[ It is...odd. To consider any such powers without some check to balance them — like Jasnah's own oaths that put so much responsibility in Ivory's hands. It's on the spren to make good choices and hold their Radiants to their word. And while some oaths are stricter than others...
Well. There are reasons why she's the only Elsecaller. ]
It's difficult not to imagine some partaking simply for the power alone. [ Rather than the greater good of an Expedition. ] But perhaps that makes me sound too cynical.
[ Maybe there have been people who've abused it in the past. But - ]
No, I understand. I just think...the people of Lumiére don't have aspirations like that. Everyone's got a role, a place, in how it all works. There's no room for-...I dunno. Someone using chroma to try and take over the Council, like something from a story. We've all got to deal with so much already that I doubt it really occurs to anyone to misuse it like that.
[ Their population is small and dwindling all the time. It's perhaps an unspoken agreement that doing anything to threaten the balance they have (such as it is) would be over the top. ]
[ Something from a story. But from Jasnah's vantage, it's Sciel's home that feels like something mythologic and impossible. Grim, certainly — but so much cooperation in the face of their grim circumstance feels very story-like to her. Why wouldn't someone use the difficult spot that Lumiére is in and try to twist it to their advantage? Humans have done that at every turn since...
Well. Jasnah shakes her head. ]
I don't mean to offend, [ says every person who is doubtless about to offend someone, ] but I can't tell whether you're being naive or whether your Lumiére has truly unlocked solidarity in the face of adversity.
[ Humans still found ways to hurt each other in her world. Were she hunting for examples, Sciel could conjure what Expedition 56 had done to Alicia, what had happened to Expedition Zero, or all the darkness of Search & Rescue... Even more mundane things at home: the way some people would talk scathingly about the Expeditions, or how others would do things like judge her closest friend for not wanting to bring children into their dying world.
None of that is really what Jasnah is talking about, though, so she keeps it to herself, sighing. ]
You'd have to do a lot more than that to offend me, Brightness. [ Sciel chuckles. ] ...I like to think I'm optimistic, but not naive. So, in my experience, the people of Lumiére genuinely didn't take advantage of what we can do with chroma for whatever reason. It isn't as if we can know for sure.
[ They can speculate, and she's happy to engage. But there will never be a way to return to that place, as far as she's concerned, and so speculation is all they'll have. ]
[ Another log slips, tumbles to the ground, sending up a small flurry of embers. ]
Well, you've got it. [ Sciel reminds her. There had never been any choice in the matter, but she's hardly bothered with where she's ended up. Quite the contrary.
She watches the queen with a thoughtful expression, chewing on an idea. Then...seems to rethink it, lifting her chin with a sudden inhale. ]
I've been taking a lot of your time tonight. [ Again, not that Jasnah is anything but perfectly capable of managing her own schedule, parting ways as she sees fit, but — ] And I...probably should try and get some sleep. [ Eh. Rest is generally second to interesting conversations, for her, but...she's of less use to Jasnah if she's been up all night talking, and keeping the queen awake, too. ] But...I'm glad I'm here.
[ On this particular mission, on Roshar, and...here. ]
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Well. There are reasons why she's the only Elsecaller. ]
It's difficult not to imagine some partaking simply for the power alone. [ Rather than the greater good of an Expedition. ] But perhaps that makes me sound too cynical.
[ Her? Too cynical? Never! ]
no subject
No, I understand. I just think...the people of Lumiére don't have aspirations like that. Everyone's got a role, a place, in how it all works. There's no room for-...I dunno. Someone using chroma to try and take over the Council, like something from a story. We've all got to deal with so much already that I doubt it really occurs to anyone to misuse it like that.
[ Their population is small and dwindling all the time. It's perhaps an unspoken agreement that doing anything to threaten the balance they have (such as it is) would be over the top. ]
no subject
Well. Jasnah shakes her head. ]
I don't mean to offend, [ says every person who is doubtless about to offend someone, ] but I can't tell whether you're being naive or whether your Lumiére has truly unlocked solidarity in the face of adversity.
no subject
None of that is really what Jasnah is talking about, though, so she keeps it to herself, sighing. ]
You'd have to do a lot more than that to offend me, Brightness. [ Sciel chuckles. ] ...I like to think I'm optimistic, but not naive. So, in my experience, the people of Lumiére genuinely didn't take advantage of what we can do with chroma for whatever reason. It isn't as if we can know for sure.
[ They can speculate, and she's happy to engage. But there will never be a way to return to that place, as far as she's concerned, and so speculation is all they'll have. ]
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We could use some of that optimism.
[ Strange, really. To look for something heartening in another, arguably more doomed population. ]
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Well, you've got it. [ Sciel reminds her. There had never been any choice in the matter, but she's hardly bothered with where she's ended up. Quite the contrary.
She watches the queen with a thoughtful expression, chewing on an idea. Then...seems to rethink it, lifting her chin with a sudden inhale. ]
I've been taking a lot of your time tonight. [ Again, not that Jasnah is anything but perfectly capable of managing her own schedule, parting ways as she sees fit, but — ] And I...probably should try and get some sleep. [ Eh. Rest is generally second to interesting conversations, for her, but...she's of less use to Jasnah if she's been up all night talking, and keeping the queen awake, too. ] But...I'm glad I'm here.
[ On this particular mission, on Roshar, and...here. ]