After Viola has transformed back, Niko takes her back outside and introduces her to the Captain, who turns out not to have any more than a few words of Latin. Via Niko, the Captain tells her that they'll be leaving with the first tide after the rest of the passengers arrive; on being informed that they actually have all done, he informs her it'll be within the hour.
Niko also gives her a translation summary which equates to "on board his ship, he's in charge and expects to be obeyed by his passengers as well as his crew". Judging by the Captain's tone, Viola suspects that Niko's slightly softening the original message.
Viola has no objection to that. She will, however, poke around as much as she can get away with, trying to learn as much as possible about the ship and its crew--though mostly by observation rather than attempting to talk to anyone (since she's never learned Greek).
Beyond that, this is a good chance to sit down and chat with Calliope.
A lot of the ship (where Viola assumes the cargo and crew quarters are) are effectively off-limits to her short of unusual measures, but Viola doesn't notice anything particularly unusual about the ship or its crew - not that she's sure she'd know if there was.
Calliope's happy to talk - is there anything in particular Viola wants to discuss?
Not especially, though (assuming the two can talk privately) Viola is interested in Calliope's impressions about the Bright Ones cult, now that she's been a member for a few seasons. It's really not a big cult, and these two are the only members on this side of Europe.
It's possible to find a certain amount of privacy in the stern cabin, but not complete privacy. Viola thinks that's someone would have to be either actively listening in or open the door at an inopportune moment in order to overhear their conversation, but that either of those could happen (if anyone was inclined to try).
Is she taking any precautions against either?
[Assuming Viola is still willing to talk about the cult's lore] Calliope tells Viola
"So far...it's interesting, what you said about my human blood giving me potential beyond that I would have had as a pure fae. I don't fully understand why the Bright Ones discourage subsequent apotheosis, though? The Greek legends tell of several heroes born of the Olympians who subsequently acheived immortality - why is that something to be avoided? Why not work great deeds as a mortal, and then ascend with the tales of your exploits - or songs - are still ringing through the world - rather than dying?
Also - I was expecting to be set some great deeds to perform, or immortalise, for the cult. Is that something that will come with time, or should I be seeking out things to do myself?"
She'll try to figure out who might be in the cabins on either side--any chance it's the grogs? Putting a wedge in the door big enough to make sure that it doesn't open easily ought to take care of the latter problem.
Viola thinks carefully before answering the first question. "The legends...well, I wasn't there. I can't say what happened to those heroes. But here and now we're talking about becoming fae. Yes, the mystery of Becoming would allow you to become a very powerful faerie, but you would stop being Calliope." She pauses to give Calliope a fond pat. "I suppose the truth of that statement depends on who you ask, but the soul is what divides us from the fae--it's what gives you your creativity, and, if the theologians are to be believed, it's the very essence of your being. In Becoming you lose that soul. From one perspective, you trade it for immortality; from another, you die (or at least, the human part of you does) and are replaced by a faerie. I think maybe that's not the most satisfying answer, but it's the only one I have, without becoming fae myself.
"As for the cult, for the most part, all that we ask of one another is to find good individuals to join us, and to take the time to initiate them into our mysteries. You certainly might be called on if another of us has an emergency, and likewise you may call on the rest of us in time of need. We exist, though, to share our wisdom with like-minded sodales, not to carry out some grand plan."
"The soul...I've heard it mentioned a few times - my mater said we couldn't affect it - but I've never understood it. What actually is it? Are we sure our lack of ability to affect it isn't just that it doesn't exist?"
There's a distinct look of disappointment on Calliope's face as she nods.
Viola shrugs, "I don't know. Those who do claim to know, know so only by faith. To tell the truth, I'm not sure if we even have souls. What i do know, though, is that the fae aren't human. I spent the first eight years of my life living in the company of not a single human other than my mother, and I can say with a great degree of certainty that, while faerie are quite interesting, I don't want to become one. I want to keep what makes my human, what makes me creative.
"Well, just because we don't have any grand plans as a cult doesn't mean that you can't form grand plans of your own....I certainly have one or two. And you might even get the rest of us to help you. Did you have something in mind?" She smiles indulgently at the younger maga, giving her a reassuring pat.
Calliope seems to be pondering this, although she doesn't yet look entirely convinced.
Calliope frowns, looking somewhat frustrated. "No, not yet. I know I want to create great songs, about great deeds. I want my compositions to be heard and remembered throughout the Order, and beyond. But I don't know what deeds, what songs."
Viola laughs about that, not unkindly though. "If you can't find inspiration on your own, I'm not sure that any cult could give it to you. I might have a use for songs in my own projects, though."
Returning to the topic of Becoming, Viola adds one more point. "It's up to you, Calliope, to decide what it is about yourself that's most important to you. But once you're a faerie, you won't create new songs anymore; you'll only sing the ones you created when you were human."
"Cults have grand goals, though - and secrets, I admit is an issue. If I turn the secret missions into a heroic epic, it might cause "problems"... Also, Imaginem is an excellent art in many ways, but it is limited when it comes to slaying monsters unless you have a convenient cliff edge. I need to consider what else to study."
She pauses, and then resumes.
"I'd be happy to help with songs on your projects, though. Have you had any thoughts on whether you want to attempt anything with the gorgon? Or do you have other projects you need assistance with?"
A shadow does pass across Calliope's face at this.
Viola smiles again. "There's much more to life than slaying monsters. Imaginem can change what people think and feel, and that can be worth much more than a few pawns of vis from the hoof of some magically deformed creature. Personally, I'm worried about what will happen as humans grow more and more numerous, and cut down the forests. Not only will Merinitae lose the places of faerie, but the Order will lose magical places as well--and then where will we study or harvest vis? I've been thinking for a long time that it would be a good idea to find ways to convince mundanes that preserving the forests is a good idea."
"I suppose it doesn't need to be slaying monsters specifically - but I want to do things people take notice of."
She considers Viola's suggestion a moment.
"I suppose I could write a song about the beauties of the natural areas?" She muses a moment longer. "Or maybe something about some terrible consequences that befall from their despoilment..."
Viola smiles, a mischievous gleam shining forth from her eyes. "Yes, yes...but emotions are strongest when they're specific. Any Mentem magus can tell you that. Pick a particular place, and sing about it." She laughs again, inserting an addendum: "And let me know when you're going to do it--the singing would make it much easier for me to study Imaginem."
Viola has to give that question some thought. "You know, I haven't explored the area around Nova Castra well enough to identify a likely place. But perhaps you know some places near your own covenant? I should think that the need to preserve such places is even more pressing where civilization has fully taken hold. You are of course welcome though to visit my covenant and help me find places that you could celebrate in song."
"It's mostly mountainous where we are - I'm not sure there's much to attract large numbers of people in the first place. I think that's the case for a lot of the tribunal, actually - most of the towns and cities are confined to the coast, or to the islands. Anatolia might be different, but I'm not familiar enough with it to be sure."
"I suppose we have been having problems with people trying to take stone for building from one of the ancient shrines. Maybe there's something I could do there..."
[OOC: Unless there's any new topics Viola wants to bring up, I think this is now beginning to peter out - do you want to skip ahead?]
