Ask Luna #151

From: Lucas

1. Is Future Sight long term divination? I’ve heard the terms precognition and path walking which seem to be short term and mid term divination. Or is Future Sight a broader term or another form of divination entirely?

2. Do you or Alex know if diviners see the future like Alex does with lines of light or does it vary case by case?

3. Could Alex develop the ability to block other diviners visions, or is it like singing where you either have it or you don’t?

4. This was awhile back but when Cinder tried to get Alex to join up with him Khazad and Deleo he mentioned other seers they could of used. Why do you think they did not get them to help them with the Fateweaver incident after Alex said no? Were they lesser diviners or do you think he was lying about them?

5. For that matter why do you think Rachel wanted Alex to help them with the Fateweaver? I can’t imagine she would be happy to see him after everything that happened when they were apprentices.

1. I’ve never heard Alex use that term, so no idea.

2. Varies as far as I know.

3. No idea.

4. No idea.

5. No clue, and I’m not tracking her down to ask her.

Come on, guys, I’m not God. How do you expect me to know this stuff? Other people’s motivations for doing things that happened the best part of ten years ago?

From: Jack

Hi Luna,

Hope you are doing ok. My question is about the events around the fateweaver. How did you find out about the place where you found the key to the fateweaver relic? It seems a bit suspicious that it happened to be found by someone connected to Alex, almost like it was meant to draw him back into mage politics. I’m guessing it was Morden who set it up, simply because he and Richard have seemingly never given up on recruiting/using Alex. Have you or Alex ever thought about it?

As an aside, Alex is clearly different from other diviners we’ve seen in that he is more of a short-term, combat-focused seer. Has he tried to do the long-term forecasting that Alaundo and Helikaon seem to manage? That would likely be very useful, though maybe it’s not one of Alex’s talents.

Thanks and good luck.

Okay, so while this is also from years and years ago, it does actually relate to me.

It’s a long story, and it involves things I used to do that I don’t much do now. Back in those days I was kind of . . . drifting, I guess. I wanted to do something, but I didn’t know what, and I didn’t know what would work, and I was a bit desperate that my motivation would run out and I wouldn’t be able to get it back. One thing led into another and that led into another and that led me into that attic where I found that cube.

I’ve wondered about how I found it, too. It might have been some mage who set it up, but it seems kind of elaborate – Alex and I weren’t really on anyone’s radar back then. Honestly, I’ve always kind of suspected that if anyone was behind it, it was the item. Or maybe it really just was a case of wrong place, wrong time.

Oh, and no, I don’t think Alex does that kind of long-range forecasting. He knows how to do it, but he doesn’t seem to like it for whatever reason.

From: Logan

My question is about the magic economy. Favors mostly, but with some money, I get that, but what’s Alex doing/spending to get all his condensers, force walls, etc? Who creates them? If just Enchanters, it seems like they’re the only ones doing anything productive, but Arachne is the only one mentioned specifically to make items, and it sounds like she’s always done it for free (did it even before Alex saved her). Besides that, are other mages earning a living productively, such as what’s a non-keeper fire or air mage doing to pay the rent? Intrigue and politics are fun, but not everyone is power hungry. Would be interested to hear of a shapeshifting accountant. What’s that got to do with accounting?Nothing, but what else is he/she going to do with it?

Alex trades for his items (or used to, anyway). Biggest supplier was a guy called Norden. He used to give the guy low-value focuses in exchange for bulk orders on the one-shots he used (he pretty much always went through the same three or four). He’d sometimes do favours as well.

As for what other mages do to pay the rent . . . whatever they need to. It’s not like it’s that hard to figure out a way to make money if you have as many tricks as the average mage. And of course if you’re with the Council, you just need to kiss up to the right guy. Mages tend not to like to advertise how they get their money, though.

From: Jim

Hi Luna,

What is Talisid’s magic type?

Thanks

Mind mage, according to Alex. He’s very subtle about it, though. I’ve never seen him use a spell (though I haven’t seen him much.)