[NR] That Sounds Familiar - Chapter 527

Rosha, “Well?”

Jason sighed, “You already have a hard enough time believing my whole reincarnation thing. I did pick up knowledge on the subject, but the source is even harder to believe. Though I can explain the reasoning behind it all.

“Well, that may be exaggerating a little bit, but I can explain some of it. Anyway, for now let’s put a name on it, the language of Intent. What you say with the language reflects your intentions and understanding.

“So to properly say the word ‘Truth’, you need to understand it to such a level that part of who you are is ‘Truth’. And this isn’t one of those situations where you can be cheeky and balance between truth and lies. Once you can say the word truth, even lying by omission will be obvious. You don’t get to go all Fae on your wording. Though it also doesn’t stop others from misunderstanding you. It just prevents you from speaking so as to cause that misunderstanding.”

Rosha, “So it’s a magical language that forces others to understand you and can alter a person’s mind when they understand it?”

Jason, “Eh, I wouldn’t say knowing Truth alters your mind. Rather, to speak certain things in the language? You have to have the right mindset in the first place. Oh, and it doesn’t force you to understand it. The language is just something everything understands.

“And it goes beyond just that. Since the language is used to communicate intent, there are certain quirks that go with using the language. The best example would be if someone could say the word ‘cat’.

“By me saying that, you both thought of a cat. Be it orange, white, or black you thought of a cat. You say it to a hundred different people and unless they had just been looking at the same cat, many of them would have thought of different cats.

“Now if someone said it in the language of Intent? You would think of the same cat the person who said the word was thinking of, even if you had never seen that cat. It removes the ambiguity.”

Courtney frowns, “Pretty certain you told us about this before, especially with the cat example. Though now that I know it can happen irl? That actually sounds dangerous. To be able to insert thoughts into someone’s head? And have them understand? I’m going to be honest, if someone managed that irl, it would be a disaster.”

Jason shrugs, “It could be, but that would require someone able to properly say more than a couple words and maybe their name or title. The three words I can say right now? They barely count and cannot force understanding.

“Otherwise, there wouldn’t be a question of why I felt they formed a cycle. You would know already. To be honest, even those who can speak it, likely wouldn’t go that far with people like us and the rest of everyone irl and in NeoRealm.

“Karma is a very real force after a certain point. To force understanding on someone? That is a deep connection and the power imbalance forces responsibility to flow one way, up.”

Courtney, “So we’re depending on others to feel kind and not want to take on more responsibility?”

Jason, “Anyone capable of using the language of Intent has some form of cultivation or enlightenment. The chains of karma would hold them back from advancing. Whether it is someone malicious to the core or a paragon of virtue, they will not want that because everyone makes enemies on their way to the top.

“Even just existing is enough for some beings to hate you, let alone if you’re growing in power. The most common use you’ll find is even more minor than what I can do with those three words. Instead of directly using the words, a person will read from some scripture or document written in them, but speak in their language.

“This is most commonly used by religions. Like, if you’ve ever read one of those cultivation stories where there is a religion that tries to convert people by reading scripture? It is that, but even less forceful. More along the lines of making sure those listening understand their message, which is written in traditionally manipulative ways.”

Rosha rolls her eyes, “Well that’s not creepy or anything.”

Jason shrugs, “Yep, it certainly is! Good thing as I mentioned with the voice to text and what not, you can’t copy or record the language. Only the person who can speak a word, can write the word down and an audio recording is right out.

“Well, I guess technically an audio recording is possible? It would take the speaker to hand scribe something like the grooves in a record. The problem is, whatever you use to play it back, won’t actually play back the recording, but rather however the playback device translates it.

“So you’re basically limited the written word and even then, the very nature of the language requires a very powerful item or specially prepared writing material. Otherwise, the words will vanish from existence. Ink will unbind from the page, carved stone will crumble, and even if someone aligned stars to spell it out, the very stars and the light they put out will decay quickly.”

Rosha rolls her eyes, “Well that’s nice. I guess some powerful entity can’t just knowledge bomb us from a galactic distance away by accident.”

Jason, “A good rule of thumb for anything like this whether it is magic, sound, light, or something even more esoteric. Your personal power limits supernatural effects. If a light mage releases a blast of light, even though in theory those photons should keep going, they’ll stop once they go a certain distance.

“That is why artillery style mages who need to take truly long-range shots will focus on unguided shots. For instance, if the same light mage instead gathered sunlight and released it, the laser would keep going until it naturally diffuses. Of course, that allows for dodging, especially if instead of light it is a giant boulder being flung, but at least the attack will reach the target.”