Furia and the Atharim

[Thalia]

Maybe the Atharim would have their own way of grading a furia's sensitivity?

Regarding furia existing outside the Atharim, of course they would - I absolutely agree that those born outside a traditionally Atharim family would be nigh on impossible to detect. Unless the furia divulged it herself, and she'd have many reasons not to do so.

But I also think a furia's very nature would drive her toward a calling that'd allow her to fulfil her nature - that is, setting right the imbalances in the world. One of those ways would be to join the Atharim - and I'd argue that the furias ability to sense emotion would also clue them in to the fact there are things that go bump in the night out there anyway. Which would potentially lead them to the Atharim rather than the other way round.

Unless we're saying the furias of today are only highly sensitive empaths and are no longer driven like the ones in the mythos. In which case, ignore me!

I definitely think the Atharim would kill any furia they did discover who refused to join them. If furia are concerned with justice and balance blah blah blah, then any furia who couldn't understand and support the Atharim cause would clearly be a threat, because by default she would be supporting what they oppose. Even if we decide they're not, and are simply empaths, I still think they would be inclined to offer the join or die choice. The Atharim aren't likely to make the exception of letting them live free, I don't think, because although furia are essentially human, they've still given them a supernatural label by giving them a mythos and a name. Atharim still kill Naga, after all, and after reading their mythos it seems their only crime beyond having been made for war by the 'gods', is that they don't have a human appearance. It isn't just about "evil" - it's about protecting the Atharim ethos, right? Giving a free pass for furia lays the groundwork for doing so for others, and I don't think the Atharim (the older generation, at least) would have left that loophole open.

So yeah, furia would exist outside the Atharim, but those who were discovered and refused to join would be hunted just the same as any other monster. In my opinion anyway!