Jigano nodded as Oliver explained himself, and his lips quirked into a smile at the end of it. "I won't yell," he promised, "not unless you're about to step on a landshark or something like that. I do want you to learn more, though, and to question your assumptions at first, as much as you can, until you have a chance to become more comfortable in this world." Remi would probably laugh at him for saying that; Jigano knew he had a reputation for being stuck in his ways and it wasn't unearned, but that only made him more determined to make sure others didn't make the same mistakes that he had...
Ah, there it was again. That condescending impulse that Remi and Amalia had both pointed out to him. He was going to have to try and watch it with Oliver lest he push another potential friend away.
"A willingness to learn is already more than many people bring," the bard assured him with his wry smile back in place. "That's all this guild asks for, and everyone in it will do their best to help you without accusing you." Question? Well, yes. Wanting to be sure he thought things through and wasn't taking all answers on blind faith? Absolutely. But accusing him or belittling him? That went against what Jigano wanted, even if he slipped up and let his age and experience lead him into thinking he knew more than others.
He listened carefully to how Oliver described his source of information on Ludo, and held back the sigh of frustration at how Phoebe had generalized things. Still, he nodded some agreement to it. "I don't think that Ludo can return memories that were lost before you arrived on this world," he said slowly. "So in that, she may be right. And it can be playful and mischievous, but it's also the most honorable of the old gods, I think. It is far less vain than Safrin, and it once showed a great deal of favor and affection towards an Abandoned girl named Maea, who was once a member of this Guild before illness took her from us." Not dead, necessarily, but certainly unable to continue any duties to any guild. "I have never known Safrin to be as open towards any mage, Natural or Outlander," he added after a moment's thought. "Not until after they became a hybrid of mage and Attuned, at least."
Oliver's thought was a good one, but Jigano only shook his head with a sad smile. "Were that so, then the gods would have burned the magic from every Abandoned within the Hollowed Grounds generations ago. As far as I know, they have never been able to answer such a prayer. The best they can do is to give a mage the abilities of an Attuned as an expression of their blessing upon them."
Ah, there it was again. That condescending impulse that Remi and Amalia had both pointed out to him. He was going to have to try and watch it with Oliver lest he push another potential friend away.
"A willingness to learn is already more than many people bring," the bard assured him with his wry smile back in place. "That's all this guild asks for, and everyone in it will do their best to help you without accusing you." Question? Well, yes. Wanting to be sure he thought things through and wasn't taking all answers on blind faith? Absolutely. But accusing him or belittling him? That went against what Jigano wanted, even if he slipped up and let his age and experience lead him into thinking he knew more than others.
He listened carefully to how Oliver described his source of information on Ludo, and held back the sigh of frustration at how Phoebe had generalized things. Still, he nodded some agreement to it. "I don't think that Ludo can return memories that were lost before you arrived on this world," he said slowly. "So in that, she may be right. And it can be playful and mischievous, but it's also the most honorable of the old gods, I think. It is far less vain than Safrin, and it once showed a great deal of favor and affection towards an Abandoned girl named Maea, who was once a member of this Guild before illness took her from us." Not dead, necessarily, but certainly unable to continue any duties to any guild. "I have never known Safrin to be as open towards any mage, Natural or Outlander," he added after a moment's thought. "Not until after they became a hybrid of mage and Attuned, at least."
Oliver's thought was a good one, but Jigano only shook his head with a sad smile. "Were that so, then the gods would have burned the magic from every Abandoned within the Hollowed Grounds generations ago. As far as I know, they have never been able to answer such a prayer. The best they can do is to give a mage the abilities of an Attuned as an expression of their blessing upon them."
