Liliana Vess (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
deathsmajesty) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2026-01-15 10:38 am
deathsmajesty) wrote in fandomhigh2026-01-15 10:38 am
Entry tags:
Philosophies of Mana (Extended Edition), Thursday Per 3
When the class opened the doors of the Danger Shop, they were greeted with an idyllic rolling grassland, the air warm with the occasional refreshing breeze scented by the wildflowers growing in profusion by the babbling stream, and even a few goats were wandering or gamboling or whatever goats were wont to do. Nearby a small stand of trees where there were equal parts shade and sunlight to sit in, were a number of colorful blankets, complete with cushions to either sit upon or rest against, and cunning little lap desks to enable people to take notes even while lounging. They formed a large horseshoe and at the open end stood a whiteboard with the same questions they had seen last week, as well as the five pointed star. However, of the five words that had been there previously, there was only one today:
Peace
"Welcome back to class," Liliana said crisply, as soon as the bell rang. Hopefully, people would realize quickly (if they hadn't already) that she would not wait for anyone to get their notes out and get situated. "As I hope most of you have already deduced from our discussion last week, we're in this small bit of meadow to begin discussing white mana. To give our class structure, because I could spend all semester exploring each color individually, we'll be referring back to these questions from our first week to guide our discussion." She gestured to the board.
• What does white mana desire? What is its end goal?
• What means does white mana use to achieve these ends?
• What does white mana care about? What does it represent?
• What does white mana despise? What negatively drives it?
• What is white mana's greatest strength? Greatest weakness?
"What does white mana desire? Peace, pure and simple. White mana desires an end to suffering. White believes in organization, teamwork, in building connection and cohesion. White believes in community, and believes that community is best created and enforced by structures. Laws, religion, morality, government, the founding blocks of civilization. White believes in a strict definition of right and wrong, and establishes rules, generally either moral or civil laws, to promote right and eliminate evil. White mana believes that a healthy and fertile plane has enough resources for everyone, and the fact that there is want, deprivation, and suffering comes from the selfishness of individuals. If only we could all embrace the idea of 'share and share alike,' the world would be relieved of all that's unbearable.
"The key to making this happen, of course, is teaching individuals the importance of taking actions which benefit the group as a whole, even if those actions might not benefit them personally," she continued earnestly. "Because white's plan can only succeed if everyone is working toward the same unified goal. As soon as some individuals prioritize other things, like, say, their own desires, the plan falls apart. And, to be clear, white mana does want as many people as possible to understand its motives and share them! But white realizes that in order to accomplish its larger goal, some individuals will have to be lead down the path rather than venture there of their own accord, and sometimes that leading must be by any means necessary." Her eyes swept over the group. "Unity becomes conformity becomes uniformity. Socialism becomes communism becomes fascism. Morals and religion become dogma, beyond reproach and question. Strength becomes inflexibility and then rigidity. The idea that the individual should take actions that benefit the group as a whole becomes a loss of individuality, of creativity, or freedom. Becomes oppression. In some cases, becomes a hivemind. And when there is too much chaos, too much selfishness, too much suffering? Then the only peace is that of emptiness and obliteration. There can be no suffering where there is nothing. Wipe the slate clean, try again. All of these are permitted within white's philosophy - in fact, some of the most devastating spells I know of are purely white mana. We call one such spell The Wrath of God. When it is cast nothing survivesunless it is indestructible and that is a stupid mechanic, all that is left behind is a desolate wasteland." For a moment, the meadow vanished, leaving behind air thick with dust, the ground withered, cracked, and barren, covered in bleached bones.
And then, just as quickly, it was back to the lush beauty it had been when they'd walked in. "When discussing mana, I like to start with white and end with black, because people usually carry the most underlying assumptions about those two, even if it's just as simple as white is good and black is bad. Even on this plane, where there isn't mana, we hear about white hats and black hats. Entire subcultures seen outside the norm for dressing in a black clothing. The color white being associated with purity and virginity, as if those concepts have anything to do with one another either. And beyond simple color theory, we look at what each color of mana wants - white, peace; black, power - and we immediately assign those a moral weight. Peace is good, power is bad, the end. That kind of thinking is lazy, reductive, and weak, and has no place in my classroom. So when you are tempted to think of white as being good, remember that image from the aftermath of the Wrath of God spell. Is that what goodness looks like to you? That devastation? No? Then remember, mana has no morals. White mana uses morality, yes. Morality is an excellent tool to bring people together, to get them to believe in the same thing. But mana itself is amoral. It wants the fulfillment of its goals and for every color of mana, the ends justify the means. There is fundamentally no difference to white between a halcyon utopia and an authoritarian regime, because both fulfill its end desire. It is not that mana doesn't care about these differences, it doesn't understand them.
"Furthermore, white is the most authoritarian of all the colors, because for it to function, people must obey the structures that have been put into place. Laws require punishment for those who do not conform and white mana does not limit or question what those laws regulate, nor what the punishment should be nor how deep the conformity goes. To truly understand the white mana outlook, think of the phrase the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Individuals will always lose to the larger group. That is the greatest division between red and black mana, who prioritize individuality and personal freedom. Within the doctrine of what mana, diversity can be a strength, but is also a danger, needed to be carefully watched and measured. A little diversity is good, it helps ensure that all needs are met by offering different skills and experiences. Too much diversity, however, can undermine the feelings of inclusion and unity. White works when everyone thinks as we and not us versus them."
She crooked a smile. "Now, before I am accused of letting my personal mana prejudices attempt to color your personal understanding of it, let me be clear. White mana isn't does not require a society into an authoritarian murder-regime, where diversity and personal freedoms are banned. White mana will not force a society to descend into fascism and annihilation to better uphold its end goals. This is not some slippery slope argument, nor am I trying to teach that white mana cannot be trusted. Most societies that are influenced by white mana and its philosophies are decent and kind, with great emphasis on healing and order and community. The main weakness of white mana is that it, more than any other color, relies on the systems, structures, and organizations that people put in place - and living people are all fallible and corruptible. Even the most moral people with the best intentions can still find themselves laying cobblestones straight to hell. In its own way, white has the potential to be both the greatest good and the worst cruelties, because within people lie the seeds of both.
"But when those systems and structures work, white is unparalleled. It understands the need for both moral and civil laws - moral laws shape how people think and the civil laws control how they act. Together, these two forms of structure create a framework that helps ensure individuals are working for the benefit of the group. There is a reason that the concepts that white values most are the underpinnings of most societies; more than anything else, white wants us to succeed as a group. To set aside selfishness, recklessness, and carelessness, and truly embrace our fellows, to care about each other as we care about ourselves, and to ensure that everyone has a chance to live peacefully, with their needs met - not simply physical, but emotional, spiritual, and mental, as well."
[And now in the right place]
"Welcome back to class," Liliana said crisply, as soon as the bell rang. Hopefully, people would realize quickly (if they hadn't already) that she would not wait for anyone to get their notes out and get situated. "As I hope most of you have already deduced from our discussion last week, we're in this small bit of meadow to begin discussing white mana. To give our class structure, because I could spend all semester exploring each color individually, we'll be referring back to these questions from our first week to guide our discussion." She gestured to the board.
• What does white mana desire? What is its end goal?
• What means does white mana use to achieve these ends?
• What does white mana care about? What does it represent?
• What does white mana despise? What negatively drives it?
• What is white mana's greatest strength? Greatest weakness?
"What does white mana desire? Peace, pure and simple. White mana desires an end to suffering. White believes in organization, teamwork, in building connection and cohesion. White believes in community, and believes that community is best created and enforced by structures. Laws, religion, morality, government, the founding blocks of civilization. White believes in a strict definition of right and wrong, and establishes rules, generally either moral or civil laws, to promote right and eliminate evil. White mana believes that a healthy and fertile plane has enough resources for everyone, and the fact that there is want, deprivation, and suffering comes from the selfishness of individuals. If only we could all embrace the idea of 'share and share alike,' the world would be relieved of all that's unbearable.
"The key to making this happen, of course, is teaching individuals the importance of taking actions which benefit the group as a whole, even if those actions might not benefit them personally," she continued earnestly. "Because white's plan can only succeed if everyone is working toward the same unified goal. As soon as some individuals prioritize other things, like, say, their own desires, the plan falls apart. And, to be clear, white mana does want as many people as possible to understand its motives and share them! But white realizes that in order to accomplish its larger goal, some individuals will have to be lead down the path rather than venture there of their own accord, and sometimes that leading must be by any means necessary." Her eyes swept over the group. "Unity becomes conformity becomes uniformity. Socialism becomes communism becomes fascism. Morals and religion become dogma, beyond reproach and question. Strength becomes inflexibility and then rigidity. The idea that the individual should take actions that benefit the group as a whole becomes a loss of individuality, of creativity, or freedom. Becomes oppression. In some cases, becomes a hivemind. And when there is too much chaos, too much selfishness, too much suffering? Then the only peace is that of emptiness and obliteration. There can be no suffering where there is nothing. Wipe the slate clean, try again. All of these are permitted within white's philosophy - in fact, some of the most devastating spells I know of are purely white mana. We call one such spell The Wrath of God. When it is cast nothing survives
And then, just as quickly, it was back to the lush beauty it had been when they'd walked in. "When discussing mana, I like to start with white and end with black, because people usually carry the most underlying assumptions about those two, even if it's just as simple as white is good and black is bad. Even on this plane, where there isn't mana, we hear about white hats and black hats. Entire subcultures seen outside the norm for dressing in a black clothing. The color white being associated with purity and virginity, as if those concepts have anything to do with one another either. And beyond simple color theory, we look at what each color of mana wants - white, peace; black, power - and we immediately assign those a moral weight. Peace is good, power is bad, the end. That kind of thinking is lazy, reductive, and weak, and has no place in my classroom. So when you are tempted to think of white as being good, remember that image from the aftermath of the Wrath of God spell. Is that what goodness looks like to you? That devastation? No? Then remember, mana has no morals. White mana uses morality, yes. Morality is an excellent tool to bring people together, to get them to believe in the same thing. But mana itself is amoral. It wants the fulfillment of its goals and for every color of mana, the ends justify the means. There is fundamentally no difference to white between a halcyon utopia and an authoritarian regime, because both fulfill its end desire. It is not that mana doesn't care about these differences, it doesn't understand them.
"Furthermore, white is the most authoritarian of all the colors, because for it to function, people must obey the structures that have been put into place. Laws require punishment for those who do not conform and white mana does not limit or question what those laws regulate, nor what the punishment should be nor how deep the conformity goes. To truly understand the white mana outlook, think of the phrase the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Individuals will always lose to the larger group. That is the greatest division between red and black mana, who prioritize individuality and personal freedom. Within the doctrine of what mana, diversity can be a strength, but is also a danger, needed to be carefully watched and measured. A little diversity is good, it helps ensure that all needs are met by offering different skills and experiences. Too much diversity, however, can undermine the feelings of inclusion and unity. White works when everyone thinks as we and not us versus them."
She crooked a smile. "Now, before I am accused of letting my personal mana prejudices attempt to color your personal understanding of it, let me be clear. White mana isn't does not require a society into an authoritarian murder-regime, where diversity and personal freedoms are banned. White mana will not force a society to descend into fascism and annihilation to better uphold its end goals. This is not some slippery slope argument, nor am I trying to teach that white mana cannot be trusted. Most societies that are influenced by white mana and its philosophies are decent and kind, with great emphasis on healing and order and community. The main weakness of white mana is that it, more than any other color, relies on the systems, structures, and organizations that people put in place - and living people are all fallible and corruptible. Even the most moral people with the best intentions can still find themselves laying cobblestones straight to hell. In its own way, white has the potential to be both the greatest good and the worst cruelties, because within people lie the seeds of both.
"But when those systems and structures work, white is unparalleled. It understands the need for both moral and civil laws - moral laws shape how people think and the civil laws control how they act. Together, these two forms of structure create a framework that helps ensure individuals are working for the benefit of the group. There is a reason that the concepts that white values most are the underpinnings of most societies; more than anything else, white wants us to succeed as a group. To set aside selfishness, recklessness, and carelessness, and truly embrace our fellows, to care about each other as we care about ourselves, and to ensure that everyone has a chance to live peacefully, with their needs met - not simply physical, but emotional, spiritual, and mental, as well."
[And now in the right place]
Re: Talk to Liliana
"That is the hope," she said with a sigh. "I quite prefer to limit the number of things lurking in my dreams." A moment later, she huffed a sardonic laugh. "Just think," she added. "This might be the very first adventure for the new, extended Gatewatch to handle. Huzzah."
Re: Talk to Liliana
"Then perhaps," he stated dryly, "they can be the ones to take on the brunt of it."
Spoken like someone who wasn't likely to throw himself immediately to the forefront of any problem that was set before him, and, in fact, this attempted effort to pass the buck was immediately dispelled with the sigh of a man who knew better.
"...which would likely only mean we'd have to go clean up after them," he acknowledged, although, really, truth be told, he was only really thinking of one particular Gatewatcher. "So probably much better to get ahead of it all as much we can. Do you think it's going to be something troublesome, darling?"
Re: Talk to Liliana
Re: Talk to Liliana
Ah, the delicate traipsing between the paper thin line of never wanting to leave her side and never wanting to crowd in on her autonomy, that dance was truly eternal.
Re: Talk to Liliana
Liliana shifted towards him, resting her head on his shoulder. "That's not the correct question," she chided, her hand sliding from his face, to his chest, and then down his arm to lace their fingers together. "The times and situations that I would not care for your company are far and few. I am simply not sure if it would be anything more than Planeswalking there, talking to Oona, and returning home." Her fingers toyed with the ring on his finger. "How about this?" she said. "If I leave her bower and intend to do anything beyond simply returning home, I call you to join me."
You know, have his company when she could actually enjoy his company.
She remembered the unknown plane, the whispering call, and the team up with Sorin, of all people, to take down one of Dominaria's greatest monsters. That had been...ill-thought. And she was trying to
provedemonstrateshe had learnedavoid such foolish occurrences again. Getting involved with other people's issues, what madness!"And if there's nothing terribly wrong, I'll call you anyway and we'll head to Goldmeadow so you can try more Lorwyn cuisine."
Re: Talk to Liliana
eventuallysoon."Very well," said Ignis, voice soft as he decidedly chose not to point out that if he was going to to be called to Lorwyn regardless..., and his hand shifted to take those fingers that had fiddled eith his ring and lift them for a kiss, "I find your terms and conditions acceptable. But do know that now that cuisine is on the table, I'll be quite indefatigatable in holding you to it."
Re: Talk to Liliana
But then they'd be able to at least celebrate that it was nothing terribly wrong that involved her.
"As well you should," Liliana said, kissing him. "I don't think Lorwyn will be your particularly pastoral preference the way Ravnica is, but it is a lovely little place for a visit when you wish to do either absolutely nothing or a great many things without bother."