Ask Luka Ivrian

Or don't. Your loss.

[ask-luka-ivrian]

What's higher education like in Erit?

There’s SO MUCH you can study. Infinite options and combinations! Some people actually don’t understand the limitations of magic, and how much we need people to be able to do things like, say, be electricians and plumbers? No magic in the world is gonna [redacted by meadow] your pipes. So there’s a lot of apprenticeships that humans especially like to get into. 

But there’s also art, medicine, magical arts, history, magical history, science--Anything you can imagine. Plus, there’s apprenticeships in magic for every aspect. Ptery’s an apprentice healer and apparently they’re pretty good at it. 

I have a short degree in mechanics. I stopped going to school because I already knew more than what they could teach me, but at least I have the piece of paper that says I know what I’m talking about. Benji was thinking about going to school for a whole bunch of things--philosophy was brought up I think--but since he was an elf he wasn’t in any hurry. Then Meadow’s some sort of prodigy when it comes to flora magic so school was never really a consideration for him. 

[ask-luka-ivrian]

Where did therics come from? Did one of the gods create them, were they the result of a rogue sorcerer like banshees were, what? And do you know who the first therics were?

(Author note: I’ll answer this by posting a full history of therics to my main blog, @the-world-of-erit! I’ve finally finished it.)

[ask-luka-ivrian]

Do therics get to choose the creature they become? Or is it just a random thing?

It’s based on three things. 

1. The amount of magic that can flow through them. Most people in the world, regardless of whether they are mages or not, can channel a lot of magic. That makes most therics mammals or birds. The less magic someone has, the lower they fall on the evolutionary chain. Those with no magic at all, or “null magic” become invertebrates of some kind, and are unable to pass on what they are. 

2. Personality. An outgoing, intelligent, curious person might become a raven, while someone with a more reserved, shy, introverted personality might become a nightjar. Someone who prefers being in the background wouldn’t become, say, a flamingo. HOWEVER! It’s also up to the way the person in question interprets the animal. An outgoing person who considers cats aloof and distant wouldn’t become a cat theric, but someone who’s ever owned a cat and considers them loving, talkative, and in-your-face might!

3. Zodiac. Affects the particular form and color of that animal. Some, like Luka, are centaur-like, while there’s likely a giant fucking theric spider somewhere out there that just looks like a literal spider and is utterly terrifying. 

So no, they don’t get to pick, but it’s also not completely random! :D

[ask-luka-ivrian]

So how does being a theric feel? Like is there any discrimination?

It doesn’t feel great. 

I mean it has its advantages. I won’t lie. Especially with the type I am... I literally have web hammocks strung across my bedroom, so that’s fun. But one thing I learned early on is that the stress of being a theric takes about 20 aur off the human lifespan. I’ll be lucky to make it to the age of 60. And therics are more likely to have senility issues when they get older... Some forget the rules and the moon cycle and... 

Well, let’s just say they don’t have a peaceful end. 

Some therics even end things themselves before it gets too bad. I don’t know if I’ll have to do that. I hope not. I really hope I don’t even have to consider it. 

A lot of the discrimination kinda comes from the past, when the rules weren’t clear and it seemed therics would randomly go crazy with no explanation. Most people still don’t have a good understanding of how thericry works, and I guess it’s much easier to be afraid of something you don’t understand. 

I mean, petals (as Meadow would say), it would take a couple hours at most to read about thericry and at least try to be understanding. The resources are there! There’s hundreds of books about it now! There’s even a terminal module for new therics and friends/family. 

That’s why I kept it a secret for so long. I mean, the people closest to me will probably understand, but if things get bad... If--I don’t know. If something happens... 

I just hope nothing happens. 

[ask-luka-ivrian]

Considering it’s coming up fast for anyone on the Gregorian calendar, what does the New Year look like for you and your family and friends? Do you party, sit alone and think about the passage of time, ignore it completely and get work done, practice arcane rituals under the moonlight, etc.?

I don’t really celebrate the “new year” myself. It’s weird to me. Kind of a non-holiday. ‘Cuz it’s time, you know? One tick it’s one year, then the next it’s another? What’s special about that? Good job, Erit! You’ve gone around the sun again! Nice work. I wonder if it’ll happen again or if we’ll have a disaster on our hands next time!

Actually, that’s entirely possible. Magic has done great and wonderful things for our society, but it’s also accessible to the mean and stupid, so if Erit hurtles off into space next year, I guess I’ll be disappointed, but not surprised.

[ask-luka-ivrian]

How did the others find out about you being theric? Was there any resistance/hesitance like w/ Benji becoming a manticore and freaking Ptery out?

(Author note: This is a big reveal in the first book, actually! Early on when I decided Luka was a theric, I started drawing/writing about her before I decided that the reveal should happen in the story itself. Ultimately I decided to just leave everything I’d done up since I’d already spoiled it, but you’ll have to read the book to get the details! :D)

[ask-luka-ivrian]

How do you communicate in your theric form? Like can you write or can you speak?

Meadow and I are learning Kyrnian Sign Language.

But I can also write.

[ask-luka-ivrian]

Sorry if this is a bit personal but have you ever "gone feral"? Like have you ever not shifted for so long that you lost control? If so, can you remember what happened? If not, what would you do if it ever did? (Like precautions?)

No. No, if someone goes feral, they generally don’t come back from it. This happened a lot when therics first started appearing. I know... I’ve done the research. When new spells, curses, or blessings are created, no one really knows how they work--what their limits are, how to alleviate symptoms or the bad parts, how to utilize the good parts. So in the past, many therics would go feral and no one could explain why. So it was thought that virtually any theric was at risk of losing their mind.

I think it’s really sad. And terrifying. You know how old biases persist even though problems have been solved? That’s still true. Thericry is one of the oldest afflictions on Erit, it’s well-studied, and there’s very little we can’t easily explain. And yet...

Anyway, since I follow all the precautions and I’m not careless, I’ll never have to take steps to ensure the safety of myself and others if it happens. It won’t. And I can definitely say it won’t, because fear is a powerful motivator, and my condition is on my mind all the time.

[ask-luka-ivrian]

How did you discover you were Ace? I know it's different for everyone when figuring out they're not straight so I'm wondering about your story!!

It’s one of the easiest things I ever discovered about myself! I realized I wasn’t really attracted to people in elementary school when all my other friends were dating.

(author note: on Erit, at least on Kyrnis where Luka lives, there’s really no compulsory heteronormativity. There’s words for gay, lesbian, non-binary, trans, ace, etc because they’re important for representation and inclusivity here on good ol’ earth, but people don’t really have to go through difficult discovery to figure out who they are/who they like because Everything Is Okay (tm). So when Luka was little, no one told her she was going to grow up and marry a man and have kids, and her media wasn’t full of straight marriages with picket fences and 2.5 children. She read books about ace people, so when she realized she didn’t find anyone sexually attractive, she immediately had a word to describe herself. Sorry I had to take over and answer for her... It was a really easy question for her to answer. XD)

[ask-luka-ivrian]

Are you able to make webs? If so, how do they differ (if at all) from a regular spider's web? And do you eat the bugs that get stuck in it?

This is always a weird question. I tied Meadow up for asking me, but that was just instinct, I swear.

[Meadow edit: Not instinct.]

Yes, I make webs. It took a while to learn, but on some level, it was instinctual. They’re very strong... I even made a loft in my bedroom that’s kinda like a hammock. I used to think all spider silk was sticky, but it’s not!

I’m a lot bigger than a regular spider, so I think the web is a lot stronger. Meadow couldn’t break out of it. I’ve kinda perfected delicate work, too. Like this:

I mean to be fair he shouldn’t have fallen asleep. Ever.

As for bugs... Well. They’re a bit too small. I don’t use the adhesive sort of web very often besides.

[Meadow edit: I watched her eat a whole raw chicken once! IT WAS SO GROSS]

[ask-luka-ivrian]

Tho the spiders might not wanna be friends, I could fill the space!! You might help me get over my fear of spiders tbh :D

*luka.exe has panicked and crashed at the prospect of friends*

[ask-luka-ivrian]

You: Hello fellow spides!! Shall we discuss the Webs™ and Bugs™?? Spiders: Nobody say anything and it might leave You: ...Spides?

yeah ::::(

i wouldn’t be surprised ::::(

[ask-luka-ivrian]

Can you understand spiders in your theric form?

A little-known fact is that thericry is associated with the god Antirrhopus, who is the god of fauna. And some people who use his magic ARE able to understand animals!

I learned this during the many, many nights I was searching for a cure :E There isn’t one that I can find, and knowing Antirrhopus, if there is one it would involve mass sacrifice of some sort of creature. 

There was this theory that offering the god one thousand unicorns on the night of six full moons could cure thericry, but it was in this really old journal and it really wasn’t peer reviewed or even printed on actual paper. The only copy I could find was literally bound on unicorn skin, so I’m thinking the author just had a vendetta against unicorns. Plus, the next date when there’ll be six full moons all at the same time is like 300 years in the future and I think I’ll probably be dead. Fingers crossed though!

What was the original question? Right. No, I can’t understand spiders ever. I don’t know if it’s because I don’t have the ability, or if it’s because they just don’t have anything to say.

[ask-luka-ivrian]

Luka I would die for you 💚💚

OH FOR CRYIN OUT LOUD 

[Meadow Edit: keep in mind she is 100% flattered during this whole tirade)]

[Luka Edit: MEADOW STOP EDITING MY POSTS]

YOU DON’T WANT TO DIE FOR ME! Enjoy life! Love life! You never know what might happen to lessen your life expectancy! And it’s really hard to come to terms with that when it happens!

I’ve gone through it. Benji’s gone through it. (Although he’s effectively immortal now, which probably messes with your head in a different way) and Meadow... Well. That’s a story for another time. 

Take care of YOU! That’s important!!

[ask-luka-ivrian]

If there was anything you could change about yourself, what would it be and why?

Everything.

[ask-luka-ivrian]

Hey Luka, just stopping by to say that I love you, and I also love the fact you're giving your emoticons multiple pairs of eyes! 😅 Might that be a spidery thing? Hope you have a great day/night/whatever 💜🍀

Oh hello! I don’t know who you are but thank you for the DragNET/Internet love! I don’t think I’ve ever gotten unsolicited love before ::::Dand yes I figured I should have a gimmick for my posts so on the World Wide Web (that’s a spider pun. Meadow told me to add it in. It’s his idea. I’m in no way responsible for your eyes rolling out of your head)(meadow edit: it was all luka’s idea)on the world wide web i made spider faces. ::::3

[ask-luka-ivrian]

What happens to your clothes when you... shapeshift? Transform? Idk the right terminology, but I think you get the idea. Anyway, what happens? Do they just magically disappear, or do they rip off you Incredible Hulk-style (assuming you know what that is)? Also, while we’re on the subject of clothes... why overalls?

If I don’t take them off, I shred them. ::::( which is why I try to shift as much as possible in the comfort of my room. And speaking of comfort... Overalls are comfy. ::::D