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Ichak
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Member #4378
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Posts: 441
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"That's interesting," Ichak mused, "you make it sound like there's an active intelligence behind the wards, monitoring the castle and making decisions on when and how to respond. Some kind of spirit that's bound to the castle?"
"This place does seem more saturated with magic than any place I've been to in the Dream so far. The ability to make a room larger on the inside for..." he glanced back at the unseen ceiling behind them, "well, for decorative purposes I guess I could say, or the other changes you mentioned, would be extravagant to say the least almost everywhere I've been. Makes it hard not to want to be a student here, eh?"
Ichak didn't mention how, if this castle was some kind of entity, it seemed there was little for it to get in return for all it provided here... unless... it was one of the titanics he'd been studying in the style of magic he'd been teaching himself. It would explain why the oar had alerted him.
"I suppose the instructors have to prepare their students for the 'real world' outside these walls, where magic isn't so plentiful and spells might not be so easy to cast," he said.
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"It is beyond an intelligence, truthfully. Sometimes I think the magicks in this place have a soul. A benevolent one, at that. They always try to help those around them, protecting them from danger and allowing them to move to where they must be... I get shivers at times just thinking about it. Just the other day, I had to brush down my tail before I looked like a vulpine. Getting used to that fact has always been difficult."
"However, the purpose of the magic is not really to attract, but to aid. Heh, for some time the school has been harboring no idle hopes of attaining many more students than is needed. And the school gives students the chance to experience what is required, yes. No drawbacks other than constant failure. The teachers do berate though! Oh, goodness. The first time I tried to formulate a wall of iron, it landed right on top of one of the other students. They were unscathed of course, but definitely terrified by it. I was scolded and not allowed to cast for a week. The wards are actually heavily definable. They can dictate who can and cannot cast magic within its vicinity, automatically dispelling any denied student attempts. Of course, that's only for the students."
With a smile, he opens the door they're standing next to and enters the room. Inside is a massive library, filled with rows upon rows of tall cases, shelves, and stacks of books. The area looks ancient beyond remembering, as if there were some sort of ancient civilization's records standing before Ichak. Scrolls of arcane writing hang from the wall and torches align every bookcase. There are reading tables scattered about in small groups, along with very comfortable-looking armchairs. At the far (VERY far), opposite wall, there's a lit fireplace glowing with a definite red aura of flame. One can make out a figure standing there in robes of midnight black, a staff in one hand and a book in the other. They look comfortable, barely moving but to turn a page every now and then.
"Ah... That would be our headmaster over there, Caesar Potent. If you'd like to meet him, I'm sure he wouldn't mind. He's always helping the students with little magical dilemmas."
Something might catch Ichak's eye at this point... A set of magical twinkles are flying around the room at high speed. They slam into the wall, only to be propelled backwards and at an angle, preserving its momentum. It almost looks like what one might see in a game of pinball.
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Ichak
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Member #4378
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Posts: 441
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"Thank goodness it's benevolent," Ichak said. "That must be quite reassuring for the younger students." While he didn't like to be spied upon, since he didn't mean any harm to this place or the children in it, he figured there was no danger to him either. The only question was, if he did become a student, how much would he be restricted? But now was not the time to ask.
Ichak laughed aloud at the sight of the library, but hurriedly choked himself off to silence. This was what he had come to the Dream to find! If he could find what he needed here, his time in the Dream would be more than worthwhile, and if he had to become a student again, well, that was a price he had already decided to pay, more than once already. "Sorry," he whispered to Karon, "hope you don't get in trouble." He glanced towards the headmaster, hoping he hadn't annoyed him, before his attention was drawn by the bright "pinballs".
He was no bugcatcher, but he still had avian eyesight, and he tried to track the glowing motes. Were they pixies? Or was someone engaged in a magical version of table tennis in the middle of the library?
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*Pixies as in plural? No. Pixie singular? You bet. All around the library, the little trails belong to a single faerie. She seems more than just content with literally bouncing off the walls, and every so often the ceiling as well.*
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Suddenly a hawaiian pizza appears
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Ichak
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Member #4378
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Posts: 441
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Ichak watched the swift-moving pixie while he waited with Karon. He tried not to look like he was staring, though what with the rapid flit-flitting about, 'stare' wasn't exactly the right word.
He hoped his outburst wouldn't annoy the headmaster too much, or any theoretical librarian who might be about. Now that he'd seen the library, he really was thinking seriously about asking if he could enroll. Besides, as he'd said, he didn't want to get Karon in any trouble.
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Ichak's outburst seemed to disturb the 'headmaster' little, as he continues reading by the fire. Oddly enough, he seems to have taken to standing and reading rather than taking a nearby seat as one might think common sense.
"The children have certainly taken to games involving the wards many times. Much like that fae there, Ms. Sibyl. She's a lesser-seen staff of the Orphanage, but always a kind soul," Karon says with a slight chuckle. "She serves this food known as pizza. A regular favorite around here, given our usual diet."
As Karon speaks, Ichak might notice that the cloaked figure no longer stands by the fireplace. He can feel a presence behind him, cautiously watching the two converse. It doesn't feel malevolent, but definitely... curious.
"Now... er... No problem," the cheetah stutters in response to the laugh. "Was something funny? Aside from Ms. Sibyl, I mean."
Around the library, magical energies start to formulate and books rise from tables, chairs, and benches, levitating towards various shelves and racks. It would seem that the library is sorting its works! Probably not as spectacular as other magical qualities regarding this place, but Karon seems fascinated enough.
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"Magic is more than just a tool. It's a way of life."
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Ichak
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Member #4378
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Posts: 441
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Ms. Sibyl? Ichak repeated the name mentally. "No, nothing funny," he said quietly. He wasn't sure if Karon noticed the headmaster's interest, but since it seemed they weren't in any immediate trouble, he feigned ignorance. He also took a tighter grip on his oar. This was definitely not the time for it to decide to act on its own. "It's just that I originally came to the Dream in search of knowledge. That can be a slippery commodity around here, though, I've learned. I've come across a couple of libraries here, one even bigger than this, but they slipped away. I've been able to carry out some research at Master Bjork's tower, but his library is small compared to this, and I don't really feel comfortable digging into his things when he's not around. This would be the perfect place to continue my research, if it were permitted."
The self-stacking library is interesting enough for Ichak to stop and watch as well. It was certainly a better way to keep things in order, but he had to wonder if there was any conventional staff here at all. "That's certainly a time-saver," he whispered to Karon, "but it doesn't do anything to teach the students to clean up after themselves." He finished with a wink.
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"Knowledge is always slippery, Dream or no," comes a reply from behind Ichak. "Karon, you may return to your studies if you wish. I can take over from here."
Karon blinks a moment, realizing now that the headmaster was indeed standing behind Ichak. He hadn't been paying as much attention as Ichak had, that's for certain.
"Uh--Y-Yes Headmaster. Thank you," he stutters, giving a quick bow before turning to Ichak. "I apologize, Ichak, but it would appear the Headmaster would like to continue your tour."
He smiles and bows to Ichak, waiting for any sort of final questions before taking off himself.
"As for the cleaning," continues Caesar. "The cleaning is automated, yes. We do, however, record the individuals that remove the 'literature' and scold them later. We are being lenient on this particular group, as they're attending their finals for the semester and their minds are particularly focused on one thing."
The mage finally steps in front of Ichak. He's not particularly different from any of the students in the Academy, save for a few articles of clothing. He doesn't look any older than 20, yet here he is; Headmaster of a large Academy of mages. His black cloak radiates little light, almost drawing Ichak's visual focus right into it. There's definitely more than a hint of magic about him. Even his staff has something of a glow.
"I hope Sibyl's jubilant nature does not detract from the seriousness of the Academy for you. I've personal reasons for taking her on as staff and she has been very beneficial to the students."
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*The fae stops "pinging" off the walls at Caesar's comment, and flies over to sit on the mage's shoulder.*
"Aww.. That's so sweet of you to say. Are you finally starting to be less pretentious?"
*She turns to greet the newcomer*
"Welcome to the mage school! I'm Sibyl. I hope you're prepared for some hard work, Caesar's a stickler for it. My specialty is for more... unorthodox uses for magic."
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Suddenly a hawaiian pizza appears
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Ichak
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Member #4378
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Posts: 441
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"Thank you for you time, Karon, I enjoyed it," Ichak said to the feline. "Good luck with your studies."
Cesar wasn't what Ichak had expected. He'd assumed that Ron's master would at least be older than Ron, but Cesar looked about the same age. Maybe even younger. He knew renewed youth could be achieved any number of ways through magic, but in his experience, men of power liked to let at least a little of their age show.
Ichak glanced up towards the ceiling before returning his gaze to the headmaster, and thus saw the pixie's approach. "Detract? No," Ichak said, keeping his voice low, "but if the students are preparing for finals, isn't she a bit...distracting? I'm Ichak Ossimagus, by the way. A pleasure to meet you both, Headmaster, Ms. Sibyl." He bowed slightly to both of them. "And I'd have to say that to me, most of the magic in the Dream seems somewhat unorthodox."
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Karon nods in a bow, turning and heading out of the room.
"The fae removes herself at their request," he says almost snidely towards the pixie sitting upon his shoulder. "Still, she can be a useful study guide at times. Especially for teaching students what not to do. It is a pleasure to meet you, Ichak. Caesar is fine, if you will. Only students need call me Headmaster."
At Ichak's last remark, Caesar holds out a hand, creating a ball of flame upon his palm. The small conflagration flickers slightly with each curl of his fingers, seemingly flowing like some sort of putty or soft clay.
"The magic in this place is plentiful," he continues, staring at his own conjuration. "Unorthodox is not the word I would use. Misunderstood, perhaps, but not unorthodox. I'm sure by now you have realized that magic has no set form nor source. It is as bountiful as Nature itself, and comes in shades and hues of all colors. It is malleable..."
At those words, the flames instantly crystallize, the shape held permanently in a block of ice. Frost starts to billow from the object, small crackling noises emanating all around it. Caesar sets it aside on a nearby table, looking back to Ichak.
"Now, Mr. Ossimagus, what have you come to the school to learn?"
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Ichak
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Member #4378
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Posts: 441
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"Y'know, sir, that's a question that it seems almost always gets asked. 'What kind of magic do you want to study, what style do you want to follow'..." Ichak paused to scratch his head. "And I tell you, I don't really know. As I was explaining to Karon, where I come from, because of interference in the way magic operates, the styles of magic have become rather baroque in compensation. So, when I say that magic here seems unorthodox, I mean in comparison to there."
Waving one arm-wing in a vast gesture intended to indicate the Dream, not just the Academy, he continued, "I've started to pick up some of the magic of this place, thanks in no small part to Ron Bjork, who took me on as his apprentice before his disappearance a while ago. I've had a few successes since then as well, building on that foundation."
"But as for what I want to learn? I suppose I'd have to say I want to understand magic itself," he stretched tall and spread his wings wide, "what it really is when you aren't working with it and looking at it through the cracked lens of my homeworld." His voice crept up a bit, but he caught himself and lowered it again.
He paused, glancing up at the stacks. "Since coming to the Dream I've been in search of a fount of knowledge, either a teacher or a library like this, a teacher naturally being preferred since I have a great deal of warped teaching to unlearn, and will most likely need correction along the way."
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"Hmm... it sounds like you need to rediscover magic," Caesar starts, but then quickly pauses at the name of Ron. "..."
He listens to the remainder of Ichak's statement in silence, obviously intrigued, but at the same time somewhat distant and slightly pale. At the end of the chat however, he finally seems to come back to life, color returning to his face complete with a slight smirk.
"Well, this is but one place of many that can show you a more proper path," he chuckles, seemingly having forgotten about the pixie on his shoulder as he shrugs slightly. "We are always willing to accept new students. The question becomes whether you are willing to see things in a new perspective. We teach many forms of magic in this place. Divine, arcane, shadow, light; all may be taught within these walls."
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Ichak
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Member #4378
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Posts: 441
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"Headmaster, I am more than willing," Ichak said. "This may be but one place, but the fact that you teach so many styles of magic gives me hope that I would be able to continue to apply and to expand upon the limited understanding I've gained in the Dream. I'd like to think that I've already begun to gain a new perspective. I'd love to go further, to see how much further I can go. I'd like to become a student here."
Ichak had also been studying human moods and expressions since coming to the dream, since back home he was a good judge of people but there were no humans there, only what were called "anthros" in the Dream. If he was right, something he'd talked about, probably Ron's disappearance, had had quite an effect on the headmaster, though he wasn't showing it now. Either Ichak had judged wrongly, or Caesar was very good at hiding his feelings.
Maybe, Ichak thought, there would be time to discuss it later, but he didn't know what he could say--he'd gone looking for Ron and failed, and had waited for him to return. That was about all there was to add to what he'd already said.
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Caesar's face remained thoughtful once again while Ichak was speaking. Perhaps even scrutinizing... With little more than a gesture towards the avian, the mage removes himself from the room, walking into the hallway. He begins speaking simply and seriously, though he still looks somewhat humorous with a pixie sitting upon his shoulder.
"Magic is a complex element of reality. It draws its power from sources within our grasp and without. There are restrictions placed upon magic, set by people, worlds, science, and even magic itself. One cannot take and not give in magic. Even deities of incredible renown have some price they must pay. Some ante...
"You have spoken of a world in which magic was so restricted, your very thoughts on the matter were banned. You need to free yourself from that thought pattern right now, as it is not healthy for an avid student to feel so closed in. I think it would be wise for you to attend one of our 'Magical Theories' classes to gain a greater understanding--Nay, a better thought process regarding magic. One cannot enjoy life if they are told not to."
Despite his average step length and like stride, he seems to be making some haste as he works himself around the corridors. What Karon had mentioned previously about the castle changing itself to fit whatever needs were present seemed to be quite true. For Ichak, corners are appearing down long hallways that should have dead-ended before. Or were they always there? Heck, were they even in the same castle?
"I want to test what you know. I want to see what you can do and what you cannot. In here, please."
Caesar opens a nearby mahogany door. It seems like a door that one might find in an everyday house, not the dank, rotten-wood doors that should be present in a castle. Inside, there are very few objects. A glass sphere nestled into a crevice in the floor, a clipboard hanging on the wall, and a few lines of paint about the room that seem to shift every few seconds.
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Ichak
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Member #4378
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Posts: 441
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For a moment Ichak wasn't sure whether he was being directed or dismissed, but he decided to follow Caesar regardless. Fortunately he seemed to have made the right decision. Unlike Caesar, though, he couldn't help but look hurried as he kept up with the rapid pace. "I have no objections to that at all, Headmaster," he said as they went, replying to Caesar's recommendation.
Another test... Well, he wasn't surprised, that was for sure. He wouldn't have expected to be admitted without testing. He hoped to corridors wouldn't be as convoluted on the way back. He'd been following too quickly to keep track, though he did have one option most students wouldn't have (unless they were also able to fly). A window was as good as a door if you weren't concerned about falling.
He deliberately suppressed his mage sight as he entered the room. If it turned out there was no problem with using it here, he could always start it up again.
He wondered if the shifting lines represented the boundaries of some kind of playing field, and watched them while he had the chance.
"Are you more interested in seeing the magic I was originally taught back home, or what I've learned in the Dream, sir?" he asked.
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(Jeez... Haven't had nearly as much time as I wanted to post to this thread, and for that I apologize. I've been moving people in and out of the house and it's eaten much more time than I thought)
"I want you to utilize magic that you wish to learn--," Caesar starts, but quickly stops himself. "No. I take that back. Use the magic that comes easiest to you. I can sense that your companion has been magically manipulated. Was that from the Dream or from your world?"
He seems to be half-joking regarding that remark, but he doesn't wait around for an answer. He begins making strange hand motions and gestures, indecipherable words escaping his mouth that sound fouler than a demon's. The orb begins to levitate from the crevice in the ground, setting itself at Ichak's eye level. It bobs slowly up and down, as if on the surface of some continuous wave. The paint is the oddest part, however! It breaks apart into small globules that begin to float around Ichak and the orb in a hemisphere, forming into runes that slowly emanate a black aura.
"This is an enhancing sphere. Try not to be too afraid of what will be going on inside. As you cast spells into the orb, they will be dissected, analyzed, and displayed to me on the outside. To you, your spells will seem to fizzle and then reactivate a moment later. This is normal. Now... please begin. Any magic at all. Attack the orb, analyze it, change its physical being, or cause illusions. Anything at all..."
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Ichak
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Member #4378
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Posts: 441
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"All right then," Ichak said. He turned slightly away, unshouldered the oar, and set it on the floor behind him, paddle down and upright. "Stay," he said, and when he let go the oar remained standing where he'd put it.
Use the magic that comes easiest to you... That would be difficult--the thing that had come easiest to Ichak in the Dream had been "getting around." Even without formal spells, he'd been able to navigate around the Dream with no difficulty at all... but perhaps dream manipulation didn't really count as magic.
There was the magic he had from home. That was safe--the spells were designed to work under restrictive conditions, so they always worked in the Dream. But that was the problem. They were safe, reliable, and comfortable--and for that reason he'd been avoiding them as much as he could. He'd come to the Dream to learn other magic, after all.
What did that leave? Well, he was good with tool-based magic, but he knew that part of that was because an enchanted tool took some of the expertise out of his hands. That was the reason he'd decided not to use the oar. He wanted to do this on his own.
So, what did that leave?
While he was thinking, he answered Caesar's question. "It come from kind of halfway between. I was experimenting with something I call talewalking. Kind of like dreamwalking, except that you wander through stories. It got a little strange when I started making things up as I went, but that's how I found the oar."
Well... his first successful spell in the Dream had been a scrying, though that had required a kettle and a few other materials. But, without outside help, that was the kind of spell he'd had the most success with.
He dug into his pockets, coming up with a small disk that looked like a large, white washer. It was a slice out of a thigh bone, and in his old style of magic, it had been a focusing component for scrying spells. He wasn't planning to use old magic, but the bone slice would work for what he wanted to try.
He opened himself up to the magic of the place--with the obvious force of magic present here, he wouldn't need to ask for outside power. Holding the bone slice between two fingers, he raised it up between him and the orb. Looking through the hole in the bone, he chanted, "Mens ex cirsa vim, imago per osseo amp!"
If it worked, the spell would show him the orb's magic as he looked at it through the bone. Of course, that was if it worked--it was a totally improvised spell.
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Caesar seems very intrigued by the explanation of "talewalking." While magic made many things possible, to him this entered the realm of the surreal. The oar, though, caught little of the headmaster's attention. He looks as if he'd seen such objects before.
"Igrem," Caesar states as Ichak begins his spell.
And with that one word, the field of magic seems to solidify around the bird. It looks like he is trapped in a hemisphere of flowing, misting ice, though the temperature stayed the same. Wisps of magical energy surround Ichak during his incantation, flowing through his body to the focus. As the spell begins activating, a swirl of runes flows from the washer-like object, looking similar to a stream of ribbons placed in front of a fan.
"Magical classification: Divination. Subschool: Scry. Section: Analysis breakdown."
The voice booms throughout the room like a loud speaker, but Ichak can almost sense that it's not going to be heard through any walls or doors. Is the spell working yet? A few moments later (definitely longer than the spell normally takes), he can sense the properties of the now-glowing floating orb. It seems to be composed of many different spells: Illusions, divinations, and a few abjurations.
"Good," Caesar states from the outside. "One more, if you please."
(If you want, I will go into more detail about the floating orb. Just focus on it more)
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Ichak
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Member #4378
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Posts: 441
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Ichak tried not to be rattled when Caesar put the orb in motion, as it were, and didn't let what happened cause any hesitation in the casting. The sensation was interesting, different than the feeling of power moving through him to empower the spell.
Nevertheless, the spell worked, and Ichak found that he could maintain it without much effort. He wondered if being in Solemnity, drawing on it, had made the spell easier or work better, but for now it was enough that it worked.
Ichak nodded to Caesar. Another spell? Well, improvising had been fun, but it was probably not the best way to demonstrate what he knew. Most of the spells he'd picked up, though, were only applicable for certain circumstances, or required materials he hadn't brought with him. Unless...
He quickly checked his pockets, and came up with a small plastic bag full of white powder--simple bone meal.
It felt like giving in, but the fact was that there were two spells that he'd used more than any other in his life, and they both came from his old magic. Opening the ziptop bag, he took a pinch of powder between two fingers.
"Casting this spell takes place mostly in the mind," he said, slipping the bag back into his pocket. He held up the pinch of powder towards the orb. "I'm starting...now."
It had taken many lessons and many failed attempts before Ichak had succeeded in casting the spell the first time, simply because, like all his old magic, it was unnecessarily complex to ensure that it would stay within the ward's limits. Now, after literally hundreds of castings, he complex thoughts were second nature to him.
Sprinkling the bone powder on the orb, he said, "Lighten!" The spell's effect was straightforward--it would reduce the weight of the object it was cast upon. After casting, the object would still weigh at least five pounds, but the spell could reduce an object's weight by up to sixty pounds. His most frequent use for the spell had been to lighten his luggage, so that he could carry it while flying.
He wondered what he would see with the other spell while the orb acted on his lightening spell.
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Caesar studies Ichak carefully as he casts the spell.
How long has it been since I've seen one so far advanced... and yet, so heavily restricted? I hope I can provide the support he needs. A wizard unable to utilize magic is as a fish without air.
As he mulls over these thoughts, Ichak's spell sputters from his fingers, mystical energies unwinding and seeming to break up. The runes glow like last time, the wall of magic growing opaque as the magic completes.
"Magical classification: Transmutation. Subschool: Gravity manipulation. Section: Weight manipulation; negative."
Although the orb seems little affected, given its current status of levitation, something new happens... The orb begins to show seemingly random runes. Almost like a roulette wheel, the numbers flowing on and on with seemingly no end. It slows to a crawl and eventually stops, the rune a very jagged-looking hook with a line crossing through its base at a 45 degree angle.
"Very good. Restricted, but good. I think we might be able to free up some of the... complexities of the spell for you over time," Caesar says, walking through the now translucent magical field surrounding Ichak. "You are correct: Your magic has been very limited up until now. Short of memory manipulation, I think we have our work cut out for us. Let's head back to the library first. You may find your answers in some books describing the basics of magic, which will negate the need for possible years of retraining... but I will not lie; the odds look against you."
Caesar holds the door open, allowing Ichak to pass through before he exits himself. Regardless of when Ichak steps out of the field, a few seconds later, it vanishes and the orb floats gently back into its crevice in the ground. The paint flows across the floor once more, gently waving like a flag in the wind.
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Ichak
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Member #4378
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Posts: 441
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Ichak didn't see anything noteworthy through his magesight as the headmaster's testing setup analyzed his spell, which was interesting in itself. He guessed that the orb and other effects must have been isolated in some way, so that they wouldn't contaminate the spell being tested.
"Huh, I never thought of that spell as effecting gravity. I thought it just reduced the weight of the target," he said after the orb had given its report. He would remember the rune that had appeared; he would probably find out what it meant later on.
"I'm all for saving time, but I'm not afraid to start over," Ichak said. "I didn't bring such a huge variety of spells with me that I couldn't afford to lose them; I figured that if I still had use for the spells I had, I could find their equivalents in a different system and learn them, or create my own versions."
He decided not to say anything about Caesar's comment about memory maniulation. He supposed it could be innocuous, something like living through years of classes under the effects of a spell, but on the other hand, it could be something like taking his existing memories of his training and splicing in another system in place of what he'd originally learned. He wasn't sure what he'd do if it turned out to be the latter.
He picked up his oar and followed after Caesar. "Thank you for your time, sir," he said. "It's much more than I expected. I feel like I've gotten special treatment, and I really don't feel like I had any right to make such an imposition on you. I appreciate it."
He looked forward to going back to the library. He loved books, of course, but he'd also been on his feet all day, and the chairs in the library had looked comfortable. It might even give him a chance to release the abatement spell he'd kept going on himself. He didn't know if Caesar had noticed the spells, both good and bad, that were on his person. He hadn't commented, but then, Ron had never commented either, though Ichak had suspected he knew.
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(Were you looking for more specifics about the orb itself? I only gave a vague description of the spells in place)
Caesar nods in response to Ichak's thanks, but little more. He doesn't look preoccupied or bored or angry in any way... Just complacent. As the two walk back down the hallways, the area seems to shift and contort once more, as if the walls were trying to accommodate the path of the two mages. As they reach the library, several students run inside (they look to be teenagers), all of some variety of bird.
"Watch your step, boys," Caesar reprimands. "We've got a guest and I'll not have you creating a ruckus again today."
"Yes sir!" comes the resounding reply as they find seats around the library.
The library seems unchanged for the most part. There are still open chairs, couches, and tables. The books that were stacked around the room before have finished cleaning themselves up. The fire in the distance is still burning brightly, and a fairy is bouncing around the room again... and again... and again...
"I'll let you get acquainted with the library," Caesar remarks as he steps toward the fireplace way in the back. "Come speak to me if you need further assistance. Oh, and watch out for those 'Night Owls.' They're a rambunctious group that likes getting into trouble. They've used the wards to their advantage many times now. Nobody injured, but pranks seriously abound."
Ichak can see a small smirk as Caesar's face turns away... Perhaps he too had one time partaken in some pranks of his own.
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Ichak
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Member #4378
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Posts: 441
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((Not more specifics as such--Ichak was just watching what the sphere did.))
Along the way, Ichak asked, "Do the students have any trouble learning their way around? Or does the castle have them ending up where they're supposed to be?" If it was the latter, that was similar to some of the tricks he'd learned about navigating the Dream. When they reentered the library he suppressed his reaction. He could literally spend years in a room like this. He could live here.
Ichak studies the boys while not looking directly at them. It was a habit from his home. The culture where Ichak was from was very stratified, especially among the avians; it was important to figure out as quickly as possible whether another person was above or below you in status.
"Sounds a bit like me in my younger days, sir, though I like to think I've grown out of it," Ichak said. Now that he'd been pointed out to the boys, he assumed they were checking him out as well. "Thank you again."
Ichak stood for a couple of minutes just looking at the stacks, drinking it in, before he started wandering along the stacks. Caesar had said to start with the basics, which sounded good to Ichak. He wondered if he would be able to read the books, or if he would need translation magic of some kind, or even learn the various languages
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(Sorry for the delay; lots of rough stuff happening around here)
The books do indeed have translation magics upon them... or is it the room itself? Regardless, staring at foreign texts causes them to redraw their alphabets to a more familiar, more understandable language. There are books about all manner of subjects! Though not a comprehensive list, these books are probably of particular interest to Ichak:
- "Arcanum Mystara"
- "Sources of Magic"
- "Compendium Magicka"
Reading any of the material brings a wealth of knowledge to Ichak... Information about incantations, proper flow of hand-and-arm gestures, pronunciations, and items that aid in the study of magic. Much information is supplied regarding the many possible sources of magic, stretching to articles about shadow, life, and the galaxy's many ley lines. Information about how to tap into them is also present, but perhaps a bit more complex than what he's looking for.
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