Eightfold wakes up. She didn't exactly know what from, or... anything, really. Just that she was awake now! She was in a book, she knew that much. She liked books, even though she wasn't entirely sure what exactly a book was. They had knowledge! Did her book have knowledge? Pondering this, she Pushed up, against the cover of the book, before her short attention was almost immediately drawn away by another book. She began to examine this other book, eager to learn its contents.
(2 mana for examining, nothing for the push)
eightfoldThe word catches your attention. That's your name, isn't it?
apart from a brief period at the end of the second century AR where an eightfold system was considered, the philosophy of chromatic magic has largely hovered between a 3-color system and a 6-color one, with the White and Black schools being generally viewed as separate from"It's no use. It's either beyond my skill to decipher, or it's just a blank book."You are momentarily distracted by the absence of a tingle passing through your essence. You didn't notice it before because it had been there since you woke up, and was, in all likelihood, exactly what woke you up. A person flips through the book's pages, and you can feel a few more slight tingles as he attempts to probe your book with Blue magic.
"Why would a blank book be in the Restricted section? Or in the library at all?""Hard to say. Some powerful spells can globally erase information on a subject, though there aren't a lot of mages powerful enough to use them. There are some spirits that infest books and eat information, but we're supposed to be pretty well warded against those. It might be a Talisman or a Relic in book form that was put in the library by accident. We can try experimenting on it later, but for the moment I'm going to keep looking for any other information on this so-called "eightfold" system. One of the biggest problems I keep running into is that we don't really have any system that neatly integrates Black magic with the other colors. Probably a deliberate choice on the part of those who built the system.""You think the Dragon might have acquired immortality from Black magic? But that...""Makes absolutely no sense, I know. But he's clearly doing something that breaks the usual rules, so we can't rule anything out."None of this means much to you, so you continue to look through the books spread out on the table. Most of them are too long and wordy to focus on for any great length of time, but you manage to pick up some interesting bits of information here and there.
...as of AR 375, the Dragon Lord has been resurrected five times since his first death at the hands of the Queen, with each resurrection being separated by anywhere from 30 to 70 years......known to be a powerful Red Mage and is presumed to be a Monster Lord as well, though it is not known how he commands the spirits at his disposal...It seems the person was researching a man known as the Dragon Lord.
...it is well known that most Red spirits, or Monsters, acquire power through fear. This makes it exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, for a Red spirit to be bound through Green magic......some Red Mages sought to be deliberately cruel or terrifying in order to increase their Red Mana...There are some interesting things about magic here, mostly relating to Red, though there is also a book here that deals with Black Magic...
...despite protests, Fintan petitioned the Queen to place a general ban on the practice of Black Magic, and agreed to teach its theories and principles only in order to combat its use. Since this point, the Great Academy has constructed its curriculum around the doctrine of Virtuous, or Chromatic magic, and generally avoids mentioning the existence of the Black Arts until students are well into their second year......has often been criticized for his decision, to say nothing of his hypocrisy. It is not uncommon for naiive students to be exposed to Black Magic in an unhealthy environment, leading to abuse, and many have blamed the lack of education for this problem...It seems that these books only describe the history and politics of Black Magic, but do not go into any real detail over what it
is. The most you are able to glean is that it can be dangerous to the practitioner.
Spirit Evolution:
Ghostwriter (5): When unobserved, text may appear in your book.
Book Surf (3): You may jump between nearby books freely, reading them along the way.
1/1 2/2 2/4
Bound to: A blank book, titled "Eightfold".
Wedged in the stack of books that Amy Cruent holds, sits Ars Obscurum. It reaches its senses out to Examine the other books she's carrying: what does it look like she's trying to learn? What is she aspiring to with them?
You are one of many advanced spellbooks the girl holds - one of many that are far too advanced for a first-year to be expected to understand. Most of the books are Magenta-school magic, mostly related to the construction of
Talismans, as well as a few books full of elemental
Evocation rituals and some fairly advanced
Hexes. There are also some books related to the construction of staves and wands, and one that describes the summoning and binding of low-level spirits. Putting all of this information together, it seems likely that the girl is trying to create a personalized wand to channel magical powers.
The Fool Pushes the large tower of books Amy Cruent is carrying, out of malice. Cause the stacked books to lose balance and fall to the ground. Isn't comedy just laughing at the tragedy of others? Her reaction will be priceless!
He then Examines the dropped arcane books, curious about their contents. He thinks that if simple kids like these can use magic, it probably won't be hard to learn a few flashy tricks if he really tries to.
((Use 3 mana in both cases.))
Although unable to move freely on your own, your mischievous puppeteer senses your intent and sends you levitating down the hall towards Amy! Startled but not shaken, she takes a step back while drawing a wand from her robes.
"Combustiolig-"Her spell is cut short as she stumbles and falls backwards, landing on her backside with a short gasp and scattering spellbooks everywhere!
You
examine the fallen books:
Explosive Evocations - A book of verbal spells for calling upon the awesome destructive power of the elements.
Hexes and Jinxes - A book of verbal offensive spells that create fun and interesting effects on their target.
Topographical Transfigurations - Relates to spells that alter the shape of objects, though it seems the rituals are too slow to use offensively. It could be fun to have your form changed though.
Wands and Staves: The Creation of Wooden Talismans - Describes the process for turning wooden objects into magic-channeling talismans. It
says wands and staves, but aren't
you a wooden object?
A Beginner's Guide to Golems - Describes the process of fusing a spirit to a physical object in order to allow it to move about freely. Unfortunately, it seems that the golems in this book cannot speak, and therefore cannot use the spells described in the Evocation and Hex books.
These are very advanced subjects! It seems unlikely that a first-year would get permission to take them out of the library, especially not a mischievous class-clown like your current owner. You can probably convince him to snatch a book or two, but given their size and weight, you don't think he could run to safety with any more than one book in each hand.
2/6 2/2 2/7
Bound to: A puppet in the possession of Corey, a first-year (Aspiring Magenta).
Unique Abilities:
Unseen Movement (5): You may move your puppet body under your own power, but only when not being watched.
Manifest, encourage Kevin to try and learn more.
I’ll begin to give encouragement using Speech and then, when I see the books fall, go to help pick them up using Manifest. I can’t imagine that second part will actually help much, but it’s worth a shot.
I’d love to Examine that pendant, but I think doing any more than what I’m already doing would be too much, so I’ll have to do that another time.
Shaa watches the passing spirits with mild curiosity, perhaps amusement. His attention falls on the one that seems strongest, a little fox familiar, practically still a newborn. In the subtle way spirits communicate with one another, he nods.
"Greetings, little child," he begins. "Tell me, what is this place? So many children running about; a nursery, perhaps? And if you can, pray, why have I been brought here?"
“Hello! This is the Great Academy of Chromatic Magic, in Ioladin. It’s a school for mages like Esme, who I’m the familiar of. I don’t know why you’ve been brought here, but maybe if you tell me a little more about yourself, I could help more? I’m always willing to help out someone in need.”
Arbus answers honestly, as best possible (just in case I’m forgetting something they would know), despite being mildly put off by being referred to as little child, especially by a spirit who doesn’t seem bigger than them (to my knowledge, they wouldn’t know that Shaa is an older spirit). They just ignore it.
"Great Academy? I don't recall a Great Academy. Ah, but there are so many things I don't seem to recall, now. Dear affable child, I am Shaa, a great and powerful demon (or so I seem to think I was) who has, alas, fallen upon such hard times, bound and chained in dusty pages for so, so long. If only someone would come and take my vessel out I could truly stretch my, well, whatever limbs I may have had. Hmmm, tell me, what do you know of the 'Headmaster' of this place?"
Arbus is moderately suspicious, but is following along anyway, since Shaa seems to have gone through so much.
“Nice to meet you then, Shaa. I’m Arbus. I’d love to get your book free, but Headmaster Fintan said that I’m not allowed to go more than 12 meters from Esme.” (school rule back in round 4) “I can ask Esme about the book for you though. What’s it called? Oh, but I don’t really know much about Headmaster Fintan. I only saw him at the orientation ceremony. I’ve heard he’s the one who deals with troublesome spirits, but you wouldn’t do anything problematic, right?”
"How nice to meet you as well, Arbus. Oh dear, what was that book called? Something terribly ironic, I fear, at least if irony still means the same thing I remember. Unbound Mortality, wasn't it? That sounds right.
Of course I don't intend to do anything 'problematic', child. But I fear I may have already caused a bit of a fuss just by awakening, and it seems I am being carried along on a trip to meet that very man just now. Perhaps I should avoid drawing attention just yet."
Shaa suggests that Grenadine should feel a little curious about these Forbidden books and should take the opportunity to ask the Headmaster a few innocent but probing questions about them, then come back later to check on this situation with the fighting students to make sure everyone is all right. (No mana use.)
Figuring that this will ensure he can find her again later, he then mindsurfs to Amy Cruent to avoid being brought closer to the headmaster.
Arbus, Esme and Badel, and Kevin run over to help Amy up, but she seems preoccupied, fumbling in her robes.
"Is that a wand? First-years aren't supposed to bring those-" Esme begins.
"I didn't bring it, I made it here, and it's none of your business!" Amy says, pulling out the wand and whipping it around her, looking for the puppet that knocked her down. Expecting it to pop up out of nowhere, she mutters a series of incantations under her breath, restructuring her layers of mental shields, rendering her immune to being startled.
The puppet is still there, but the puppeteer is not visible. Probably hiding around a corner.
Amy's mind is normally surrounded in a formidable mental shield - but as she restructures them, a security hole briefly opens. Recognizing the opportunity for riding inside such a talented student, Shaa slips inside. Only a moment later, when the barrier reforms, does he realize his mistake: The mental shields form a barrier
both ways.
Shaa is now trapped in Amy's mind - while at the same time being bound to the book.
6/12 20/23 10/10
Bound to: Esme, a first-year (Aspiring Green).
Soul Bond (5): You spiritually empower a believer, enhancing their senses and physical abilities.
Manifest (5): You may briefly manifest a physical form. (Fox) [Active]
Speech (5): You may speak verbally to a human.
0/5 11/11 10/10
Bound to: A pen in the possession of Kevin, a first-year (Aspiring Green).
Danger Sense: You passively gain a bit of knowledge about the future as it pertains to danger.
Manifest (5): You may briefly manifest a physical form. (Eye made of ink) [Active]
Scout (3): You may fly around freely and observe things while intangible.
5/15 1/3 5/15
Bound to: A book, Unbound Mortality, currently restrained in the Forbidden section of the Library.
Unique Abilities:
Mindsurf (2): Allows you to jump directly from one inhabited creature into another, provided you, or the creature you are inhabiting, can see them. The further away you get from the book, the weaker your influence becomes. Current host: Amy, Magenta Mage. [Disabled by mental shield!]
Unseal Page (1): You make it easier to open the book to a particular page.
Devour Spell (5) (10): You can absorb a spell cast in your vicinity. It seems you can only use this (2) times, however.
”Yellow is the school of heroism, right? So why’s he nothing but a bully? Stand up to him, be the voice of Justice, like he would be if he was a true yellow wizard. Speak up, you don’t need to be the one to finish the fight, you just have to be the one brave enough to start it. Do it, I know you can.”
Quill spoke to Cole, nothing but a whispered voice in the back of his mind, hardly distinguishable from his own thoughts, but it was there, and he could hear it. At the same time, Quill used his Soul Bond with Cole to strengthen him. He just needed to speak up, but maybe, if they don’t back down, if they try to attack Cole or to harass the other kid again, landing a punch wouldn’t be too bad.
"Picking on smaller kids? That's not like you, Zume," Radish says as he approaches the pair.
"I thought Yellows were supposed to be heroic," Cole adds.
"Supposedly," Hex says, rolling her eyes.
Zume turns toward them, gritting his teeth.
"You stay out of this!" he yells. The smaller boy, Komori, casually steps to the side.
"You have no idea what THIS-" he reaches for the boy without looking, but misses,
"...THIS...obnoxious little creep, wearing that necklace out in the open..."Cole glances at the small boy's pendant. It seems to be made of a midnight-blue stone with a stylized eye carved into it. Cole doesn't recognize the symbol, but Ioladin is a city with many prominent families, each with their own crests, and it would be difficult to learn them all.
"There's no school rule against religious symbols or family crests," Cole says. "Leave the kid alone.""Or what? You're going to fight me?" Zume strides up to Cole, grabs his arm, and throws him to the floor. Radish raises his fists, and Pyro ignites a small flame on the end of one finger. Hex backs away with a groan.
"Pushing around people who try to stand up to you?" Komori says, tilting his head to the side.
"Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.""HOW DARE YOU!" Zume yells, swirling around, his body suddenly flaring up with a bright yellow aura.
Nix looks to find any student currently being harassed, bothered or otherwise threatened by anybody. With only his limited power, Nix pushes whomever is bothering the victim in the situation. Hopefully they back off.
You don't quite catch what happens, but there is a sound like a thundercrack, and a fraction of a second later, a large crack has appeared in the wall a hairsbreadth away from Komori's head. Zume leans back to throw another punch, but freezes at the sound of a slow clapping from behind him.
A slightly bow-legged man with a yellow robe, blonde hair and bright orange eyes is standing a short distance down the hall, a manic grin on his face. The flame on Pyro's finger immediately winks out.
"Oh, hey, Professor Sun.""Good afternoon, students. Mind if I butt in?" His grin grows even wider.
Zalathin starts his day by Examine into the heart of a hopefully troubled student, regardless of whether the student is trobled or not, Zalathin Suggest that the student is indeed troubled and implants the idea to find the spirit Zalathin
It's a school, and there is almost nobody not troubled.
Seeking chaos and uncertainty, you immediately come upon the fight. Uncertain of who to focus on, you broadly examine everyone present...
Zume DeLimon, the yellow second-year, is very troubled by something that happened in his past, probably involving his father. He sees himself as a hero.
Radish isn't quite as big of a mess, but he
is trying to put on a facade because he's afraid of what other people think of him. You can sense an embarrassing incident that happened about a year ago - something connected to his name.
Pyro and Hex aren't very troubled, but they do see themselves as agents of chaos and change. They follow Radish around just for the fun of it.
Komori is hiding something about his family. He knows exactly what he is, but doesn't want anyone else to find out.
At your level, you cannot see much deeper or influence very much without binding yourself to someone. However, your presence
does make everyone present a little bit more self-aware.
10/10 5/12 10/10
Bound to: Cole, a first-year (undecided).
Unique Abilities:
Soul Bond (5): You spiritually empower a believer, enhancing their senses and physical abilities.
Scout (3): You may fly around freely and observe things while intangible.
((Enter: Honor. Bound to: The Broken Blade))
The smith pounded on the cooling slab before him, in the forges of the school. He was hurried but certain in his swings. He was a prodigy, but too confident in himself. When his creation had reached perfection, the smith looked at it, and gave one more swing of the hammer... shattering it. It was half its proper length with a jagged tip, now, yet... it glowed with an unknown power. He had done we-
"Give me to a champion," a deep voice suggested.
(Chip the mana at Suggesting. If I could splice with Red mana for a more intimidating, forceful suggestion, I would.)
Torm Vilkuma raises the broken sword over his head. He could melt it down and create a new one, but it's unlikely that it will have the same magical capacity as the blade created with the
intent to destroy evil as opposed to the
intent to replace the blade created to destroy evil. Relics are tricky that way, and it's probable that the Broken Blade would wind up being more powerful than the sword that replaced it.
Aaand, there it is. A subconscious urge to refer to it with a name,
"The Broken Blade", instead of just being
a broken blade. No doubt Professor Kirgraud would notice the effect. Besides, he often gives extra credit for unique Relics, which would probably outweigh the deductions for breaking the sword.
The real problem is that third-year Relic projects are supposed to be donated to the Red Knights, and they have come to expect a certain level of quality. But the Red Knights are often recruited from the Academy anyway. Perhaps he could give the sword to a skilled student, instead of donating it directly.
2/2 1/3 1/1
Bound to: The Broken Blade, a recently created Relic currently in the possession of Torm, third-year Red student.
Unique Abilities:
Destined: When it comes to finding a champion, there is no range limit to your Examine or Suggest ability - you may pick any character revealed in the story so far, or you may seek out a new person with particular qualities. You lose this ability once a champion has been chosen.
Author
Topic: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods: Round 16: Battle against a Pumpkin (Read 21273 times)