in full control of his or her powers. There are some items that can offer a measure of protection, but these items are incredibly rare and powerful."

In other words, he wasn't even going to bother talking about them, because the odds of anyone who had one voluntarily giving that item up were astronomically small. Well, that and because he wasn't keen on sharing all Fae secrets.

"As dangerous as Mesmers are, there are a few way in which you can keep them from using their powers against you. The first and most important option is to keep a Mesmer's hands bound. If they cannot move their hands, they cannot use their abilities." There was a more gruesome way to keep Mesmers from using their powers, but that was a conclusion he'd let unless the students draw for themselves if they wished. "Mesmers also must remain close to their victims; they cannot send them away to carry out their orders elsewhere. At the very least, they seem to require line of sight, which means that if someone is bound by a Mesmer, that Fae is relatively close by. Furthermore, some Mesmers can be convinced to let go of a victim, if offered something for their trouble. However, Fae are just as varied in their needs and desires as humans, so finding the price for their cooperation may be difficult--or possibly too high for you to meet.

There was a reason many Mesmers joined the Dark Fae.

"The last option is to distract them. Mesmers must concentrate to keep their victims ensnared, and breaking that concentration will halt their magic. Furthermore, Mesmers are not effective against groups. An incredibly powerful and competent Mesmer may be able to ensnare a group of two or three people, either by controlling them all at once or, more likely, switching their concentrate from person to person at will. More than four or so will make it too hard for the Mesmer to focus long enough to do real harm."

"So, today, we have a discussion class. Sadly, if you find yourself being controlled by a Mesmer, there is little you personally can do about it. However, if someone you know is being controlled, you have a few more options. How would you handle that situation? Are there any times you can imagine a Mesmer's powers being used for good?"

Comments

Sign In

[nohattrick.livejournal.com]

Like a puppet

Re: Sign In

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

Toby Logan

Re: Sign In

[withasword.livejournal.com]

Kate Daniels

Re: Sign In

[myownface]

Sparkle

Re: Sign In

[walkswithcoyote]

Mercy Thompson

Listen to the Lecture

[nohattrick.livejournal.com]

It's actually kind of useful today!

That being said, note-passing and whispered conversations are a part of every classroom.

Discussion: Taking Down a Mesmer

[nohattrick.livejournal.com]

A Mesmer has taken control of a friend! How would you try to free them? How would you keep them from doing something awful against their will? Does that answer change if that person was a perfect stranger?

What would you want someone to do if you were being controlled?

Re: Discussion: Taking Down a Mesmer

[myownface]

"If it was someone I cared about, or if the person under control was, like, hurting people I care about or something?" Sparkle shrugged. "I dunno. Does finding the Mesmer, coming up behind him, and like breaking a chair over his head work?"

Pretty hard to focus that way, see?

Re: Discussion: Taking Down a Mesmer

[beautifulsenshi.livejournal.com]

"Shine a really bright light in their eyes!" Minako said brightly. What? She was Sailor Venus! BRIGHT LIGHT WAS KINDA A BIG DEAL FOR THE MORNING STAR!

Re: Discussion: Taking Down a Mesmer

[nohattrick.livejournal.com]

"Whose eyes," Trick asked, just to be sure. "The Mesmer's?"

She sounded really into the bright light thing.

Re: Discussion: Taking Down a Mesmer

[beautifulsenshi.livejournal.com]

"Well, yeah," Duh. "If they can't see, they can't control anyone, right?"

Re: Discussion: Taking Down a Mesmer

[nohattrick.livejournal.com]

"It would also work as a potential distraction," Trick agreed. "But unless you make a habit of carrying around a very strong flashlight, you can't guarantee you'll have a bright light handy."

Or unless you were Sailor V, true. Of course, the transformation sequence alone might count as a distraction.

Discussion: Bonus Morality Question!

[nohattrick.livejournal.com]

What would you use your powers for if you were a Mesmer? Since their powers involve controlling other people, are there ever 'good' or 'moral' (according to your own system of beliefs) ways to use them?

[As always, please make messy threads!]

Re: Discussion: Bonus Morality Question!

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"Downtown Toronto isn't exactly the safest place in the world," Toby admitted. "Especially when you don't actually have anywhere to live. There's definitely some times I could've used a power like that to help me out." It likely would have been more useful than his own power, at least in an active sense. "A good way to use it? Well, if someone were robbing a bank or comitting some other kind of crime, it'd be a pretty good way to stop them without endangering others, I think."

Re: Discussion: Bonus Morality Question!

[myownface]

Sparkle was looking at Toby in a whole new light, right there. Street-kid Torontonians unite?

Except that Sparkle couldn't really come up with any particularly 'good' reasons for using powers like that. Mostly, he was just thinking about keeping his own ass safe, though he couldn't help but think about a little petty revenge on the side against people who had chased him out before. Could anyone blame him?

"Powers like that could've kept a lot of shitty things from happening to anyone without a place to go," he noted, chewing on one fingernail as he focussed on the earlier part of what Toby had said. "You meet a lot of punks on the streets after dark who don't want to mind their own goddamn business. I probably would've made them turn around and walk away. And... if they came back, I'd do it again."

Re: Discussion: Bonus Morality Question!

[abitlowkey]

"Only turn and walk away?" Loki chimed in thoughtfully. "That sounds awfully magnanimous of you when it comes to those who wish you grievous bodily harm."

He was totally an expert on that.

Re: Discussion: Bonus Morality Question!

[myownface]

Sparkle turned a grin back at Loki that was perhaps a little too sharp.

"They get three strikes," he decided. "If they kept it up after that, obviously I'd have to come up with something more creative to keep them from coming back again."

He shrugged. "But what I'd want to make them to do themselves, I can't say in class or I'd land myself in detention."

... Sorry, mind-readers in the room, for the horrifyingly creative thoughts that were flitting through Sparkle's mind just then.

Re: Discussion: Bonus Morality Question!

[nohattrick.livejournal.com]

"But is taking away someone's free will, even to prevent them from doing harm, is that necessarily right or moral?" Trick asked. He would be fine if Toby answered yes, he was just curious. "Is there a limit to what kind of crime this power is acceptable for use?"

Re: Discussion: Bonus Morality Question!

[godscrankshaft.livejournal.com]

"Should it not be?" Thomasina pointed out. "Do we not gaol those who thieve and pillage? What is that confinement but a limitation of their own free will?"

Not that Thomasina had any kind of real experience with such crimes, but it was hard to avoid when one read the classics.

Re: Discussion: Bonus Morality Question!

[beautifulsenshi.livejournal.com]

"Uh, do they have to be conscious for it to work?" Minako asked hesitantly, looking up from her messy notes. WHAT KIND OF SCHOOL HAD BOSS SENT HER TO, TO LEARN YOMA? "Because, um, if someone were drowning and knocked out? Could they make them swim? Or breathe?"

Re: Discussion: Bonus Morality Question!

[nohattrick.livejournal.com]

"That's an excellent question," Trick said approvingly. "Canon hasn't specified, but I believe the victims do need to be conscious, even though the Mesmer is manipulating their movements only. That's something I would have to verify in my books to be sure, however."

Talk to Trick

[nohattrick.livejournal.com]

He wasn't EXPECTING anyone to be disgruntled today...?

Talk to the TA

[nohattrick.livejournal.com]

Well, maybe about the lack of booze in class...

Re: Talk to the TA

[regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com]

POUT.

And looking forward to work tonight, oh yes.

OOC

[nohattrick.livejournal.com]

Up early! \o/