Flora's Reputation Among Elfhelm Magic Users

Walter

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What will others think of Schierke and her mentor when the group arrives in Elfhelm?

We know from one of Puck's comments in Vol 24 that magicians live together with elves in Elfhelm. This line is particularly revealing because just a few volumes prior to that, we never even knew of the existence of magic users. This establishes Elfhelm as the hub of the magical world. Yet Flora chose to live in isolation on a continent of humans, spending centuries helping them before ultimately retiring in seclusion to her manor.

This curiosity, coupled with the fact that she twice berates herself for extending her life beyond its natural scope, makes me wonder if there was something of a falling out between Flora and magic society in Elfhelm sometime in the past that made her choose to go "off the reservation." Perhaps it was rather that she refused to recede from human society, along with the other magical elements that were pushed to the fringes by the spread of the Holy See's doctrine.

Because of that, I wonder if Flora's name carries a stigma, or at the least is regarded as something of an outcast among magic users in Elfhelm. And if Schierke will be held accountable to some extent. Of course, the tables could just as easily turn and Schierke will be greatly respected as Flora's only successor. But that wouldn't be quite as dramatic :beast:

Given that Flora and Schierke are our only exposure to magic users, the ones we find at Elfhelm could end up being a much different group. What do you guys expect from them?
 
Interesting discussion, I'll have to re-read some parts of the manga before commenting!

Walter said:
Given that Flora and Schierke are our only exposure to magic users, the ones we find at Elfhelm could end up being a much different group. What do you guys expect from them?

Quick thought - would Daiba count as a magic user? He has the ability to levitate but the extent of his powers are probably small without Ganishka there to help him (control Daka/ Pishacha).
 
Interesting thought for sure. The first thing that comes to my mind is Flora's relationship with Skullknight. If she helped Skullknight extend his life that could possibly be an explanation, not necessarily just that but her in general helping outsiders? Perhaps the Elf's and Magic users have a strict code to follow in Elfhelm and if broken magic users are exiled.

I like to believe she moved because of Skullknight and their relationship. She might have felt she had to in order to protect her friend. If their relationship was anything near Guts group I can see her following his quest as far as she could take it.

The Elf's would be proper dicks if they somehow held Schierke accountable for anything Flora had done. Hopefully they are a bit more logical than that. My guess is they are a noble but guarded/reserved race (as they are in most fantasy tales) I think Puck might be an exception. Perhaps they are busy fighting whatever creatures that are now in the world which have found a way there somehow. Could one of the God Hand has something planned for Elfhelm and everything is not as it should be there?
 

Walter

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IncantatioN said:
Quick thought - would Daiba count as a magic user? He has the ability to levitate but the extent of his powers are probably small without Ganishka there to help him (control Daka/ Pishacha).

Daiba is definitely a magic user, and we've seen him do things independent of Ganishka's influence, as recently as Ep 336 (mind-control over Erica). We had a big discussion on Daiba as a magician in one of the recent episode threads.

asic said:
Perhaps the Elf's and Magic users have a strict code to follow in Elfhelm and if broken magic users are exiled.

The problem I have with that is Flora seems pretty reserved, to me. Not the kind to rebelliously disregard the rules. She chastises herself for the extended life thing, for example. There are no other authority figures there to cast judgment; she judges herself.

I like to believe she moved because of Skullknight and their relationship. She might have felt she had to in order to protect her friend.

When she meets with SK in Vol 24 as the group is departing, she asks him (paraphrasing) "What ever led you to request a favor of me?" Implying the nature of their relationship was usually lopsided with SK helping her more often.

The Elf's would be proper dicks if they somehow held Schierke accountable for anything Flora had done. Hopefully they are a bit more logical than that. My guess is they are a noble but guarded/reserved race (as they are in most fantasy tales) I think Puck might be an exception.

I certainly don't expect the elves themselves to be judgmental. Like the thread says, I'm referring to the human magicians that live along with the elves.

Perhaps they are busy fighting whatever creatures that are now in the world which have found a way there somehow. Could one of the God Hand has something planned for Elfhelm and everything is not as it should be there?

It remains to be seen, but Elfhelm was already in the astral world, and indeed filled with astral inhabitants. So the merging likely wouldn't have affected it as much. But human territories that had been divorced from the astral world, and thus not prepared to defend against its inhabitants, would be affected cataclysmically.
 
The thing that interests me about Flora that we will hopefully find out is, who trained her? Since magic users seem to have a master/apprentice relationship it stands to reason that her master may have been from or may still be living in Elfhelm. As far as the possibility that she had been exiled by the other magicians, I have my doubts. She seems like a person who is driven by responsibility and love so it is more likely that she left on her own accord rather than being forcibly removed.

I would guess that she left in order to help SK on his mission and the other magic users probably see this as a noble but foolhardy effort. Given the state of the world, I'm thinking they will be willing to help Schierke so that she is more prepared to help Guts than Flora was with SK.
 
Walter said:
The problem I have with that is Flora seems pretty reserved, to me. Not the kind to rebelliously disregard the rules. She chastises herself for the extended life thing, for example. There are no other authority figures there to cast judgment; she judges herself.

When she meets with SK in Vol 24 as the group is departing, she asks him (paraphrasing) "What ever led you to request a favor of me?" Implying the nature of their relationship was usually lopsided with SK helping her more often.

She could have been less reserved in the past back when she still had a love interest :carcus:? That love interest could have been Skullknight before his current state or possibly some other magic user. We know one thing for sure is that she extended her life and I see her doing that to either take care of Schierke and/or helping Skullknight.

While it is a bit implied their relationship was lopsided I like to believe that is just how things were now. She got old and he didn't maybe she was just referring to how their relationship has been the last couple of (hundreds) years where Skullknight is at a point where he does not need a magic user or put her in danger anymore.

Walter said:
I certainly don't expect the elves themselves to be judgmental. Like the thread says, I'm referring to the human magicians that live along with the elves.

Ah right I went a bit off topic there without realizing it. I tend to think the magicians living there might be a bit delusional, if they believe they can stay on the island forever without Femto or another member of the God Hand making some sort of move. At some point they have to react or who knows maybe they already are but somehow I doubt it. Who knows what they do all day other than smoke Elf weed.

I thought that maybe some of the magic users there will similar to pompous scientists from our past and look down upon Flora's choices but not be in an outrage about it.

Walter said:
It remains to be seen, but Elfhelm was already in the astral world, and indeed filled with astral inhabitants. So the merging likely wouldn't have affected it as much. But human territories that had been divorced from the astral world, and thus not prepared to defend against its inhabitants, would be affected cataclysmically.

Yeah there are probably not too many surprises for the Elves after the merge but then the question is if anything has happened at all to Elfhelm after the merge? I am a bit torn on whether I should believe if Elfhelm will be a long much needed rest for the group and Casca's return or that they will once again have to fight through "something" but then be saved/captured by the Elves. One thing is for sure I cannot wait for what Miura has in store for us.
 

Walter

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asic said:
Ah right I went a bit off topic there without realizing it. I tend to think the magicians living there might be a bit delusional, if they believe they can stay on the island forever without Femto or another member of the God Hand making some sort of move. At some point they have to react or who knows maybe they already are but somehow I doubt it. Who knows what they do all day other than smoke Elf weed.

I think there's going to be a clash of ideologies in Elfhelm when the group arrives, and it could be what Flora (and possibly SK) disagreed with leadership on. They're probably taking a neutral stance on intervention with human affairs (why else recede to a secluded island), but I woiuld guess something will make them change their stance.

I thought that maybe some of the magic users there will similar to pompous scientists from our past and look down upon Flora's choices but not be in an outrage about it.

There's certainly something that resembles scientific study behind Flora's speech about how the essence of being a magic user is about understanding the nature of the world.

Yeah there are probably not too many surprises for the Elves after the merge but then the question is if anything has happened at all to Elfhelm after the merge? I am a bit torn on whether I should believe if Elfhelm will be a long much needed rest for the group and Casca's return or that they will once again have to fight through "something" but then be saved/captured by the Elves. One thing is for sure I cannot wait for what Miura has in store for us.

I don't think there's any doubt there will be some kind of conflict in Elfhelm. The story wouldn't be as interesting if there weren't some kind of obstacle. But I doubt the group will be fighting elves. Maybe they'll be "enforcers" for the elves :guts:
 
Close to the end of volume 27, when the gang is at the cottage by the sea, they bring up Elfhelm and Schierke says she has heard of it from Flora. It seems that Flora must have given Schierke a favorable impression of it because Schierke's description and overall attitude towards going to Elfhelm are enthusiastic. She says she's always wanted to go there and see it for herself. It's never made clear whether Flora has been there or not, but since it seems that what she told Schierke was of a positive nature I don't think Flora would have had any bad history there.

My impression of magic users, from what Schierke says about Flora's past (volume 24) is that they were like the healers/spiritual leaders of a village or area before the Holy See came along. Among other things, they were the go-between of the people to communicate with the spirits that they worshiped. Magic users seem to follow a way of enlightened thinking and have respect for life. Of course I'm assuming other magic user's beliefs are comparable to ones that Flora lived by. Puck does say when he comes into her house for the first time that it brought back memories of the homes of magic users he had known in Elfhelm, so that makes me think their ways of life must be similar at least.

Anyway, I think Elfhelm will be a welcoming place for Schierke. I think Flora was probably a renowned and respected member of the magi, so I don't anticipate that Schierke would suffer from a bad rap on that account. Even if Flora had done something that tarnished her reputation in the past I don't think it would be held against Schierke. I also think that Elfhelm is going to be a place where both Schierke and Farnese can improve their magical abilities, continuing their studies with other, more experienced magic users. Schierke says she herself is still in training, so what a great opportunity for them both to learn and gain new skills.

Femto felt threatened enough by Flora to want to take her out of the picture, so he clearly sees magic users as a possible menace. I think that's where any conflict might come in Elfhelm. Femto might attack the island in an attempt to wipe out the magic users there.
 
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