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Diamond Dancer
7dd242
>Ah, Rafela can hear us through her inheritance. Though the Slave of the Ring is the reason Rafela can hear us at all. Rafela's sweet friend doesn't seem as lucky. If anyone around catches our drift, they'll experience us as thoughts they never knew they had. Here, let's see if we can't demonstrate. Does Sasza's kind blush?
“Hmm…?”
>[giving Sasza thoughts about Rafela]
”…………!?!”
>Is it working?
“A little blush perhaps, and he wiggles! Do not scratch your scales on the ground, pretty. Rafela will let you up when she does not have other business to attend!”
>Oh, and fair warning, people may blame Rafela for our trying to essentially steer their thoughts if or when we get noticed as something outside the normal mode of thought. It's also unreliable and people might just not catch our drift. As I understand it, we are far away from Rafela and our intercessions dependant on certain factors. We are neither gods nor demons. More like witnesses.
>Hey, mind telling us about those other voices you hear? Curious about what made us so easily stand out.
“Rafela’s kind are often blamed for things. The subjects of your words are different, and your tone, and other things. You are… cleaner.”
”?… ohh you’re talking to the voices in your head again.”
“So, now. The rules?”
Right.
“I am bound to serve you, as mistress of the Ring, until either it is passed from your possession, or you have spent the three chances you are given to ask me for a work of Power beyond the limitations which normal mortals have been granted, by the Word of the Book of the gods of the Thrones.”
“…?”
“In these, your Three Great Wishes, and in all else, I am bound further by these following conditions, presented in their simple form: That I must abide by the terms of my sentence, and that I may not trespass upon the domains in which only the gods have rights to work. By the terms of my sentence I must only serve. Ever I must wear signs of my bondage for all to see, to know I am a slave or lowly servant, and act as such, never in authority or privilege over any being less wretched in the eyes of the divine than I. I cannot intentionally speak falsehood to you, unless you ask me to. I cannot harm you, unless you ask me to. I cannot do anything but speak to you, as a servant should, except by your command or clear desire.”
“The domains of the gods, which I am forbidden to touch, are these: Firstly, life and death. I may not by magic conjure life from nothing, though I may manipulate false life, or alter pre-existing life. I may not kill by magic, though I may place a life in danger, if it is not certain death. Second, the path of fate. I may not reveal destinies concealed by the gods, nor alter that which has been written before now. I cannot change the past, or bring things from the future. Third, the Veil shall not be breached. I cannot travel, send nor bring beyond the furthest reach and vision of the gods and the realms where they claim reign. Fourth, free will is a sacred gift from the gods to their creations. I cannot directly control the choices that a mortal mind may make. At most I may bring influences, pressures and temptations onto them, but final decisions must be theirs.”
“Finally, my bindings, and the Ring, are Protected by the will of the gods and the terms by which they were forged. I cannot change the rules of my service. I cannot by magic make another Ring or others of my kind. I cannot alter nor directly move the Ring, though I may move you while you carry it, if you command. If you wish to use one of your Three Wishes, you must hold the ring, address me clearly, and declare it as a Wish. If ever another person takes the Ring, they become my master, and any ongoing commands which you have given will no longer have authority until you regain the Ring. Once you have used your third and final Wish, I shall depart you, your commands again will no longer have authority from thereon, and you may never command me again, save that another master tells me to obey you.”
That’s about as much as I can get away with in how simply I can present the rules, plus a few clarifications to stop some obvious ploys. Hopefully, she won’t think to ask me any of the questions I’d rather not answer.
“… In what ways can you serve your mistress outside these Three Wishes?”
Little fucker.
“As any normal mortal might be asked to serve you, mistress. Again, I may change my shape and my appearance as you like, so long as I am clearly a humble servant, or even lowlier. I must also remain female.”
Some gods are real traditionalists about some things. It’s what I’d went with anyway, but losing the option to change my mind stings, even if I’d rarely use it. So many little freedoms I once had.
“‘As any normal mortal’, hmm? Hm. Including magic, if it does not surpass these ‘limitations’. What kinds of magic can you do without a wish?”
“Petty magic, mostly, suitable to service. In essence, nothing important. To fully answer would take a long time.”
“Hah. And these were the ‘simple form’ of the rules, too. Rafela thinks she would like to know the complicated form.”
“… As you like, mistress, I am permitted to show you a copy of the full conditions of my service. I advise you that It Is Written in angelic legal language, which will hurt your eyes, and it is very dense.”
“‘Dense’?”
“Yes. Angelic legislators can write seventy-seven subclauses on the head of a pin.”
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