driftfleet | Libuscha IV System Mingle (no. 1)

[She snorts.]

A lot of spells have a verbal component to them, so even the most skillful mage might run into trouble if they suddenly couldn't breathe!

That's very true. I think a mage's best treatment of that is to make sure it doesn't happen.

[He shoves a cookie entirely in his mouth. Just one bite. And then he washes it down with some water, chewing thoughtfully. These really aren't bad, but he might swap out the peanut butter for chocolate next time. A richer cookie...

He's almost forgotten about his little project, but not quite.]

... I do feel a little better, having taken some time. Maybe it was my blood sugar all along.

[Lup smiles, genuine but also a bit sly, because that went pretty much exactly as planned. Plus she got a nice meal out of it! Win-win.]

Ready to give it another go?

[Minus the peanut allergy but aaaaay at least she asked before eating it. That would've been awful.]

I think so. [He pauses, shakes his head.] No, I know I'm ready. I've been working on this for-- for years. Before the Fleet, I was in another place, and I tried to write the spell there, too. At this point, it's... practically my life's work to create this.

And while charging these crystals with mana won't solve the underlying problem, it will make things so much more bearable for me, and for people like me, if it succeeds.

[He shoves everything in his pack again and dusts the crumbs off his robes. After arranging himself like so, he gets up. He'll even offer her a hand up if she needs it, even though he's more likely to end up on the ground again.]

You may want some distance in case this one explodes.

No denying that. Good luck, bud, I hope it works out for you.

[She doesn't need help getting up, but ignoring the offer is kind of shitty so she accepts it anyway as she pushes herself back to her feet. The distance idea ain't bad either, and as confident as she may be that she can handle a little explosion, she'd prefer not to risk it. Shatter damage is nothing to shake your head at. Plus if he gets hurt someone needs to be here to make sure he's okay.

She gives his shoulder a light tap, a twinge of magical energy passing between them- surprise! You've got Mage Armor now, Belth. She casts it on herself as well as she heads to a safe distance.]

[Belth's smile turns warm at the edges as he feels the protective spell wash over him. It feels familiar in a way, though he's never been able to cast that kind of spell on someone else.]

Thank you.

[Then it's back to business. He levitates the crystal in midair so he can give it one last inspection. Then he steps back and begins to focus.

Mana swirls around him, seen as well as felt, until he concentrates it between his hands. And then he begins to feed that energy to the levitating pyramid in front of him. At first it looks like it's going well, but something slips in Belthazar's expression and the crackling arcane lightning bounces off the crystal. The gem vibrates like it's about to explode.

The mage terminates the spell immediately, and the silence creeps in, but he isn't going to quit. Not now. Not when he's so close.

This time he takes a deep breath. He thinks of someone very, very dear to him and holds his hands out again. Once more, he begins to channel purplish-blue energy into the crystal. This time his concentration doesn't waver. The crystal gives a gentle purple glow, pulsing slightly, as it sucks in mana. It takes about a minute, but once he's transferred a satisfactory amount of mana, Belthazar stops.

The crystal continues levitating until he walks up to take it in his hand. He tosses it between his palms, feeling the warmth but no energy discharge. The actual shelf life of these crystals has yet to be determined, but he thinks they'll be fine now that he's had some guidance on the subject.

He turns to where Lup waits and gives her a thumbs up and, of course, a big grin.]

It worked!

[Well, that was fun to watch. Lup takes in every second of it, watching as both mage and scientist, her eyes following the gestures he makes, the glyphs and the glows, the way the energy feels in the air. It feels a little like infusing a spell via artificing, but it's different: simpler, but more complicated in another way, too. Channeling raw magic is a completely separate challenge from manipulating a specific spell. It's really interesting to watch, and very cool, besides.

She claps when he finishes, slow but genuine.]

Sweet-ass show! Congrats on finishing it. You said it's supposed to be like a battery?

[Belthazar cradles the gem carefully in his hands. There's a minor worry that if it's damaged it might indeed become some kind of bomb. He's pretty proud of himself though, all bright eyes and excitement.]

Thank you for your help. And yes. I can store the gems and use them for a spell that requires a great deal of power, but there's a more practical use for them too. If I need to restore mana and there isn't another option, I can use these.

One of my other ongoing projects is making a gem that can both store mana and process sunlight into mana, like a plant. I'm closer now than I've ever been.

I didn't help that much, it was all you. Whatever I did, the light show more than paid for it.

[She does offer up a two-fingered salute in his direction, though, acknowledging his thanks, lips curving into a grin.]

The other project sounds a lot more ambitious, but that'll just make it fun. If you ever want somebody to bounce ideas off of, feel free to hit me up.

Glad to provide, then.

[He's beaming in a way that's almost literal. When she gives him the lazy salute, he reaches up and grins with two fingers near his head similarly.]

I'll probably take you up on that. It's a level of artificing that I was never taught, but experimentation and a little nudge in the right direction may be all I need.

I'm going to shape some of these other rocks and repeat the process, though I think that purple hematite and the teal agate are beyond saving. I guess we can blow them up?

[A grin immediately crosses her lips, shamelessly pleased at the suggestion.]

Hell yeah! Turn that shit into fireworks, that's my jam. Better not to waste it, right?

[Oh hell yes. It's been so long since he was allowed to wantonly destroy stuff in peace. It's normally too dangerous to do that sort of thing on the ship, so he has to wait weeks, sometimes a month, to do it.]

Right. And it's important to be able to fight, too, if the situation arises. Not that it has for a long time, but I have to keep my spells sharp.

[He gathers up the gems that still need some work into a bag. The tables and everything else disappear with a snap. With his findings and belongings safely tucked away, he can now use this clearing to continue his explosive reign of terror.

The teal stone and the purple stone sit innocently perched on small rocks.]

Okay, so... I think they both have about the same arcane sensitivity, which is about medium. The purple one is heavier. Which one do you want, or would you rather I showed off for you?

Oof... well, I'm of the opinion that bigger explosions mean better explosions, so I'll go with that one.

[She lifts the purple stone, tossing it from hand to hand as she considers its weight, then draws her wooden spoon focus from her belt and casts Levitate on it, tossing it away from herself as hard as she can. She could probably have thrown it well enough on her own, but she doesn't have Magnus's raw strength, so this is the best way to get some distance between herself and her target. Once it's far enough away she drops the spell, and as it plummets she takes aim and fires off seven bolts of arcane energy, juggling it back and forth in the air, little sparks and shards of crystal bouncing off and exploding like the most glittery of firecrackers. Suffice to say it looks awesome, and she's pleased as pink when what little remains of it finally flutters down into the snow.]

Nice!

[Belthazar watches her work with rapt attention, while he quickly scribbles down notes in his journal without looking. Her spell is elegant and destructive both, a good combination, and that glittery finish is perfect. He could chef's kiss over that.]

That was incredible! You aimed all of those bolts with enviable precision, not to mention the sheer force... Even at this distance, I could still feel the energy of the spell. Amazing, absolutely amazing. I don't think I can surpass that as I am, but...

At the very least, I shouldn't bore you.

[He works with his hands. Like Lup, he picks up the teal stone and inscribes some glyph on it. It shimmers slightly as he chucks it in a perfect arc. At the very top of the arc he freezes it with a motion of his hands.

Then the real exercise begins. Fire crawls from his palms, licks at his fingertips, until he's wreathed in enough red-gold-blue flame to match his gold eyes. He draws on this flame as he throws one volley after another, fire bolts that sing like phoenixes and hit once, twice, three times in an explosion of flames and red feathers. The stone is glowing and visibly burning despite not being flammable, yet the heat is so intense that the flames turn blue-white as they continue to lick at the stone.

Still focused, he conjures two massive globs of searing-hot magma in the air around the stone. Both slam into it simultaneously and explode with such heat and force that the snow melts off the nearby treetops.

And then it's gone. Nothing left, and no glitter to show for it, just a few lingering sparks and ashes drifting back down to earth.]

Oh, [Belthazar says as the flames die and he lowers his arms.] That felt surprisingly good.

[She's happy to soak up the compliments - she and Taako are two of a kind, after all - and happier still to watch his own demonstration. It's certainly not lacking for power or style, and when he's finished she pumps both arms in the air, fists clenched, and howls her approval.]

Woooo! I know, right!? That was rad as hell! We should totally explode stuff more often.

[That approval makes him shine brighter than when he had pulled out his Combustion buff. It's such a little thing, like the moon reflecting the sun, but it's still very obvious. Belthazar's expression is usually avoidant or contemplative or cold, but he's genuinely happy at receiving this little bit of damned praise.]

We should! I think there used to be a training ground or something, but magic makes it complicated. [Wait, that's not a bad idea if there isn't one already.] And if there isn't, we could make our own for mages-- and we could set up some wards so we don't blow up the ship. Of course, I'll have to check first--

[He's already jotting this down in his journal, just a quick note, and then he snaps it shut.]

Oh, there was something I meant to ask! It's clear that our magic is similar but not the same, and I was curious about the source of yours.

[He holds up his finger.]

I'll start. Azeroth, my home world, is covered by leylines that carry mana to every corner of the planet. It's a greater expression of the natural magic found in many living things-- elves included. Casting a spell is simply converting that mana or raw arcane energy into a different form, or maybe not so simply, as some spells require components... The important thing is visualization, followed by the incantation and the intent as you cast it. Not all spells require incantations either so they're a little interchangeable, but the more complicated enchantments absolutely do. That's the main difference between fire or ice and arcane magic.

[Sparkly fella, isn't he. Oh well, it's cute.]

The source of magic, huh... well, ours is definitely different, but not as much as you might think. It's the same idea on how to get it working- gestures, incantation, components... every spell needs something different. As for where it's from, gimme your journal for a sec.

[She holds her hand out, and once he passes it over she turns to an empty page, glancing at the existing notes but not prying any deeper than that. It's rare to find a wizard so readily willing to pass over their arcana research - if asked, she certainly wouldn't do it with a stranger - so his trust is surprising even at this point. She'll take it, though. Hopefully nobody takes advantage of it, because he seems like a good kid.

On the empty page she begins to draw the planer system, circles surrounding circles, with one in the center. She labels that one the Material Plane, and then one of the adjacent circles the Plane of Magic. She then taps each one in turn.]

Where I'm from, the universe is separated into different planes of existence. This one's the Material Plane- that's where we'd live, humans and elves and dwarves and all regular folks. This one's the Plane of Magic, and big shocker, but that is where magic comes from. All other planes have rifts, you could say, little holes and siphon points everywhere that can leak bits of raw magic through. If you know how, you can use that magic and transform into functioning spells.

[She doodles a random arcana symbol, something simple but not easily deciphered by one who doesn't know the magic of her world. Maybe a little puzzle for him to poke at, later.]

I used to just kinda... do it, I guess- learned on the fly, didn't have any fancy technique for it. When I finally got myself to school, the old fart who taught us the basics called it the "Weave". 'Cause, you know, it's woven into all existence, or whatever?

[At this point Belth has already handed over his journal to Taako. As much as he's possessive about his notes, he's starting to learn the very real value of cooperation. Lup helped him with the mana gem thing, so it's only fair. He listens raptly as she explains, and leans over a bit so he can see what she's drawing.]

Ah! You do have planes! [He ponders this information and how close it is to what he knows. But he doesn't know everything-- that's for sure.] The Weave, huh...

Azeroth has countless planes connected to it, and one could say that magic originates from some of those planes depending on the element, but it isn't quite the same. It's more like when you have a bunch of things floating in a cosmic soup and they all bump each other constantly, leaving a little bit of themselves each time. There are so many planes and demiplanes and it's so easy to trip your way into one that we can barely keep track. It's a mess, and that's before you consider the time travel I heard about...

[She passes his book back over, her point made.]

Gods, don't even get me started on time magic. It can play some wild games with peoples' lives... I usually try to avoid that stuff.

[It just makes her think of Refuge. What a huge mess that town had been stuck in for so long... and while it's true that the death toll for the Chalice had been incredibly low compared to the rest of their relics, that doesn't mean a large number of lives weren't gutted because of it.]

I like to stick to my own timeline and just blast stuff. Gimme the direct approach any day.

[He seems relieved as she gives it back, and he quickly tucks it back into his robes.]

The most I can do-- and it takes quite a bit of energy-- is speed up time a little so I can attack faster, or slow down an enemy. But when you start tinkering, it's bound to spiral into parallel and alternate universes, and that's when the timelines become unstable. Luckily there are beings of great power who watch over the timeways, but I would just as soon avoid them; they're not very fond of mortals and they would probably see me as an appetizer.

Oh, that takes a lot in your world? Haste and Slow are pretty low-level spells for us... huh. World differences just keep being weird like that.

[It's not even a brag, just matter-of-fact. Or maybe he's low-level? She wouldn't have guessed it based on this fun experiment he's working on, but it's difficult to gauge power when there are differences in how magic works.]

What counts as low-cost magic for you?

The slowing arcane enchantment is something I learned very early on, too, but I have trouble putting it on more than one enemy. It requires a level of concentration that I have issues with in the middle of battle. Of course, I'm barely battle-tested in the first place.

[It's hard to gauge level when you are lacking in practical fighting experience. He's done enough war to know he's bad at it.]

Minor enchantments, conjuring, making things float, illusions, low to mid level elemental spells. Those are fairly low cost for me, I think. I'm barely tired after our little light show, but I know if I did that for an hour I'd be exhausted. As it is, infusing things with mana all day has been draining, so I will sleep hard tonight.

Edited 2019-01-21 04:54 (UTC)

I think you ought to get a head start on that one soon, you're already looking kinda sleepy-eyed.

[Which may or may not be true, but now that the adrenaline of success is wearing down, she suspects that he'll start to feel it soon enough. All that intensive spellcasting had to be tiring.]

We can trade notes on worldbuilding another day. Trust me, I'm itching for some magic nerdery on the reg.

[Taako's awesome for actual casting and spell development, but he doesn't show much inclination to talk arcane shop the way she's used to. She misses Barry.]

[Now that she's pointed it out, he's feeling tired. He blushes anyway.]

W-well, maybe. I don't need to sleep as long as a human, so it's fine.

[He's done here for the day, however, so he adjusts the strap of his bag and glances toward town. Then it's back to Lup.]

Thank you for indulging me today, at least. [His lips curve in a friendly smile that is still a bit shy.] It's been a while since I had any kind of breakthrough-- I suppose everyone needs a nudge now and then.

Me neither, but sleep is still great! So go have some, you'll feel better.

[She leans back and spins on a heel, waving over her shoulder at him. Her own smile is bright, making it obvious that she's enjoyed herself plenty, too.]

No problemo, bud, it was fun. See you around!

Libuscha IV System Mingle (no. 1)

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