Ceremonial curiosity

[heirtothearcane]

In the past few years the Nexus has become more of a home for Viatorus than his own world, despite its strange and changeable nature. So then perhaps it is not so odd that he finds himself feeling more comfortable here than there, able to talk to strangers with nary a stutter. Mostly. Though whatever nerves remain they're still a far cry from how he was when he first came here. Now he can sit and think, his head clear and undisturbed by the passers by.

He sits and watches the crowd flow through the streets, shuffling the ring on his ring finger in slow circles. For once he's without a book in hand, not even with a tea nearby. In fact, he looks quite composed for someone so easy to fluster. Perhaps it's the distraction of speculation, for he certainly sounds like he's been mulling over this a while.

"Do you think that ceremonies hold power? Do they influence anything or do you think they're purely symbolic? Are they an expression of hope, or a way of channelling power?"

Comments

[jarheadclan]

That first question gets a surprised laugh out of Jake. "A pacifist on Pandora'd probably be dead in three days. Or less. And it'd be a hell of a waste not to eat what we gotta kill. Can't let the death be for nothing." He learned that his first day out in the jungle, and only after months of learning did he realize just how badly he fucked that one up from the Na'vi point of view. Sorry, little viperwolves. If Jake hadn't been crashing around in the underbrush like a moron, they never would've come after him.

'Do the Na'vi have tech' is a little more complicated, and he tilts his head, tail flicking to the side. "Depends on what you mean by technology. No spaceships or firearms, no metalworking at all that I've seen. But we've got handmade stuff, bows and arrows, that kinda thing."

[heirtothearcane]

The polite smile narrowly avoids becoming a grimace as Viatorus pulls a face at that thought. He's no vegetarian, but the thought of killing... "There's no one? At all like that?"

It's sometimes difficult for Viatorus to remember that not all technology has to be purely scientific, and that science isn't just 'not magic'. He's a little biased in an odd sort of way. "But you come here, to the Nexus. Don't you want to take technology from here to make life better on your world?"

[jarheadclan]

Jake's not gonna judge this guy for being squeamish or anything, it's just that the whole vegetarian idea is...very Earth. Not that Jake doesn't think like a human anymore because he does, but a couple years of immersion has done him wonders in terms of getting into the Na'vi mindset. "Nope. I don't think it's possible, the way the Na'vi live. We're part of the food chain, part of Eywa, not just visiting once in a while."

The tech question is something it took Jake a hell of a lot of time to wrap his brain around, too. "I mean, there's a couple things that ended up being kinda useful. Throat-mikes and grenades, mostly, but those aren't things we're gonna need again anytime soon. There ain't a lot that'd be useful, with where we're at right now. You thinking of something specific?"

[heirtothearcane]

"Oh." Looks like he isn't going to become part of Eywa in any scenario, it seems. Suddenly he feels very lucky he was born on Earth.

Everything this guy deals with is so violent... but then he was a soldier. It shouldn't be that much of a surprise. "I... I'm not sure. Phones. Or soap. Technology covers a lot. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't call someone when I need help."

[jarheadclan]

Oh, well if he's going that broad with his definition, then that explains a few things. "Oh, we've got soap, or something kinda like it. Some kinda root, you mash it up and it gets all frothy. Not havin' toothpaste took some getting used to though. Gotta chew on twigs instead." Yeah, it's not exactly glamorous, but Jake was used to roughing it before he ever got to Pandora in the first place.

"I mean yeah, there's some stuff that could change things us a bit, just not something that could be self-sufficient, you know? Like medicine. It'd save lives, probably, but what happens if the clan gets dependent on Sky People meds and then can't get more? Not like we can make 'em ourselves, and who knows if the way here'll be open forever." Jake shrugs, not dismissing it outright; he's clearly put some thought into this. "Anything I bring over, I gotta think about the long-term. My actions are gonna have consequences, and I gotta think about what it's gonna do to the clan down the road. Gotta do what's right, not what's easy." He learned that lesson the hard way.