Jul 31, 2024
To:Mo
Hello, nice to see you again!
This chapter is supposed to be the ironic climax of all he's built up to in the first act (The shortest one of all), as it was primarily meant to introduce his character as a whole, and maybe a bit of the plot. He is supposed to be this person that recognises the inherent cruelty between social classes so obviously fragmented by the three vertical 'layers' of the city, Leiden, to such an extent that the lowest of these classes had to rely on the will of a Deity to build them their own infrastructure in the form of Etten-Leur. He is also someone that has to struggle with understanding how the good things in life aren't necessarily diminished by the existence of these inequalities. Moreover, he has to struggle with the burnout and lack of fulfillment brought about by something he had taken up as his own dream, despite it being given to him by another person. Plot-wise, for reasons later on revealed, this dream was always meant as a first-step towards greater things. However, for him, he can only assume this to be something that also needs to 'change'. Himself, the world, it all needs change. But from the start, he understands that he is just one person. He cannot impart change on a worldwide level. Even in his daily life, all of his earnings from the job he hates go to supporting the needy Dwindlers who stay outside and inside the monastery of a Deity he only half-believes in. He doesn't mind this, but it is not change, not even on a fundamental level. It is just stagnation. He doesn't think these petty 'good things' that the Dwindlers view as good because they know of nothing else is quite right. He feels they should want for more, but they do not know of more, and so they cannot. That is the first seed of determination to change only their perspectives, which will turn later on into the idealisation that his goals should be to bolster the living conditions of only the lower class and the people he cares about.
However, the irony comes forth in the final bits of this chapter, and this act. He is told how this power he receives, something he wishes he had to reignite his passion for magic- true magic- comes at the cost of that which he truly cared about from the start, Elise. He is told how this power he receives is the fault of inequality( relating to power from authority, kings, lords, governmental figures, nobles- as well as indirectly tied to the power of Deities, true magic), and how he is now complacent in that world that pushes people further down.
This is where his idea of that alternate end- of revenge is first stoked entirely. Of course, as a reader we know of the existence of some sort of figure behind the attack on the monastery because of the monologue between the Emissary and the Messenger of Lord Sinner. However, this is eluded to being the fault of more than one person, more than just the ratman enmaddened by the power of heresy. Of note is that during that fight, the ratman controlled shadows. It might have been harder to pick up on because I messed up with those little mistakes you mentioned, but this is a key aspect of the 'Club- Black Magic' domain. So, his madness was a result of mixing these two aspects of power- Heresy and Black Magic. However, I wouldn't dismiss anything he said just yet, as it's all indicative of a greater plotline that is furthered hinted at by two specific characters in act2, also both Black Mages. Specifically, the 'eating of rats and people' as a method of survival is meant to show the tragedy behind this character later on.
Now that he has this idea of revenge, all he needs to do is find out who's behind it. But it's not as if he doesn't have connections, as this was shown from the very start, as well as after the monastery attack. Who better knows of the events that happen in such a lawless place than the leader of a lawless group? Of course, it could only be the best friend of the magician, Constantine Adler. But that's for later.
Soon, the revelation of who is behind the attack on the monastery, as Constantine Adler was clearly aware of, will change that method of 'revenge' that Lumière imagines is possible. It's not something he can accomplish in one day, and maybe not even a year, and definitely not by himself. Act2 is all about the start of his schemes and plots, and how thin he is worn away by keeping up so many lies, by being a tightrope walker holding up the weight of so many lives on his shoulders.
Two key things to note are the appearance of the Labyrinth supposedly connected to Lord Sinner, as well as the 'man' that he saw within that dream. The other of note is the mysterious House of Cards, which will appear where one expects it to appear. A space apart from the physical world, cloaked in an illusory mist that prevents the prying gazes of those that should not know of it is where he will spend a lot of time in the future due to one of his overarching schemes.
The power system of SOTS echoes that idea that being human is hard, but it is also a fundamental step of not falling to madness. All four of the 'cursed' domains of power mentioned so far (Alchemy, Heresy, Black Magic, and Astrology) all have drawbacks relating to a person that is gradually worn away at as time goes on.
Black Magicians lose their soul, the very essence of a person's life, because the initial attainment of this power (if one of the Club Cards is not obtained) is to die and return to life. Each increment of this power will see a Black Mage becoming less and less like a living person, more like a specter who barely exists at all.
An Astrologer must lose their humanity. Delving so deep into the secrets of fate and the stars causes one to see just how big the universe and time are- how insignificant they are, how much less weight and importance they have attached to them. (This will be seen in Act2 very early on).
An Alchemist must lose their humanity. To delve into modification of the self and to alter the building blocks of the world itself, one cannot be human, for humans do not have such power.
A Heretic (Lumière) must lose their sanity. Only a crazy person would choose to defy the Deities, after all. This is one of the most powerful domains, because it is also the most dangerous. Because the abatement of madness revolves around 'lying' to oneself and others, this is the type of power most suited to a liar, an actor, a performer.
This is to say, the preservation of what makes a person a person is a key challenge for all characters in this story.
I hope you enjoyed reading the finality of the first act! I appreciate you as always for supporting my writing and continuing to leave your intricate thoughts! I really enjoy it when you pop in for a visit! ^^
