wilderlogs | open post --- waver velvet

Entry tags:

open post --- waver velvet

Who: Waver Velvet + Open
What: New arrival type things and exploring
Where: Melai Temple and surrounding forest
When: The day after camp starts up
Warnings/Notes: To be added as required.

1. Settling In
[There was no real grace to Waver Velvet. He was a young man who spent too much of the past week and change flailing through life, being hauled over shoulders and via chariots, and now he was in another world entirely when he ought to be focusing on the Grail War!

With no way to channel the anger appropriately, Waver had found a small room within the temple to simply...well, rant as if Rider were still there, and for once was quiet enough so that Waver could get in the full litanty of what was bugging him now.

Satisfied with the rant-a-paloza, Waver began to walk the corridors, scowl still deeply entrenched on his face. While friendliness wasn't something he was exactly radiating, if brushed up against someone he at least had the sense to mutter:]

'Cuse me.

2. Art critique
With...everything...Waver had taken to walking the halls of the Melai temple, his shoes padding quietly on the floor. It was impossible for him to miss the murals on the wall. Their scale was impressive in and of itself, the color palettes used equally worth stopping to examine.

"Weird how few monsters make more than one appearance in these murals," he said quietly, standing in front of one set outside of a cave. The monster's head was shown to be poking out, all fierce teeth and terrible to behold, whereas a cutaway of the cave showed the greatbeast's body. The spirit in front of it and their mage they...well, they looked like a well matched duo. That particular thought sent Waver into his own thoughts, eyes still locked on the mural.

3. Wandering in the Woods
What would Rider be doing right now if he was in Waver's shoes? Probably something stupid.

What would Rider tell Waver to do? To take advantage of exploring a great new world. Waver knew it, and he personally resented that he could hear the big oaf's voice in the back of his mind, trying to get him to do crap that he had little interest in doing.

It was out of some begruding respect for the giant servant that Waver decided to at least explore some of the surrounding Cedar Forest that was outside of the temple, although he had little intention of straying very far. There was no way he could rough it for even a night.

The kodama were the first things that caught his attention, both in color (they stood out against a sea of endless green), and in their habit. Their movement was unlike anything Waver had witnessed (then again how much had he ever mucked around in the woods or seen an animal that wasn't trained to love city life?)

"...Huh," he managed after watching them for a while. The novelty of their presence masked smaller things, like that Waver had inched so close to them that he had moved into some of the watery bank of the glade and now his shoes were quite damp.

"Oh, goddamnit," Waver muttered immediately. "And I bet this crappy place doesn't just have spare shoes either."

4. Wildcard
Whatever you'd like. I'll match brackets or prose.

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"Interesting," and Waver really means it. He rubs his chin, slowly absorbing the information as it has been presented to him so far. "You have a place naturally drenched in magic, so I presume magical energy is permeated through everything, more or less. So you're able to draw into energy that's around in great abundance."

There is detail that he needs to prod at harder though, and being in a more thoughtful mode than he has otherwise been, Waver doesn't hesitate in his question.

"Is the ability to work with magic a trait one needs to be born with, and as such is it passed through family lines, or can anyone access the ability, in theory?"

"That would be a good way of putting it, yes," Alacruun replies, sounding a touch pleased. This one is sharp and seems to grasp concepts quickly. He likes that about him, although it's more of a quiet admiration for a human who can actually dig into magic. He settles down against a tree, arms folded over his chest as he listens to Waver, expression a touch thoughtful.

"There are different ways of acquiring magical power where I'm from. One way is simply through a great deal of study and practice, despite not having... innate magic flowing through ones veins. Another is to have it one's bloodlines, whether because of your descent from some sort of magical creature or some other sot of infusion into your being. That is... less study, more natural talent. Yet another is to commune with the divine - with a god - and have them grant you power. Similar - and lastly - one makes a deal with a much more powerful being. Usually not a god. And sometimes more malevolent."

All of this was miles away from the kind of magecraft that Waver knew and relied upon. The very idea of a world that drenched in magic was something above and beyond what was true of his own home, and as Alacruun explained, Waver leaned in, even more interested and excited.

"Demons and the like I presume?" The concept of deals with devils wasn't uncommon in legend, and some mages did take similar and extreme measures, but to say it was rare would be an understatement. He isn't about to dive into his own magical world bullshit (he hasn't been asked, and in comparison, it's rather embarrassing) but listening to all of this, Waver wants to know more.

"Beyond transformation magic, what else is even available?"

"Sometimes demons. Sometimes higher powers or lower. Or simply other, very powerful beings who can pass on a fraction of their power in exchange for... something more," Alacruun waves a hand. It's an interesting concept, but he's never been a warlock. Even if he has played at being a god from time to time.

"Almost anything one can think of. Although - it can be divided into eight schools of magic. Abjuration, conjuration, divination, enchantment, evocation, illusions, necromancy, and transmutation. As you can imagine, it covers a good deal of ground and can do quite a few things. It would take entire libraries to describe and catalog every spell in existence..."

"Gods and like powers," Waver murmurs. Such concepts and interference from powers like that were uncommon to non-existent. Magecraft was a precise recreation of magic. Whim and whimsy from those kinds of beings? Anathema.

"Some schools and concepts seem to be universal." It's interesting to note what is still there. "Divination, evocation, and necromancy are common. The other things you describe aren't specifics schools for us, but they're present elements in our craft."

"Fascinating. How does magic work in your world? Is it restricted by blood? Does natural talent enter into it at all...?"

Alacruun is very interested to hear about that. Dragons, of course, are innately magical, but the idea of innately magical human bloodlines - that's something else entirely. Especially if they have nothing to do with outside powers. Even sorcerers, as far as he's concerned, trace their ancestry or the power of their blood back to something nonhuman. But humans? Having their own magic? That's interesting.

"Lineage is a massive factor. Mages are born with these things called magic circuits, they're channels for energy to flow through. A mage is understood to be born with a certain number, and those then play into spellcasting ability. Since the ability to be a mage is genetic, there's a general rule of if mages of the same or a similar generation wed and have children, that offspring will be more powerful. As a result, there's a...dynastic element, let's say."

The word dynastic is coupled with a note of distaste. "We also make a distinction between Magic and magecraft. Magic is a genuine miracle, out of reach for most. Magecraft is a precise attempt to recreate that same miracle."

"Magic circuits..." Alacruun muses over the words and then slowly settles, sitting against a nearby tree as he tries to process what he's being told. It's similar but also incredibly different. Too different for him to say whether or not it's more or less effective than his own magic. Or whether or not there's any sort of cross-over that might come in useful.

Which just means he needs to learn more.

"That seems... well. It seems like a meaningless distinction. If one works magic, one is already moving beyond the mundane. There are levels of magical power, I'll grant you - but it's all magic. At least in my eyes."

"The distinction is pretty important for us," Waver counters. But it isn't a huffy explanation, he's genuinely trying to be patient. "But yeah, it can look pointless if you're on the outside looking in, I guess."

He disagreed, of course, but Waver had grown up as a mage. He knew all of this growing up, after all.

"Far be it from me to judge the system that's worked for your mages for a thousand thousand years or whatever it's been," Alacruun replies with a shake of his head and a dismissive wave of his hand, "I don't know your world. Although I'd love to learn more about it, if you're willing to share. Cataloging an entirely new system of magic is a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

And it gives him something to do that isn't lounge around in the temple.

"Collecting such knowledge is a hobby of mine, you see."

"Thousands of years," Waver confirms. The exact number is immaterial, the word thousands is the important bit. But at sharing more, Waver does frown.

"Technically magi are sworn to secrecy, as to share their knowledge about the craft is to lessen it's power. However," was he about to try and strike a bargain with a dragon? Probably. "I'd do it if you did the same. Fair's fair."

"Knowledge wants to be shared. Practically demands it, dear boy - keeping it all for one's self - isn't that a bit selfish?" Alacruun's eyes glint. He's a hypocrite, of course. He's been fine with hoarding his own knowledge. But he's not about to admit that.

"However... you have a deal. Knowledge for knowledge. More than fair."

He extends a hand.

"I believe a handshake is traditional?"

"It may be, but it's also how the system works. Power lies in mystery. To maintain mystery, you can't share specialized family knowledge." Waver's tone suggests that he doesn't agree, that he actually dislikes the concept a little. But he doesn't say so outright. He's gotten in trouble before.

"Yeah, it's traditional," Waver confirms, taking the hand carefully. This is a dragon, after all. Maybe this form also runs hot.

"Dearest boy, I have to disagree with you. Power lies in knowledge. In knowing what words to use and what gestures to make. In knowing what to expect and how to control the world around you. Mystery... is for the ignorant," He smiles thinly, although it's not really an insult aimed at Waver. Mystery is only an invitation to Alacruun.

He shakes firmly, all the same.

"Hiding what you have just makes others curious."

"Again, I'm not disagreeing," Waver points out, frowning and trying not to get too damn huffy. "It's just how the system functions."

It was a pretty stupid function. Waver had always thought that. But the compulsion to defend the system from outsiders, that was new and downright weird.

Either way, he finally let go of the hand, relieved to find no burns or anything.

"And believe me. Mystery usually is less about ignorance and more about families trying to get a leg over each other."

"How petty..." Alacruun shrugs. Which is really the pot calling the kettle black, because Alacruun can and will be incredibly petty when the mood strikes him. He just looks down on humans as a matter of course and considers everything they do to be a step beneath him, in many respects.

"Surely they'd manage something more impressive if they pooled their resources?"

This coming from the solitary dragon.

"Probably, but they don't," Waver huffs, and now he is annoyed. "Believe me, I think it's really stupid too. Probably more than you ever could."

He hated it a lot, in truth. It prevented him from becoming a better mage because families just believed in the same crap that prevented any kind of progress or...anything!!

"Well, tell me how you really feel about it, then. No one's here to punish you for it."

Alacruun is almost too eager to try and pry thoughts out of Waver. Funny how that works.

Waver scowls even deeper. He knows what this is! This is a set up where he's the punchline. He's experienced it before, he's not an idiot.

"Yeah, right. You're probably just going to give me crap for it too when I'm done."

"No, no... I want to hear what you have to say. I think it will be enlightening," Alacruun replies, tone taking on a bit of a coaxing bent. He is insterested, mainly because he wants to learn how Waver's world ticks. And how Waver himself thinks. All useful information.

"Give me some credit."

"I pretty much barely know you," Waver says, defensive and still not entirely sure that this won't end in him getting made fun of. He doesn't trust easily, and this kind of situation has his hackles up as is.

"All I'll say is that it's short sighted and makes it hard for younger generations to break in. For them, that's good, but it's damn stupid to everyone else."

"And? We're supposed to work together. We should get to know one another, shouldn't we?"

There's honey in his tone and a glint in his eyes. He's definitely trying to worm his way into Waver's good graces at this point, but he's also doing his best to not be obvious about it. He settles his chin in his head, listening and watching.

"The old make way for the new; it's the cycle, unless someone manages to break it. What good is knowledge if one cannot learn it? Short-sighted of them."

Of course, he'd rather keep it for himself, but that's neither here nor there. He'd still need to learn it first.

Waver's not convinced. For better or worse, he's developed pretty good bullshit detectors, if only to avoid being made fun of yet again. Getting to know people? That sounds like nonsense to him.

It's why he doesn't answer that first question. "Didn't I just say the words short sighted?" he grumps instead. "Whatever, they're idiots, doubly so for not realizing that I'm right about things."

There. That was all Waver would give - a hint at his extremely undeserved ego.

"Genius is often tragically unrecognized by the old guard," Alacruun sighs, "But that can't be helped in some ways. I'm sure that you'll get them to understand eventually. These things take time..."

He waves a hand. It's a bit academic, considering where they are and what they're going to be doing in the near future. Very unlikely to be persuading anyone of anything for a good, long while.

"Not that it matters much here. The only people you have to convince... are your newfound companions."

"So, everyone."

There's an undertone. Again.

It wasn't something Waver was interested in or excited about. He had already had to do it before, and frankly, he wasn't sure if he'd succeed this time around. He didn't back home, that much he knew.

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