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Side Effects of Living A Thousand Different Lives

Everyone in my invented universe can decide how long they want to live for in their current lives. The trio of characters who were around at the beginning of the universe itself, and therefore have lived the longest, are the most compassionate and understanding of those they meet even despite, or perhaps because of, living through many harrowing experiences [a catastrophe that affected the entire solar system, accidentally reenacting Atlantis on one of the most recently populated planets at the time, among others]. They've gone so far as to devote their own lives to making sure that the people they encounter have the happiest lives possible. That doesn't mean that the painful experiences or suffering they went through is noble or 'necessary' [a concept that I find abhorrent], it just means that they know full well how hard it is to lose everything they know and love, and want to provide for others as much as they can.
 

nava_dve

Acolyte
I've got a long lived race. They are known to fundamentally remain the same but they live different lives in part or whole through the millennia amongst humans. For example, one of this species Robin is the younger brother of a warlord and is known to be a skilled tactician and warrior, those who study him heavily know he works for his brother in secret as a spy and assassin. A mortal King Roan's palace comes under secret seige and a number of his guards are wounded. At this point this species are coming out of hiding to humans and Robin begins to heal the soldiers as best he can and reveals years ago he was caught burying one of his victim's corpses. He had to claim he was a medic and was merely burying a dead soldier. Because of this he has to pretend to be a medic for several years. The older ones in this species have even lived whole lives as if human, they learned new skills and or got married and had families that they've had to watch grow up as they leave.

What effects/skills would someone possibly pick up living dozens of human lives? They always tend toward being hunters, warriors, travelers or such since hunting and wandering are in the nature of this creature.

Beyond amassing a wealth of knowledge from various cultures and adopting practical skills from different occupations, there would be some...searching.

What's the point of it all?
Of love. Of power. Just to watch them wither and turn to dust. These fragile, impermanent things.
Or...perhaps they weren't supposed to last that long anyway. And the pain is the proof that it mattered at all.
 

Fidel

Scribe
I've got a long lived race. They are known to fundamentally remain the same but they live different lives in part or whole through the millennia amongst humans. For example, one of this species Robin is the younger brother of a warlord and is known to be a skilled tactician and warrior, those who study him heavily know he works for his brother in secret as a spy and assassin. A mortal King Roan's palace comes under secret seige and a number of his guards are wounded. At this point this species are coming out of hiding to humans and Robin begins to heal the soldiers as best he can and reveals years ago he was caught burying one of his victim's corpses. He had to claim he was a medic and was merely burying a dead soldier. Because of this he has to pretend to be a medic for several years. The older ones in this species have even lived whole lives as if human, they learned new skills and or got married and had families that they've had to watch grow up as they leave.

What effects/skills would someone possibly pick up living dozens of human lives? They always tend toward being hunters, warriors, travelers or such since hunting and wandering are in the nature of this creature.
This is such a cool concept! With so many lives lived, they’d likely pick up a ton of skills, mastery in combat, survival, languages, and diplomacy, for sure. But also niche things like blacksmithing, herbalism, or even acting (to keep up human disguises). Emotionally, they’d probably be deeply empathetic yet detached, having seen so much life and death. Maybe they’d also develop a knack for blending in, reading people, and adapting to new cultures. The possibilities are endless.
 

pmmg

Myth Weaver
Are skills really like that? Once learned always possessed? I'm 50 years in, and not anywhere near being a master of combat. And even if I was, it would pass so quickly. To gain a skill and keep it kind of requires a lifestyle to maintain it. I suspect, if you came back in 500 years (assuming I live as long) the same reasons I am not a master at 50 will probably keep me from being a master at 500. There is just too much else to do.

Combat in particular, requires a physical commitment. Just cause I could do a karate kick at 18, does not mean I can do it at 30.

It might be more likely, there is many things they knew once, but have forgotten they know, or don't know so well anymore. It might be fun to show a bit of that.
 

Dylan

Scribe
Are skills really like that? Once learned always possessed? I'm 50 years in, and not anywhere near being a master of combat. And even if I was, it would pass so quickly. To gain a skill and keep it kind of requires a lifestyle to maintain it. I suspect, if you came back in 500 years (assuming I live as long) the same reasons I am not a master at 50 will probably keep me from being a master at 500. There is just too much else to do.

Combat in particular, requires a physical commitment. Just cause I could do a karate kick at 18, does not mean I can do it at 30.

It might be more likely, there is many things they knew once, but have forgotten they know, or don't know so well anymore. It might be fun to show a bit of that.
You’re totally right, skills fade without practice, especially physical ones like combat. Even for a long-lived character, maintaining mastery would require constant effort. It’d be interesting to show them struggling with something they used to excel at or having to relearn old skills. Adds a layer of realism and relatability!
 
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