[open] Mareuer catchall

[prophexy]

Who: Urianger and various
When: the month of Mareuer
Where: Various
What: General catchall prompts
Warnings: TBD, none so far



Library (repeatedly on different days throughout the month, open to anyone)

[Over the course of the last several hours, a table in the corner of the library has become increasingly piled high with books. A very tall man with shaggy silver hair, pointed ears, and a neck a little too long for most people to be confident in calling him human is just visible over the tops of them, and in the gaps between the piles; he appears to be taking swift notes from the book currently open in front of him, and occasionally pulls a different tome from one of the stacks to consult something else in it.

It's pretty easy to catch his attention when he gets up to retrieve yet another book, if you want to talk to him. If the book you're looking for on folklore, astronomy, or abjuration magic has gone missing, there's a pretty decent chance it's in one of those piles. Sorry.]

Tea shop (early Mareuer, open to anyone)

[Urianger doesn't indulge in a lot of luxuries, but it's important to find good quality in the few he enjoys. He's examining the wares of a local tea shop, carefully sniffing at the samples. The selection is diverse, though, and most of the labels aren't quite familiar. Seeing the clerk busy helping someone else, he'll smile at a nearby fellow customer and strike up a conversation.]

Art thou familiar with the local brews? I should not be opposed to a recommendation, if thou hast any to offer.

Haven (all month, open to residents and visitors)

[The Exarch invited Urianger to take up a spare room in Haven when he arrived, which he accepted in lieu of trying to hunt down a roommate himself or - Twelve forbid - actually figure out how to earn money to pay rent somewhere. He's finding it nice, really, to live among other people again.

The time spent in Il Mheg seems to have affected his preferences for scenery somewhat; he still does most of his actual studying in his room, but when he's reading for relaxation he can be found lounging under a tree outside, or in common areas of the house if the weather is bad. He's also taken up actively tending to the garden when he's not reading somewhere, and can be found working among the plants at least a few afternoons a week.]

Wildcard

[If you want something else, hit me up on Plurk (Renegade_one) or Discord (sylviaviridian#0158) and we'll discuss! It's safe to assume he's still learning his way around town and making friends with bookshop owners, if you want ideas to start with.]

Comments

Library

[morbide]

[An interesting looking fellow with books piled nearly as high as he is tall, seated, anyway... He has a quick hand, but it's no small wonder that Henry would be perched over the back of a chair, cradling his cheeks in his hands when Urianger closes a tome he has on Abjuration magic, and Henry points at it loosely.

How long has he been here, watching Urianger...? Was he undetected, or was Urianger simply not unnerved by his watch? Henry's oddly silent at times — it could go either way.]

You done with that one, mister?

[And if he is, it's obvious he wants it: he curls his fingers in a grabby-hand gesture. He isn't impatient though and is, in fact, smiling easily. Too easily, maybe, but it's not a big deal.]

Didn't wanna bother you 'til you were through. Oh, and if you're not done, don't let me wrench a good book out from your fingers! It's nice to see some more folks dedicating themselves to Abjuration around here. Maybe someday I won't have to worry about making it one of my focuses, in favor the nastier of spells... hee hee!

[prophexy]

[Urianger does startle silently, just a little, at his sudden awareness of another's presence. ...But of all the people he knows, the one most capable of sneaking up on him despite sensitive Elezen hearing is the white-haired Hyur, so perhaps this is actually just a continuance of a trend. This mage doesn't actually bear more than the most superficial resemblance to Thancred, though, and Urianger studies him for a moment before carefully proffering the book.]

I believe I have gleaned from this what I must, for the moment. ...Before arriving here, I had made a study of a type of healing art which drew upon shields as well as closing wounds. Abjuration seemed a natural transition.

[Whoever this newcomer is, he is absurdly difficult to read, and that more than anything puts Urianger on his guard.]

[morbide]

Thanks!

[He takes it in thin fingers, delicate in their grip as he tucks it close. He has plans for this book, and it might involve either borrowing it, or copying down some pages.]

So you were a healer, where you're from... Yeah, I can see going straight for Abjuration's throat, then. Especially with the angle of protection the discipline offers. That's the reason I studied it, myself. Yep. Was never a healer, but I saw its practicalities.

[An interesting first impression of Henry, given most people don't realize that he's always had an inclination toward learning magic that defends and dispells. That should carry over in Aefenglom. The sorcerer leans back this time, away from the back of the chair with a hum.]

You're a Witch then, huh... I thought maybe with your pointy ears, you could be a Fae. But then Fae are small, not tall, like you... But what I do know is that you're kinda new, right? Hitting the books and everything! Ah, to be a new Witch and to chart your studies...

[To not chart them toward necromancy...]

[prophexy]

Indeed.

[He nods, relaxing just the tiniest amount as he launches into a comfortable enough topic. This guy is still weird, but he can talk about studying magic with anyone.]

Before arriving here, I was far from a novice; 'tis disconcerting to begin my studies entirely afresh. I would fain return as quickly as possible to a level of skill that will prove some use to myself and those around me, especially as I have little experience with physical weaponry.

[morbide]

I know what you mean. That's as good a reason as any to get yourself read up on the theory of Talam, if you ask me. It sucks to have to start from zero, and it's not stuff a prodigy could just pick up with the snap of a finger, either! So that's why you're here, then. You kinda sound like me, in fact! Except without all of the weird talking.

[The... Way, he talks. And the way Henry talks. They both seem to have a distinct manner of speaking.

With the book tucked safely under his arm, Henry slides his other arm against the back of the chair and leans his cheek against it, regarding Urianger for longer with the same smile he's been wearing all along. Same aura. Same everything, but he doesn't seem to be doing anything threatening.]

Shields, healing... What else did you consider yourself far from a novice at?

[prophexy]

[First impressions aside, Urianger's starting to get more of the feeling he would have on meeting one of the faerie folk: like he's being assessed as...something, which may or may not be to both their benefit, and he won't find out what it is until he navigates his way through the conversation.

Because he's weird, he actually doesn't mind that idea at all. Let's see where this goes.]

My original field of expertise was in summoning. [He traces a fingertip idly over the tattoo on his cheek.] I earned my mark as an Archon by developing a new and stronger variety of the Carbuncle summon, using amber as an aetheric core rather than topaz. As the mathematics involved increase in complexity along with the structure of the crystal used as a core, amber is particularly difficult to work with, being an organic fossil. I was the first to succeed, although I understand others have since been able to duplicate the technique.

And what of thine own studies? What occupied thy attention before thou wert drawn here?

[morbide]

[Henry watches him caress the mark on his face. He'd been wondering what that was about and would've asked on it soon enough, but being offered up the information is just as well. Some words he doesn't recognize, and the very idea of mathematics being heavily involved in summoning is a real disappointment, not that Henry's bad at math. But hey, if it worked, it worked. He nods at Urianger's story.]

Sounds complicated. [Simply put. Especially the achieving-that-which-others-find-difficult, plus the increasingly complex math.] Me, before I was yanked through that mirror like the rest of this sorry assort? I was a dark mage! A sorcerer. A wielder of the dark arts, dark magic, curses, hexes, spells, whatever your world calls the stuff!

[A shrug, and a point of his finger.]

I try to make it abundantly clear, what I do. People have all kinds of words for it, so I hope one of those translated into your language. It's the magic that runs dark, evil, wicked... Buuut I don't really think it's all that evil! People just think so 'cause it's dangerous.

[prophexy]

[Urianger nods decisively: this description actually lines up quite well with his understanding of the types of magic in existence.]

The art of Black Magic was long-suppressed, and nearly lost for a time, after its practitioners in their greed and incaution caused the land terrible devastation. But the tool cannot be blamed for its usage, and destructive magic hath its own place and purpose. Black Mages in the current era are instructed to be more cautious and respectful of the impact of their abilities, and thus far the history is not so forgotten that most can miss the reason for such care.

[morbide]

Right, Black Magic! That would be it. I think I've heard someone call it that before. It's as I always say: it's not the magic, but the wielder. I don't really say that, but I'm pretending I do.

I think the big difference is that we're not really told not to be careful. Why be careful when the entire point's to cause massive destruction, famine, and terror? The bigger the explosions, the better!

[Henry mimes as he speaks, especially as he talks about how big explosions should be, a broad sweep of his arms even as he holds the book. Dark mages are a Plegian staple, and it's easy to assume that anyone practicing just... comes from there. He may as well make the generalization, figures Henry.]

We're at war, us dark mages. With the Halidom. Well, we WERE at war. War's over, and I guess you could say that team dark mage-and-company lost! [WAVES ALL THAT OFF WITH A FLAT HAND...] Aaaanyway, here and now, it's Abjuration and stuff for me.