Ritual Application and Instruction

[Emily Makerith]

"Relax, Nate, I'm not going to steal it," Emily says with a soft smile. "Huh... neat. Don't Protective Charms have different types? What does this one do?"

There's a chuckle. "Choose? I didn't choose him. Ratchet has been here as long as I can remember. He's a spirit, Nate - he formed in an area that befits his resonance. He's of the Tool chorus of the Object Choir. It suits him to be where repairs happen and tools are used." She shrugs. "I mean, he'd probably teach me Tech gifts if I wanted. I've just never... y'know... wanted."

This round the houses talking was making her cranky again. Eyes narrow, irritated. "What Oath are you talking about? The Moon? That says jack about spirits that live in your garage. And yes, spirits contain multitudes. You're being weird. Get to your point, kiddo." The testy tone is back.

2-world eyes lets you see into the Hisil, where the Spirit is... I kinda assumed. I'm sure Kelreth can give a final ruling.

[Nathaniel Dormur]

A nod. "It helps me evade attacks, with a cat's instincts?" he put the Charm back around his neck. "I'm nowhere close enough to make anything bigger, and it's the easiest Fetish I knew how to make- and I felt like I needed to make it."

He was annoying her. Again. "But you don't mind his presence. Others get on edge around spirits." He was thinking about Matt in terms of the pack, though he knew plenty more existed outside of it. "You accept his presence, if only as an inevitability. He doesn't do any harm, he might even help from time to time. And you're fine with that. I was just wondering what you saw him as- is he just something that's there."

Onto the Oath. "Ah... Bone Shadows, I mean. We're taught to give each Spirit what they're owed. And our duty as Uratha, to make sure Spirits don't muck things up- alongside stopping everything else trying to muck things up." A lot of mucking up. "So how do you see them? When we perform Rites- well, it's not just repeating steps is it? Spirits are involved. And the gifts we learn, and the Talens and Fetishes we use." His only perspective on this matter had been with other Bone Shadows. And Emily had more than once been a voice of reason and differing perspective on things.

He found her opinion, and perspective, valuable.

[Emily Makerith]

The Crescent nods. "It's nice work. You carve it yourself?"

She cocks her head and bites more chocolate. "He's in the Hisil. It's not like there's a presence just watching over my shoulder unless you guys are here." There's a shrug. "I dunno about people being afraid of spirits. I just know I'm not, and most wolves I've met just accept them as a part of existence. We have a mutually beneficial relationship. He's here, safe, with a locus nearby in a place safe with his resonance. And if I had to ask something from him about tools or whatever, I'm pretty sure he'd help. But he doesn't really leave. This is his home too." She leans against a car groaning slightly and pulling the blanket a little closer around her.

"Oh, "our" as in your. right," she mutters. "Um. How do I see them? They're... spirits. They're like people. They have their own wants, needs, drives.... they aren;t just 'put essence in get answers out" machines, but they're very.... stylised. Almost like living Stereotypes. Is that what you mean?" She really wasn't sure. "You gotta remember I'm no Bone Shadow. I'm Red Wolf's daughter. We honour our Territory in all things. If Ratchets-and-Wrenches wants to be here, he lives here. He's a part of that territory as much at he walls or the cars or the people. As much as the philosophy we live by." Her words have grown soft and thoughtful, almost reverent. "As for Rites.... All our Rituals are tapping into the fabric of the world - that which binds Spirit and Material together and tugging on those strings to make things a little easier."

Another bite of the chocolate is nibbled off. Emily seems to have shrunken into the blanket a little.

Mmm. Cosy.

[Nathaniel Dormur]

Nathaniel smiled. "I used some of the tools at the University. It took me a few tries to get right." He wasn't as experienced in making things. He chalked the groan up to her stretching, and chose not to comment on it this time.

This is his home too. His smile grew. They're like people. An understanding nod. If Ratchets-and-Wrenches wants to be here, he lives here. Nathaniel's face was almost goofy in how happy it was. "Yes. They're like people- and they live alongside us. We do what we can to uphold the Balance, and our Oaths." Red Wolf or Death Wolf. "Sometimes they help us. Sometimes we have to deal with them. But sometimes they can be friendly. Or Helpful. Not just useful." They weren't tools- er... Well... They weren't to be used as simple tools.

A nod at her understanding of rites. "Yes." She was comfy now- that was good. And she seemed to be relaxing?

"...Can you teach me more about the Iron Masters, sometime? I know the stories." They all knew the stories. "You've been good. To me. I want to return that favor?" And he figured listening intently in reverence to the crescent would be a step towards compensation. "Or if there's anything I can do. You've helped me with a lot." Whatever it was, within the normal exceptions.

[Emily Makerith]

Emily watches the younger wolf, bewildered. "Um... Nate, why are you smiling all goofy at me because I understand Spirits 101? I've been at this a while, y'know."

Learn about the Iron Masters? "Uh..... sure, I guess. What is it you wanna know?" She smiles. He seems to be rambling again. "Yeah, well. Appreciate me because basically, I'm fantastic." The Crescent titters, then winces. "Ow. Dammit.... Well.... you can help me by being careful. Everything I've taught you is all about how to get through life in practical ways. YOu're a smart cookie, just... apply those smarts better, okay?" She finally looks up and gives him a genuine smile. "But of course I help. What are sisters for?"

[Nathaniel Dormur]

Nathaniel couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry sis. Just comforting is all." Oh sure everyone was supposed to know about spirits, but that philosophy could be dismissive, or antagonistic, or apathetic, or... Well, a lot of things. He shouldn't have been surprised she understood- as experienced a crescent as she was.

Onto the Iron Masters. "I suppose whatever you find interesting, or relevant. Any fun experiences to talk about?" Even crescents could enjoy boasting from time to time. "I haven't met many followers of Red Wolf." And Emily was the first he'd spent a considerable amount of time around. The philosophy behind honoring one's territory was appealing, as were many of the things he knew about the Iron Masters.

He saw the wince, and the curse- how could he not? But he bit his lip harder, instead focusing on the lessons she was trying to teach. Apply things better. That second part of Wisdom he sometimes had difficulty with- but he nodded. "I... Will try, sis. Promise. And I do appreciate what you do- I... Hope that's never not clear." He knew his recklessness could lend itself to that impression... Learn to be more practical. Were the Iron Masters particularly better at that? Now was his chance to really find out.

A smile at her offer to help, and a nod. It was his responsibility too, to help where he could.

[Emily Makerith]

Comforting? Whatever.

The Ithaeur shrugs. "Um.... welll.... the core of Iron Master philosophy is adaptability. In the time after Father Wolf's death, if you believe all that stuff, that was when humans really started getting their shit together, intellectually speaking. They were the most adaptable and got established in all kinds of environments. And Red Wolf had told his children to watch, and adapt, and learn from everything they found - and we found humans to be the most adaptable, and we followed their lead, embracing their technologies and their advances." Another nibble on the chocolate bar. "People think we're all about the cities - that's kinda two-dimensional, like the Talons just fight. Our philosophy is flexibility and adaption, employing these ideas in as new a way as we can. It's why we follow the way of Cunning."

There's another smile. "I know, Nate." A pale arm snakes out of the blanket and slugs him on the shoulder. "You're kinda like my testing ground for Beta-ing. YOu always know you understand something if you can explain it to someone else."

[Nathaniel Dormur]

Nathaniel listens intently to every word, nodding in understanding at most words- though, his nose twitches at the 'if you believe that stuff' bit. Did... Emily not?

Questions for later. He thought now was hardly the time to press those buttons. " So I guess the reason people associate Iron Masters with cities is because many humans congregate there, so they're hubs for culture, technology, for adaptation?" That made sense. "So... Cunning. Is flexibility and adaptation another path to earning it?" Nathaniel didn't show that renown, yet. But he sought to temper his Wisdom with the other renown, and so looked towards earning the others- and would not turn down any chance of learning more.

"And your Oath? Um- how do you interpret it." Honor Your Territory in All Things. A compelling statement for the crescent, given his history.

He took the playful slug and smiled back, nodding, glad she understood. "And thank you. Again."

[Emily Makerith]

She nods. "Basically. Also it's the same way that city territories tend to be smaller, things closer together.... you have to adapt faster."

There's a smile. Now it was starting to make sense. "Partly. It's a method that works, but adaptability isn't inherently Cunning. Think of it compared to other forms of Renown. Wisdom is smart use of knowledge and skills. Cunning is using knowledge and skills to overcoming obstacles in ways that aren't obvious but still achieve the goals. Using deception and misdirection. It you adapt faster than an opponent, you have an advantage they don't know about and can beat them in a way they aren't prepared for."

More chocolate. This one was nearly gone too. "So, like, Glory is a way of doing things that make a good story - the heroic thing. Honour is doing the right thing that's fair by your opponent. Purity is doing the thing that holds to the Oath of the Moon and our most Harmonic selves. Wisdom is doing the smart thing. Cunning is doing the thing no-one expects. For Glory, Wisdom and Cunning, what you do usually has to work with the approach you take. Though I guess you can do something epic and still lose that counts as Glorious...., but you might be dead afterwards. Honour and Purity are all about how you do things. But you can fail what you try as long as you stick to those principles, which is often much harder." She shrugs. "At least, that's how I've always seen it. Remember, this is basically philosophy of Renown. Other people will have different ideas to me."

[Nathaniel Dormur]

Nathaniel was starting to understand better. Nods, notes, and attentive gazing in no particular order as she went on explaining.

Five notes, for her views on Renown. It made sense to Nathaniel- the way she explained it. It resonated, and almost every word was transcribed.

He repeated it back, providing his own views in the process. "Purity is doing what we must- our charge. Wisdom is doing things smartly. Cunning, cleverly. Honor, fairly. And glory... Gloriously?..." That last one didn't quite resonate; her explanation was sound, but it was not a renown Nathaniel felt he gravitated towards. "Could Glory be interpreted as appreciation of one's work? Acknowledging that the progress you make is good." Without necessarily boasting about it, as the Talons might be stereotyped as doing. Nathaniel also understood that it carried some reverence to the past- and in that case Nathaniel could understand it better.

Nathaniel felt he might benefit most from pursuing cunning. Tempering his wild ideas and knowledge with the means to execute it better. "Other people haven't gone through all that you have, and those Other people aren't here now." Her example was the best one he had, as a crescent. While he wouldn't follow it in it's entirety, he would've been a fool to ignore it wholly.