[Open]

[spellcollect]

[ Frieren's mind opens up; as before, on the surface it's a calm, smooth pond. She's not quite used to this, so the connection (at first) is a touch tentative and then as she feels her way forward it opens more until she thinks she's finally ready. ]

I have a question for all of you. And you may consider it a simple matter of curiosity; I won't take offense at being ignored.

[ There's a pause, as if she's collecting her thoughts. ]

How many of you are long-lived species? Or long-lived by virtue of who you are? My kind are rare, even in my world, so I can't assume others will be particularly more common here, at the end of the universe.

[ It's an open question. ]

Comments

[spellcollect]

Interesting that we appear in stories but aren't there ourselves.

[ It is curious, but something to think about later. ]

In theory. I know of at least one elf older than I am.

[tattooism]

"At least one"?

That implies a certain rarity. For you? Or your kind?

[spellcollect]

My kind in general and myself as well. I've only met a few other elves over the last few hundred years.

[tattooism]

How bizarre.

It's like you're an endangered species. Were you hunted, hmm... ? Or have elves simply always been so very rare a thing?

[spellcollect]

I don't believe we've ever been a populous race and the demons destroyed quite a few of us. So it's possible we're simply dying out.

[ She seems pretty chill with that. ]

[tattooism]

Demons, hmm? What sort of those do you have?

[spellcollect]

The usual sort. Predatory, grasping creatures who know nothing but conquest and exploiting others.

[tattooism]

The "usual sort", hmm?

I suppose people say that of the demons in my world, too.

[spellcollect]

Are they the same where you're from?

[tattooism]

No, I would not say so. The ones of my world are a far more nuanced breed... and there are so many kinds, after all. I would not expect from a hellhound the same I expect of a succubus... and so on and so on.

As people, as well, of course. One can only stereotype so much.

[spellcollect]

Do they still prey on humans? Unable to co-exist? Or are they different?

[tattooism]

Some do. Some do, but only if you loosen the definition of "prey". And some do not.

Some co-exist. And some do not.

[spellcollect]

They sound different from the ones I know. They only speak long enough to get what they want.

[tattooism]

Now... if we are talking about "selfishness"...

Maybe they are not so different.

[spellcollect]

That's a little disappointing. If not unexpected.

[tattooism]

Oh?

Your world is lacking in supremely selfish humans... ?

[spellcollect]

Mmm, I wouldn't say that.

But demons are universally so.

[tattooism]

How comfortable that must be for some. A world of black and white. Why, you needn't worry about deception at all, in that case.

[spellcollect]

They try. But their nature is to prey on others and it always emerges.

[tattooism]

Hopefully the humans of your world have learned better... ?

Or is that privilege reserved for elves?

[spellcollect]

I think they have, for the most part. But there are always exceptions.

[tattooism]

There are always fools, you mean?

Yes, yes.

That is true. No matter how long one lives.

[spellcollect]

Something like that. Although since humans live short lives, I can't really blame them for repeating mistakes their ancestors made.

[tattooism]

Blame is so very the domain of the short-lived, after all.

[spellcollect]

Perhaps. Do you have experience with that?