fifth labyrinth

[lord_wizard]

Who: Felix Harrowgate
Broadcast: Fleet-wide video
Action: Waystation
When: Today

[Today Felix has seated himself at a bench in the vacant park area of today's closest waystation. It's certainly not for the ambiance, given that the courtyard is as bland as ever.]

I was hoping to beg a few moments of everyone's time... [He smiles brightly, sharp and genial - a politician's kind of smile]

As far as things that affect the fleet as a whole, it's my understanding - and correct me if I am wrong - that the library aboard the Bishop no longer has a caretaker since Krista left us. It likewise occurred to me that since we now have the Iskaulit under our control, that we might consider making use of it after all the trouble you all went to clear it out. Therefore, I'd like to propose moving the current collection to the Iskaulit with the permission of the current crew of the Bishop. At least there it would be easier for the rest of the fleet to access it.

[He pauses for a moment, adjusting the position of his hands on the table]

The other matter is more specific. I brought up the idea of having a meeting of the fleet's magic users some months ago, but that hasn't quite fallen into place. It doesn't have to be anything quite so formal as what I've done in the past... [Though, admittedly, transferring the library is a step towards just that kind of idea. The temptation to reform Chimera, or some form of it, is strong after so many years of having it be a part of his life in the castle. But he's rather not appear so selfish from the start.] ...but just for time being, anyone is welcome to come speak to me here. There's sufficient space and lack of any bystanders if there's any desire for demonstrations. [Or so he hopes]

Comments

[lord_wizard]

[For reason he looks the tiniest bit embarrassed the more attention she starts to pay, and his eyes flicker away for a brief moment before he continues]

Channeling energy like this is the most overt I can offer, I'm afraid. Nothing like what you can do.

[He does, however, give one final demonstration by holding his hands palm up as at first fire, then electricity, crackles between his fingers. A moment or two later, and he releases it again]

Most of what I have learned requires far more planning, nor is it very impressive to look at, I'm afraid. Generally I do warding spells, which are, in the most basic sense, keeping something either in or out. Or both, I suppose.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Despite Felix's protestations, Wanda still finds his little display rather fascinating. Even though her own manifestation of powers had become somewhat mundane to her, seeing the abilities of others like this was still exciting.]

Keeping something either in or out? So to protect oneself from a burglar or to keep criminals detained?

[lord_wizard]

[He shares the same fascination, which is why he reaches out the way he does, as part of a larger goal to understand magic as a whole. Just because he had these abilities did not mean he took it for granted.]

In the broadest sense, yes. It doesn't have to be people. It works best with energy and magic. Keeping spells contained to a particular area, for example, or on the other hand, preventing something from being affected by fire. I can't create a physical barrier, beyond simply locking a door, but that's easy enough to be subverted. Wards can be constructed to activate another spell based on a particular criteria. For example, someone not keyed to the ward in some manner might trespass and then be put to sleep.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Admittedly, Wanda does not understand everything in Felix's explanation, but she does understand the overall gist of it.]

Is it normal for people to have powers like yours? Where you are from?

[lord_wizard]

[He makes a hesitant 'so-so' sort of gesture with his hand]

It's...moderately common, I'd say? Only some people are born with the talent, though I'm not sure of the percentage. We're a very visible minority, I think, but still a minority.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[That still sounded like a whole lot more than Wanda could claim. She nods her head in understanding though.]

And do they all have abilities like yours?

[lord_wizard]

Ah...yes and no? That's a bit harder to explain. Everyone born with the ability to channel magic is called a wizard, and the source of that magic is the same...although some people have more to access than others. It's all the same, but different wizards learn to use it differently. Um...to use a metaphor...every human has the ability to speak, but you typically learn the language the people around you speak. Do you follow?

[The different magic systems seemed to be a quirk of his own world, but in a lot of ways it had been a boon in his ability to try to understand the ones of worlds different to his own]

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[She nods her head.]

More or less. So then, there are different abilities that are more common in different places, just as there are different languages spoken in different places?

[lord_wizard]

Close. I'm fairly certain the magic of my world has the same limitations regardless of who wields it. The different abilities are more a matter of education. Just as languages are taught, we have schools of magic that teach different ways to use magic, and some of these schools have particular specialties. Fressandran's, for example, are diviners, whereas I am Cabaline.

[He smiles patiently, pleased by her interest]

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda nods her head, again understanding the bulk of what Felix was telling her. While the names "Fressandran" and "Cabaline" meant nothing to her, she assumed these were places where one "learned" different forms of magic, as Felix had said.]

So, would it be possible for someone to travel to all the schools? Learn all the different ways to use magic?

[lord_wizard]

[Once again...close enough. Though the distinction might be apparent the longer this conversation goes on.]

It would be...[He thinks of his own cobbled together techniques, as well as Gideon and countless other wizards who had tried and failed to make the transition]...unlikely.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

Why is that?

[lord_wizard]

Politics, mostly. [Which clearly needs elaboration, so he continues, a touch reluctantly] Many of the schools are also rivals, politically and otherwise. Going from one to the other also means disavowing loyalty in favor of the other faction, and as you might imagine, it's very difficult to accomplish once, let alone twice. On top of that, the schools are precisely areas of expertise, they are entire doctrines. They dictate the entire way way you look at magic and many accomplish the same goal with entirely different approaches, and to some schools this difference is anathema. Heretical.

[He cleared his throat, attempting to sweep away the uncomfortable truth there] Besides, I'm not sure if anyone is really aware of all the schools in existence at any one time.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

Your home sounds rather complicated.

[Then again, Wanda can not imagine it would be entirely easy to go into detail about the way things work back where she is from.]

[lord_wizard]

[Felix chuckled, leaning back against the table as the lesson seems to have concluded]

It can be, yes. Some days I welcome the challenge, but others I do not.

But what about you? Your home? Are there powers like yours or ways to learn them?

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Well, fair was fair. He'd spilled a little about his home, so it seemed Wanda should return the favor. She sighs, crosses her arms contemplatively, where to begin? Well, with herself seemed a good place.]

No, where I come from... I am a rather rare occurrence. In fact, I am the only one back home that can do what I do. Or well, at least in the way that I do it.

[She realizes that might have been a little too vague, so she decides to clarify a little more.]

As I said before, my powers did not so much come from me, as they were given. The same source that gave me my powers now rests with another... "person," [Really, how was she supposed to describe Vision? Person alone did not seem to do him enough justice.] so essentially it should be possible for him to do all that I can and more.

[lord_wizard]

[Felix lifts a brow and looks contemplative for a moment]

Interesting. But this person...this source...could he possibly continue to gift these talents to more people, or can it only rest with one person at a time?

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda's brow wrinkles a little, unsure of where this line of questioning is leading. Back home... only she and Pietro had survived the experiments using that "source" to give them their powers. Naturally, she's a bit prickly about even the notion of the experiments continuing.]

Honestly, I do not know if it can be used to give others powers. I don't even know how it was used to give me my own powers. As for where the person looking after it, he's not likely to hand it over to anyone anytime soon. He considers himself its guardian.

[lord_wizard]

[He doesn't yet know what that entailed, and he's always curious to hear about powers that aren't inborn, because they occur so infrequently.]

I only ask because it's unusual. And since you asked about the possibility of learning more types of magic at my home, I was curious if you looking to do the same.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[She smirks a little at Felix's response.]

Not exactly. You simply said that there were schools, so I assumed education in all different avenues would be the desire of a scholar. As you sort of carry yourself to be.

[Yes, that last part was meant to be a bit of a dig. Just some slight teasing.]

[lord_wizard]

It's less that I'm a scholar, and more that I am far too curious.

[It's really more of a compliment from his perspective - there are far worse things he's been called after all. He laughs a little, however, recognizing the attempt on her part]

Which, on that subject, you said you were a rare case - are there other types of power more common to your world?

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[She snickers a little at his question.]

No, not so much.

[Then, after a thoughtful moment of silence, she adds:]

Though... perhaps that is becoming the case...

[lord_wizard]

[He grins in response to the laugh]

Part of emerging trend, then?

[notmutantbutmiracle]

That is a good way to put it, yes.