driftfleet | [ you can't play that. ]

Entry tags:

[ you can't play that. ]

Who: Belthazar and you!
Broadcast: Yes
Action: Blue Fish only.
When: Backdated to Saturday, 2/11.

[video;]

[Belth is adjusting rather nicely to his new ship, all things considered. He's a little somber having noticed Finrod's absence from the roster of his old one but it is what it is. Life goes on for those who survived when others did not. His expression is tentative and neutral as he switches on the camera to address the network. He's wearing better-fitting clothes this time, at least.]

This world is a peculiar shape, is it not? How did the Co'kal even build such a thing? It must have been so long ago, and it looks about as successful as terraforming can be. But then, how is it able to have an atmosphere? The more I think about it, the more questions I have...

That is not what I meant to talk about, however.

[He coughs lightly.]

I am looking for some help with a certain... ambitious project. I need an engineer or tinkerer, as well as someone with musical expertise, specifically for the crafting of a piano or harpsichord. In the absence of such I have procured a few books, but the engineer is absolutely non-negotiable. We'll need to make a piano from scratch and it must be of lasting quality. There is no better augment suited to a craftsman... or woman... I suppose. I'll pay for materials, obviously.

In short, I'd like to encourage music that wasn't provided by some planet singing in my ears.

[And his ears are very long indeed.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There are some pretty fascinating explanations about that at the institute. [ wait, sorry he's gonna redirect though before he has a full on nerdgasm here - ]

But uh, to the point of your broadcast - I've never built a piano specifically, but I'm an engineer.

I think most people have not built a piano, but just in case we had one, I wanted to ask.

[It's good to talk to Winn again. Belth has been awfully reclusive as of late and hasn't reached out like he planned to.]

An engineer and a master tailor? Is there anything you can't do? Next, you'll tell me you can cook as well as make potions and salves. I'll be out of a job then.

[ he laughs, not seeming to mind the time that's passed between conversations. it's been busy, he hasn't reached out either. ]

I can reheat takeout, that's about it, I think you're safe.

[It has been busy. The holidays are a crazy time, especially for those with and without family.]

Having seen one of those hotboxes explode in my time, that is much more difficult than you'd think. There are no labels on it that say do not put metal in this, or beware that food can dry out and melt into a charred black mass.

[ don't he know it. attacks don't help, either.

oh, have a sympathetic look there. ]

Science nerd - [ he points to himself ] getting how a microwave works kinda helps a lot in predicting what'll make it blow up.

I enjoy my sciences and magictulates, too, but they simply do not have microwaves on Azeroth. My roommates in Exsilium were quite unlucky for the first few weeks or so.

[He shakes his head.]

I suppose it goes both ways, though. Were you placed in Azeroth and told to reduce a material into an arcane fragment or use a hearthstone, you would likely feel just as lost.

Feeling pretty lost already - wanna fill me in in case I end up there?

[He smiles briefly, but it's replaced with a know-it-all sort of haughty smirk. It's obvious he's putting on airs, but he's doing it both for Winn's entertainment and for the sake of educating him.]

Well! Since you asked so nicely...

[I'm so sorry, Winn.]

Items that are imbued with magical properties, like enchanted armor or robes made of charmed thread, can usually be reduced to magical reagents when they are too worn or damaged to serve their purpose. Dismantling them in this way allows one to weave enchantments around other items. Waste not, want not, as they say.

As for hearthstones, they are an important part of any adventurer's belongings. It is an enchanted stone that will, with some concentration and mana, teleport someone to the hearth from which it came. This can be particularly useful when you are alone and require help or you become very, very lost. A journeyman mage can simply cast a portal to where he wants to go but not everyone has that kind of capability, obviously.

[ never apologize, he is fascinated! sorry, the questions may actually never end now. ]

How do you do that? Can anyone do that, or do you have to be born magical, or in that world, or some other type of limitation? What kind of enchantments have you used? Do you have any enchanted items or - arcane fragments - or hearthstones here? I mean obviously they wouldn't work here cuz that'd be too easy - [ and the atroma are assholes ] but it'd be awesome to study one...

[Winn fires off a thousand questions and Belthazar still isn't overwhelmed. Finally, someone on his level.]

Magic is a part of everyday life, so most of Azeroth's races have some affinity for it even if they can't use it readily like mages do. Attuning something to one's mana isn't difficult-- it's just a matter of brief concentration, a trick most innkeepers can do without trouble. Honestly, all it takes is practice and perseverance to learn something... I've even heard of gnomes becoming priests, and they are far from religious.

I do not have a hearthstone here but I could certainly conjure an arcane fragment of my own mana if you'd like to study it. And I may be able to make my own hearthstone, given some time. I am not sure what sort of effects you are curious about. I can give you a basic overview of the properties of mana, and I suppose you could go from there --

-- oh! Would you like those things as payment for help with the piano?

[ keeping up, and rushing forward! ]

When you say 'isn't difficult' - do you mean you can like, teach me how to do that? Because if so that's what I want! I mean, the arcane fragment and the hearthstone would both be super cool too, but that sounds way cooler.

[ he would do it for free to be honest, but if he's offering... ]

If you have the capacity for conjuring, I very well could. I'm not sure if you have any latent magic, though. I'd have to test you.

[He rubs his chin.]

I could certainly craft a hearthstone and an arcane fragment for you to experiment on, though. The hearthstone might even come in handy if you need to return to your ship quickly.

How do we test me?

[ let's be real, he probably doesn't. he's doomed to be the only nerdbro in the multiverse without any shred of power. but he has to try!

and man, a hearthstone would've come in handy to him the many times he almost got himself killed. he's sure it'll come in handy many times again. come ooooooon magic! ]

[He might be a normal human, but normal humans can still use hearthstones. It's worth a shot.]

Most people find they are born with magic when they accidentally set something on fire or freeze it, so conventional tests are not terribly necessary... But, regardless, I think you should be able to imbue something with mana.

If an orc peon can learn it, so can you.

[ do you see this smile, belthazar? that is the smile of a 5 year old getting all his christmas wishes, and being told that on top of it, santa's letting him jump on his sleigh to check out the north pole. ]

Okay! So how do we do this, when do we do this?

[That smile is so bright that he isn't really sure how to respond to it. He's here to do science and yes, he gets excited, but Winn's excitement just makes him turn pink.]

I-it's really very basic, but um, whenever is best for you. My schedule is fairly open.

[ there is no excitement like nerd excitement. ]

We can work it in on a piano break?

[ winn, other work is not how you take breaks. ]

Oh, do you play those instruments?

[He can't help feeling interested; even if he's currently fighting with the elves, it's Maglor's fault that he's gotten a bite from the musical bug.]

I do not. I know of at least two people in the Fleet with some form of musical ability, so I thought it would be a good idea.

[Maglor is, of course, one of them.]

My talents lie in dismantling arcane puzzles and crafting ridiculously fancy food. My arms are not long enough to play the harp, or so I am told.

I see...

[Couldn't you just get a smaller harp?? See how much Mikleo knows about this stuff.]

Would you try to learn, if you had one? It might make for an interesting hobby between planets.

[Probably, but they don't make harps for orphans.]

I-- I actually have not considered it.

[He thinks about pianos, and the few times he has heard them.]

I do like how the piano sounds, but I do not know if anyone would give me lessons. I suppose it's up to experimentation, then.

[shh just don't tell them that part]

I wonder if it's something that could be self-taught. You only need an ear for the notes- the rest is just compiling a proper tune out of what you can hear.

[That's probably oversimplifying, but he's someone who grew up learning-by-doing...]

That could work for some things. But if it is anything like magic, there's a real risk of developing a technique or habit that will have to be unlearned in order to advance. Not that I am about to play piano with my toes or something-- but I am afraid I do not know where to put my hands, and only a piano player could teach me that.

Or a book, I suppose.

Well then, we should be on the lookout for a book on playing pianos, then. I have to admit, I prefer learning that way.

[He will not be deterred! And you said the magic word for him, too.]

I do too, generally. There is something about books that allows you to go at your own pace... It's how I learned the majority of my magic.

[B O O K S]

I'll let you know what I discover. I would love to learn with you.

I can't make any promises- I know very little about music, overall. But I'm up for the challenge.

As am I. Elven instruments consist of harps and precious little else. It will be nice to hear something different for a change, and to have my hand in it.

[what is it with elves and harps?]

I feel that way, too. Back home we didn't have any instruments, really, and sometimes there'd be singing in the village, but it wasn't common. There was one seraph, Melody, who lived up to her name and loved music. She used to sing old, forgotten songs to Sorey and I when we were little.

[Because... elves. He's given up trying to figure out the reason why.]

Do you remember any of them? I bet you could add your own spin on it with the piano.

Hmm... if I gave it some thought, I could recall most of the tune, but the lyrics would be harder. I'll ask Sorey, he has a ridiculous memory when it comes to reciting verses by ear.

That sounds like something you could work on together. It's... nice to have things that remind us of home.

...Yeah. Especially when we've been so far from it, and for so long.

[It's sad, but... pleasantly nostalgic, too. Even just thinking about it brings about that soft ache in his heart.]

If you need my help, let me know. But I'm sure whatever you make will be wonderful.

In the meantime, I'll be working on that piano.

[oof, stop that, you flatterer. he hasn't even done anything yet.]

W-well... we'll work on it. Let me know if there's anything we can do to help.

[ Some mistakes were made on this day. The most notable of them all was the fact he asked for someone with musical expertise. Now Lancer, named for her expertise in wielding a spear, thought herself to be an expert of music. If she can turn her spear into a microphone stand and sing at the top of her lungs which were magically empowered due to her dragon's blood (note: this is not a good thing), then who was better qualified to answer this young maiden's call for help?

... wait, is that a maiden? She can't really tell and right now, she cares little for that sort of thing. No, right now she has to put on a show. ]

Hiiiiii ♪ [ Perched atop her spear with a microphone in hand in front of a terminal (because presentation is everything), she poses in a manner that seems useless and well-coordinated at the same time. ] Idol Eliza~chan is here to help you with all of your musical needs ♪

[ Please just disconnect the call. ]

[Belthazar comes from a world where his faction has a metal band, and yet he's taken off guard completely by this... whatever she is. She looks like a succubus, truth be told. Demonic presentation is still presentation. His eyes narrow immediately.

She isn't being mean, exactly, just... whatever the living fuck is an idol?]

Do you know anything about how to craft a piano?

[ She... could just make one appear in the middle of her ship, but she's sure that would cause problems. It's already too small for her and a piano in the middle of it all would just make it feel all the more cramped. ]

You want an instrumental cover? [ At that, she sulks a little, making those horns completely visible. ] I don't really have experience with that, but Eliza~chan will never turn down a request from a beloved fan ♥

[Oh wow, those are definitely horns. She seems-- rather harmless for a demon, though. At least so far.]

No, I'm trying to build a piano. And, given some encouragement, I'd also like to learn how to play one, but that's not terribly important right now.

[A long pause.]

Wait, your clothes... [... and his face begins to redden. He covers his eyes.] What are you even wearing?! H-how improper!

[ Harmless save for those flat strips across her chest. It's not like there's much there to hide, but he's right: it is improper. ]

Eh? [ Lancer pauses and looks over her attire, forming a mirror in her free hand to get a better look. ] This is what I always wear, well, until my Producer ♥ decides that I should try a different look. Is it outdated?

[ What does some poorly unkempt servant girl know about fashion anyway.................. ]

T-there's so much skin! You're a girl-- your chest should be c-covered at all times!!

[He's definitely not looking at the camera now, and his ears are pinned flat against his hair.]

It is covered. [ For emphasis, she's going to lean in towards the camera. There's... really nothing there. She's the flattest surface in space right now. ]

Wait.

[ Something clicks in her mind at that. ] Were you looking?! You pervert!

[Oh my god bye he's dead goodbye.]

I WAS NOT LOOKING! It isn't my fault you're wearing BELTS for a SHIRT!!

Edited 2017-02-14 11:36 (UTC)

[ rude, if all the final fantasies can do it, why can't she rock the style?? ]

You were. You were looking.

It's even recorded that you were. Everyone across space heard your confession!

[He's going to die. He's going to die and no one will ever find the body.]

Shut up! I was not ogling you! I was not! I have better things to ogle, like books!!

[ She calls dibs on his blood. ]

What are you saying with a remark like that-?! [ There's only one assumption to be made: ] That my chest is as flat as a book?!

It's not. It's not flat at all! You're flat!

And small!

And very very annoying! [ No Lancer, you are all of those things yourself.............. ]

[Why won't this tiny naked girl leave him alone?!]

I like books, not girls, you ignorant strawberry-glazed manure cupcake!

And I'll have you know I've grown a whole THREE INCHES since I came here! I'm a solid five foot four! At least I can reach the counter, you Light-damned screechjay!

Edited 2017-02-24 07:19 (UTC)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ you can't play that. ]

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