Page 17 of In This Iron Ground
“Okay. Now, stop me if any of this doesn’t make sense. Things and creatures can have different types of Ousía. Some people are conduits. They have the ability to use their own Ousía to influence the Ousía of others. People who train in this are typically called witches.”
“Witches!”
“Yes, witches,” Nova said, laughing.
“Wow…”
“Through spells and rituals, witches can perform things which are beyond the reach of the physical by influencing Ousía.”
“Like…what can they do?”
“Oh, the list is long. They can bond Ousía together, such as creating a pack bond. They can cage and bind. They can release. If they are particularly strong, they can influence fate, emotions…it all sounds a bit sinister, but these feats take a lot of energy. It is rare that they’re used for evil. Or, well, it’s a bit a rarer than how often people use physical or psychological means to influence others wrongly due to the knowledge and skill necessary for this, as well as the risk of exposure.”
“Okay. Yeah. I get that.”
“Okay.…The second type of people are called receptives. They have Ousía which can easily perceive and sense other Ousía. We call them seers, although they can also be called clairvoyants.”
“Wow. Wow. So, like…they can see into the future?”
“In a manner of speaking. What they can actually do is open themselves up to receive information from a vast amount of Ousía from different sources. This helps them predict what can happen. For example, if I had two chemicals in my hand and were about to mix them, and asked you what was about to happen, you would have no idea unless you knew what those chemicals are, what temperature they were at, and knew what typically happens when they are mixed. No one can truly see into the future because it doesn’t exist yet. It is knowing and understanding the present and the past that will help you see the future.”
“Wow. That makes…so much sense.”
“Yes. There is great balance in the Ousía.”
“So…a shaman…?”
“Shamans are very rare. They are those who are both receptive and conductive and who have trained in both practices. Many shamans link themselves to a shifter pack because it offers them stability to be bonded in such a way. Packs are usually tied to the land, offering additional support and, in turn, power to the shaman. In return, the shaman will prioritize the protection and wellbeing of the pack.”
“Wow. Okay, I know I’m saying wow a lot but…wow. What about shifters?”
“Shifters have any kind of Ousía, in terms of receptive, conductive, or passive. I’ll expand on ‘passive’ in a second. What makes shifters what they are is that their Ousía has the properties of both a human and an animal. For example, werewolves have the properties of wolves and humans. Selkies have the properties of seals and humans.”
“Wow. Mia said that most are born but some can be…ritualized?”
“Yes. Mostly, you have to be born as a shifter, just as someone is born a human. However, particular receptive Ousía can be melded with a particular animal by a strong witch or a shaman through a ritual. Rituals and spells are what witches and shamans use to control and direct their Ousía for a particular purpose.”
“Okay. So…and passives?”
“Passives are what most people, plants, and objects are. The vast majority of objects are passive, lest they be enchanted otherwise. For example, a witch can make an object receptive to make a divination tool, or they can make it conductive to serve a certain purpose. Some plants have certain Ousía qualities that aid in rituals and spells. And people—well, as I have explained, it is more common for people to be receptive or conductive than animals and plants, but, still, most are passive.”
“So…what type of Ousía do I have?”
“Passive, I believe.”
“Oh,” Damien said, disappointed. For a moment he’d thought he was about to have a you’re-a-wizard-Harry moment. Still. “This is…the coolest thing that…wow. Wow.” His head was so full it could barely think. It had taken a leap to accept the existence of werewolves. But this…this sounded like magic. “Are there any other types of people or…Ousía quality or…”
“Yes,” Nova laughed. “There are necromancers, for example, who have Ousía which are both conductive but anchored in the physical world. Meaning they cannot typically perform spells or rituals, but they can go to the land of the dead with help of a familiar—a spirit guide—without getting lost.”
“Wow.”
“There is more, of course. There is much to know about Ousía. About its balance and its properties. However, that would take quite a bit longer to explain.”
“Yeah, I…I get it. I just…wow. Necromancers? What? Oh my God. I mean, sorry. I just…”
“It’s quite alright. I’ve been born into this, but I can imagine what a revelation it must be.”
“Yeah, I…wow. And you keep it all secret?”
