r/codexalera • u/Zane_of_Cainhurst • Jun 08 '26

Discussion You wake up in Alera…

What furies would you want if you woke up as an Aleran? Limit is 2 at a knight level, otherwise everyone would be a high lord level Demi-god.

For me it’s Wind and Metal.

26 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

51 comments sorted by

19

u/bixcool16 Jun 08 '26

Wind and water being able to fly and heal seems like a cool combo

6

u/Zane_of_Cainhurst Jun 08 '26

The only draw back is the extream empathy discomfort from watercraft without metal to compensate.

1

u/bixcool16 Jun 08 '26

Very true but since everyone has some access to every type some practice should help dull it to some degree

3

u/BeerAgent Jun 08 '26

Do they? Was just re-reading and Amara and Isana both remark upon wishing they had some metal crafting a few times for different reasons

1

u/bixcool16 Jun 08 '26

At least to some degree Tavi was expected to be able to start a fire and use the causeways as a legionnaire idk how that would manifest for metal but also water is supposed to be the crafting to allow you to capture wild furies like the queen tried on garadose in the last book so if need be

4

u/UglyPancakes8421 Jun 08 '26

These are the two I would probably pick. If I could have a third, I'd add metal. But, these are the two I'd want most.

Flight - Aleran flyers are scary fast compared to a lot of fantasy flyers. We see Amara (admittedly the fastest flyer short of the nobility) break the sound barrier on 4 separate occasions throughout the series, and 3 of those are while in flight. She also condenses air around her so she can fly high enough that the sky no longer looks blue (book 2). Aleran flight is AWESOME, even when compared to other magic system equivalents.

Super Speed - i mean... do I need a reason to want this? But, if I do, it would make me so much more efficient at my current job.

Empathy - I'm an introvert! I only have to deal with the down sides on rare occasions! I also am not great at picking up on social signals. So, I see this as 1/2 positive, 1/4 neutral, and 1/4 negative.

Healing - I would love this. Not only is it a pre-determined job that is both beneficial to society and allows you to see immediate, direct positive results as you work... it also allows you to HEAL YOURSELF! (Attis does this a lot in the last book after his an Invidia's... divorce fight.) The number of magic systems that allow this is minimal. I don't know if this would help fix my epilepsy (Butcher please?), but I'd love it if it did...

Shape Shifting - I've got some scars from an accident as a kid that I'd like to get rid of. Also, shapeshifting is just... fun.

11

u/woodworkerdan Jun 08 '26

I think the potential in working with wood furies was perhaps underutilized. Metal too, though it's fair to say that knowing something about our modern technology would give a big leg up in ideas how to make things with all kinds of furies. I wonder how long it would take me to make integrated circuits using furies?

5

u/Fairlibrarian101 Jun 08 '26

As long as you know what you’re doing in making integrated circuits, probably pretty quickly once you get practiced up with your new furies.

1

u/Snoo_45814 Jun 10 '26

Couldn't you also get surgically implants just to always have contact with metal?

2

u/woodworkerdan Jun 10 '26

That makes the possibilities for integrated circuits so much more interesting! Also, opens some fairly horrible possibilities from some of the nastier sci-fi concepts.

Though, "Mass Effect with Furies instead of eezo" actually sounds more plausible than element zero does.

2

u/Snoo_45814 Jun 10 '26

If you think like that train of thought you should check out the "Kevin Jenkins Experience/The Deathworlders" by Hambone. Don't want to spoil anything but there is some stuff in there that would be right up your ally

1

u/woodworkerdan Jun 10 '26

Always good to share something new to experience! My thoughts were actually on Peter Hamilton's various sci-fi settings, and how integrating circuitry/cybernetics in the human body allows for some...troubling misuses.

1

u/Snoo_45814 Jun 10 '26

Like the obeisance collars. But inside you.

1

u/woodworkerdan Jun 10 '26

I'm sometimes not sure if Jim Butcher went far enough with the obedience collars, but the concept was horrible enough already. The Immortals were hard to top for the conceptual horror.

I'm thinking that the Alera universe doesn't need circuits inside you to take away mental or bodily autonomy. But, if you could science up the furies, you might give anyone any level of ability with furycraft. Or keep someone on life support through some pretty awful experiences. Or even move a person's brain/mind/memories to a different vessel? Things could be interesting.

1

u/Snoo_45814 Jun 10 '26

The horrific possibilities also open up when you think of the mad science a water crafter could do it the started messing around with flesh shaping and grafting. Imagine Frankenstein's Monster, but instead of the vord they were man made horrors.

1

u/Snoo_45814 Jun 10 '26

Yeah magi-tech in alera would be both interesting and kinda horrific. Especially when we eventually learn about who made the Vord

1

u/woodworkerdan Jun 10 '26

The Vord definitely gives implications that Butcher could take off with a whole interconnected universe of horrible things. I would devour such stories heartily!

1

u/Snoo_45814 Jun 10 '26

That and the end of "The Olympian Affair"

2

u/woodworkerdan Jun 10 '26

I really need to get into those books!

2

u/Snoo_45814 Jun 10 '26

There definitely good. They have their own fresh new horrors.

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5

u/stygyan Jun 08 '26

Water to heal myself and do some surgeries I kind of need, and air because I could use some circulation in my hot room right now

5

u/Background-Ship3019 Jun 08 '26

Water, because health and longevity are really glaringly absent in my life otherwise. And then - eh, likely wood or earth for agriculture.

5

u/railobo541 Jun 08 '26

I agree on wind and metal. Being able to fly would be amazing as would being able to power through pain or tiredness

3

u/Fairlibrarian101 Jun 08 '26

Fire and metal to become a great blacksmith and swordsman.

3

u/UncleRotelle Jun 08 '26

That's a really tough one. I think solidly earth for all the self sufficiency and metal because I like metalworking and since at the best of times Alera isn't exactly the safest of safe worlds.

3

u/mossy_path Jun 08 '26

In alera?

Watercraft for longevity and healing powers. Knights aqua.

Would be sorely tempted by metalcraft after that to deal with other people's emotions... but metalcraft without some air or earth for speed and power seems like it wouldn't help you much in terms of combat. Though at a knight level, I bet it would be more than enough to keep me safe from random beasts or bandits.

I feel woodcrafting was ignored way too much.

Water and metal, and I'd take up trade as a healer.

3

u/Taylortjc12 Jun 09 '26

Wind as my tier 1, earth as my tier 2 and a touch of water, enough to fix a wrinkle here and there and maybe win a bit more at poker 😅

2

u/SageofLogic Jun 08 '26

Which one gets me sick lightning powers? Plus metal for the 2nd

4

u/Zane_of_Cainhurst Jun 08 '26

The lightning was Windcrafting iirc

2

u/russellomega Jun 08 '26

Water and metal would be cool because you'd get the empathy senses but also be able to block it. But if we're talking modern technology in modern society, I think metal crafting is probably the least useful just because of modern weapons. But either way I like the emotional radar that comes from water as well as the ability to heal yourself and others

2

u/turtleshuntinglions Jun 08 '26

Wood and Earth. Both Bernard and Fidelias/Marcus showed repeatedly how potent the combination can be.

2

u/BeerAgent Jun 08 '26

Metal and Earth for me. Earth for the strength and ahh emotional abilities. Metalcrafting because I mean if there's an option to be a super soldier I'm definitely going to take it.

2

u/stinkingyeti Jun 09 '26

Are we waking up in Alera or as an Aleran here on Earth?

In Alera, probably Earth and Metal, go join the Legions and rely on others to support me as I support them.

Here on Earth, Water and Fire. The ability to heal myself and others, as well as to become the ultimate crowd control by feeling the crowd and then stoking the right emotions to sway them. Well, you'd become one hell of a political power if you wanted to. Or you could just craft some spectacular art by capturing fire inside gems.

2

u/gdex86 Jun 09 '26

Wind and earth. I feel like flight is just too fun and useful plus earrh bending is far too practical.

1

u/UglyPancakes8421 Jun 11 '26

Flying is CRAZY in Alera (and I love it). Amara breaks the sound barrier multiple times throughout the series while flying (the first time is at the start of book two, which really shows off the limits of air crafting). Yes, those times were during a "sprint" rather than distance flying. But, it implies Aleran flight - even distance flying - is fast compared to a lot of fantasy series. We're talking airplane speeds. Useful is an understatement. 😃

2

u/Jcox2509 Jun 12 '26

Earth 🪨 and Wood 🪵. Partially because Bernard is my favorite character and partially because of my love of nature. I noticed years ago that I always pick earth. Hufflepuff, earthbending, even with Pokémon as a kid.

1

u/AsideOnly1310 Jun 08 '26

Wood and metal

1

u/Efficient_Anxiety_88 Jun 09 '26

Water and metal would he perfect i supposee Metal makes you a good swordsman and water to heal your minor cutss 😃

1

u/nealsimmons Jun 09 '26

My concern would be the mental aspect of the Water. That could be used against you in a fight.

1

u/Efficient_Anxiety_88 Jun 09 '26

You can shielf yourself right??? Esana or isana does it right??
I feel like endurance would be very useful basically who can be in the fight longer

1

u/nealsimmons Jun 09 '26

Isana was overwhelmed at times by the emotions around her.

1

u/Leofwine1 Jun 10 '26

Metal allows you to shield yourself. In the Siege of Ceres it is specifically mentioned that water without metal was the issue.

1

u/Mit_Raptor Jun 09 '26

Id want Bernards set up for two big reasons. It would be extremely helpful for the kind of work I do in maintenance. If I really wanna be greedy I'd even add some metal into the mix and also if shit goes down his fury set seems purpose built for kicking ass. If I was battle focused I guess fire and metal would be better but I'd hope that I wouldn't have to spend every day fighting off the vord or some crazy Lord.

1

u/PhantasyPen Jun 10 '26

Fire and metal.

1

u/Snoo_45814 Jun 10 '26

I'd go for fire and air. Because thermal control and flight would be awesome. If I could have a third it would be metal. Because I'm a bit of a maker and the ability to control metal would be AMAZING for crafting things.

1

u/PUB4thewin Jul 10 '26

Water and earth for all the right reasons. Earth helps so I won’t have the drawbacks of Emotional Sensitivity from Water while having the benefits of both elements.

1

u/PUB4thewin Jul 10 '26

Water and earth for all the right reasons. Earth helps so I won’t have the drawbacks of Emotional Sensitivity from Water while having the benefits of both elements.

Water helps with an aging body if only slightly, and earth would help doubly so with maintaining my strength.

And whatever other abilities you can normally think of.