Heart soul and memory 3 (Revenge of the Past)

[Illven]

"Yes, named for Alexander the Third of Macedon, when Greece was conquering the area, until his death in Babylon. Alexandria is the feminine form of Alexandros, meaning 'defender of men.'"

"Oh? So why didn't they revert the name when he died?" Alexandria asked.

[Esprit15]

"Oh? So why didn't they revert the name when he died?" Alexandria asked.

"He founded it," Athena says simply. "The city existed for around a housand years before it was no longer in Greek or Byzantine hands. Evidently nobody was interested in changing the name by the time it was taken."

[The TechnoGnome]

"How many people's laps have you sat in?" Darla chuckles.

"Several," Emma said, "My parents', Ophelia's, a few of my older attendants... mostly it happened when I was smaller. Well, except for Ophelia, of course, I only met her a few months ago."

[Illven]

"He founded it," Athena says simply. "The city existed for around a housand years before it was no longer in Greek or Byzantine hands. Evidently nobody was interested in changing the name by the time it was taken."

"Huh. Every other nation changes names at the drop of a hat." Alexandria muses.

"Several," Emma said, "My parents', Ophelia's, a few of my older attendants... mostly it happened when I was smaller. Well, except for Ophelia, of course, I only met her a few months ago."

"Well now you now how you get to do it so frequently." Darla replies

[Esprit15]

"I imagine there is a certain level of pride in saying that one's city has existed longer than many countries. That fact can be obfuscated by city name changes, such as with Istanbul. It also matters when the culture of the populace changes, which didn't really happen under Alexander."

[Illven]

"I imagine there is a certain level of pride in saying that one's city has existed longer than many countries. That fact can be obfuscated by city name changes, such as with Istanbul. It also matters when the culture of the populace changes, which didn't really happen under Alexander."

"While that would work for governors you'd think like the pharaoh would force a change." Alexandria replied.

[The TechnoGnome]

"Well now you now how you get to do it so frequently." Darla replies

"Not really," Emma said, "I mean I can't really just walk over to someone and put myself on their lap like you did. It only worked with Ophelia because she was partially submerged at the time."

"So why did you decide to do this?" Emma asked, "It's not like I commanded you to do this or anything."

[Illven]

"Not really," Emma said, "I mean I can't really just walk over to someone and put myself on their lap like you did. It only worked with Ophelia because she was partially submerged at the time."

"So why did you decide to do this?" Emma asked, "It's not like I commanded you to do this or anything."

"I'm touchy-feely with friends." Darla replies.

[Esprit15]

"While that would work for governors you'd think like the pharaoh would force a change." Alexandria replied.

"Considering that the Greek leadership were basically treated as pharaohs and the last native pharaoh, Nectanebo the Second, had fled the country before Alexander was even in power, much less during his military campaign, I don't think their say had much relevance. Not to mention that again, the city was in either Greek, Roman, or Byzantine hands until the Muslim conquests in the 600's. Remember that this was a city comparable to Rome in its influence on Hellenistic culture. The great lighthouse, the library, the necropolis, all of these things were in that city."

[Meriss]

"Nope, nope, nope." The smarter girl replies. "I'm smarter then that!" She replies starting to get up from the couch she was sitting on.

Tachi looks perplexed by this. Was he losing his touch? He pouts as Sam and Ophelia hug.

"I suppose someone will tell me they're afraid of me next. I mean. I am a literal demon."

He turns back to the cheerleaders. He raises his hands and opens his mouth to show off his pointed teeth. "Hiss!" he says. It's more pathetic than anything.

[The TechnoGnome]

"I'm touchy-feely with friends." Darla replies.

"You see me as a friend?"

[Illven]

"Considering that the Greek leadership were basically treated as pharaohs and the last native pharaoh, Nectanebo the Second, had fled the country before Alexander was even in power, much less during his military campaign, I don't think their say had much relevance. Not to mention that again, the city was in either Greek, Roman, or Byzantine hands until the Muslim conquests in the 600's. Remember that this was a city comparable to Rome in its influence on Hellenistic culture. The great lighthouse, the library, the necropolis, all of these things were in that city."

"Huh. I thought Pharaohs had to be Ra descended." Alexandria muses.

Tachi looks perplexed by this. Was he losing his touch? He pouts as Sam and Ophelia hug.

"I suppose someone will tell me they're afraid of me next. I mean. I am a literal demon."

He turns back to the cheerleaders. He raises his hands and opens his mouth to show off his pointed teeth. "Hiss!" he says. It's more pathetic than anything.

[Make a conflict check.]

"You see me as a friend?"

"Of course, you seem a sweet girl." Darla smiles.

[Esprit15]

Athena shrugs. "He took on the title. Besides, maybe his own bloodline was enough to keep them convinced that Ra or not, he and his line had the power to lead."

[Illven]

Athena shrugs. "He took on the title. Besides, maybe his own bloodline was enough to keep them convinced that Ra or not, he and his line had the power to lead."

"And thus no one felt that they could oppose him?" Alexandria asked.

[Zevox]

It's so strange... Why are people so petrified of them? Ophelia replied.

Alice suppressed a sigh. She'd been trying to get Ophelia's mind off that topic. "Eh, thye're just not used to them," she said, trying to reassure her friend. "I mean, they are kind of weird when you first see them. They'll get used to them, just like the rest of us did."

"More importantly, how are you liking Christmas and the party?" she asked. "I mean, it must be at least kind of cool getting to see it all like it was new, right? Have any favorite part yet?"

[Esprit15]

"And thus no one felt that they could oppose him?" Alexandria asked.

"Since the Romans basically incorperated the Greeks as they expanded and existed in one form or another until the end of the Byzantines in the 1400's... yeah, and many tried. Between Alexander and the Ottoman Turks taking over is around eighteen hundred years of rule. Granted, territory shifted, but I'd say they had a fairly solid grip on the western world for a respectable portion of said region's history. Granted, the bloodline likely diluted. After all, from my understanding it was primarily European style witches that were in charge of Byzantium, so clearly there was some shift in power."

[Illven]

Alice suppressed a sigh. She'd been trying to get Ophelia's mind off that topic. "Eh, thye're just not used to them," she said, trying to reassure her friend. "I mean, they are kind of weird when you first see them. They'll get used to them, just like the rest of us did."

"More importantly, how are you liking Christmas and the party?" she asked. "I mean, it must be at least kind of cool getting to see it all like it was new, right? Have any favorite part yet?"

You thought they were weird? Ophelia latches on.

"Since the Romans basically incorperated the Greeks as they expanded and existed in one form or another until the end of the Byzantines in the 1400's... yeah, and many tried. Between Alexander and the Ottoman Turks taking over is around eighteen hundred years of rule. Granted, territory shifted, but I'd say they had a fairly solid grip on the western world for a respectable portion of said region's history. Granted, the bloodline likely diluted. After all, from my understanding it was primarily European style witches that were in charge of Byzantium, so clearly there was some shift in power."

"Witches were the emperors and empress of Byzantium?" Alexandria questioned.

[Zevox]

You thought they were weird? Ophelia latches on.

Alice frowned. "Well, yeah. I mean, most of us can't do magic and all, so it's not every day you see dolls just walking around on their own like that," she pointed out.

[Illven]

Alice frowned. "Well, yeah. I mean, most of us can't do magic and all, so it's not every day you see dolls just walking around on their own like that," she pointed out.

But if I healed you would you think that was weird? Ophelia questions.

[Zevox]

But if I healed you would you think that was weird? Ophelia questions.

"Well, no, but I've never known you without you being a sorceress," Alice pointed out. "Dolls I've seen a lot of, and they don't normally move on their own, you know?"

[The TechnoGnome]

"Of course, you seem a sweet girl." Darla smiles.

"That is true," Emma said with a nod, "And you seem nice too, at least from what I know of you. And Tachi's a good person, so if he likes you that's good enough for me!"

[Illven]

"Well, no, but I've never known you without you being a sorceress," Alice pointed out. "Dolls I've seen a lot of, and they don't normally move on their own, you know?"

Ophelia opens her mouth.

Okay. Okay, that's fair. She relents.

"That is true," Emma said with a nod, "And you seem nice too, at least from what I know of you. And Tachi's a good person, so if he likes you that's good enough for me!"

"Tachi good." Darla replies starting to laugh.

[Esprit15]

"It's a hypothesis. It would explain Greek fire remaining so well guarded a secret for as long as it was. If it were simple chemistry, it would have likely been reverse engineered by an enemy, but magical secrets are a lot easier to hide out in the open. Combine that with it being a guarded family secret even within the empire, and it is a plausible explanation. As they lost power and the empire collapsed, the secret was then carried around the world and later resurfaced among several Wiccan families and may have been the initial basis for napalm.

But like I said, it's largely hypothesis. Because of similarities between humans and witches compared to other eldritch beings, it's often difficult to figure out where they were when they intermixed with human civilizations."

[Illven]

"It's a hypothesis. It would explain Greek fire remaining so well guarded a secret for as long as it was. If it were simple chemistry, it would have likely been reverse engineered by an enemy, but magical secrets are a lot easier to hide out in the open. Combine that with it being a guarded family secret even within the empire, and it is a plausible explanation. As they lost power and the empire collapsed, the secret was then carried around the world and later resurfaced among several Wiccan families and may have been the initial basis for napalm.

But like I said, it's largely hypothesis. Because of similarities between humans and witches compared to other eldritch beings, it's often difficult to figure out where they were when they intermixed with human civilizations."

"Wouldn't they need a witch on every ship with greek fire to utilize it?" Alexandria replies.

[Esprit15]

"Wouldn't they need a witch on every ship with greek fire to utilize it?" Alexandria replies.

"Possibly. I'm not sure how it stores. But you only need one per boat, and they were more useful for shock and awe, rather than combat efficacy."

[Illven]

"Possibly. I'm not sure how it stores. But you only need one per boat, and they were more useful for shock and awe, rather than combat efficacy."

"Really? I always thought fire and wood. Welp." Alexandria replied surprised.

[Esprit15]

"Really? I always thought fire and wood. Welp." Alexandria replied surprised.

"The fire wasn't the main issue, though it was part of it. Range is the problem. Plus, there are plenty of ways to treat wood so that it resists catching fire. Combined with being on the sea, and it is more terrifying to the crew and lowers moral, rather than actually being a weapon in its own right."

[The TechnoGnome]

"Tachi good." Darla replies starting to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Emma asked.

[Illven]

"The fire wasn't the main issue, though it was part of it. Range is the problem. Plus, there are plenty of ways to treat wood so that it resists catching fire. Combined with being on the sea, and it is more terrifying to the crew and lowers moral, rather than actually being a weapon in its own right."

"There are, did they know of any back then?" Alexandria remarks.

"What's so funny?" Emma asked.

"Tachi a good person, that's a good one." Darla replies still laughing.

[Zevox]

Ophelia opens her mouth.

Okay. Okay, that's fair. She relents.

Alice nodded. "Right? You've just got to keep in mind what people are used to, that's all."

"So, how's the party going for you?" she asked, trying to get the topic moving in that direction again.