Topic: Multiverse Crash: Incindia (Read 2319 times)

Devastator · « **Reply #15 on:** February 01, 2021, 12:53:26 am »

(Which alterations would those be? What changes would you like to make?)

Supernerd · « **Reply #16 on:** February 01, 2021, 01:05:51 am »

Presumably turning one kind of metal into a different metal, putting elemental properties into rocks, or whatever information the textbooks had?

Devastator · « **Reply #17 on:** February 01, 2021, 01:37:13 am »

(Okay, got it.)

Stirk · « **Reply #18 on:** February 01, 2021, 05:28:46 pm »

Salem wasn't particularly interested in learning magic himself, beyond that which was necessary to pass his classes of course. He's already realized he has no talent for it. If he ever needs magic he can only hope he has an ally on hand to cast it for him.

Still...as a young man he isn't immune to the lure of cool things. As an artist he is likewise interested in beautiful things, but is likely unable to do any better with magic than he could do with mundane materials. If he truly wanted to make something with alteration it would be something cool that can't be made any other way such as a sword that is eternally on fire, or a landscape that changes over the course of the day with the sun giving the painting a day and night cycle. Such things are naturally beyond the scope of the class he was currently taking (even if he actually had magic), but he would certainly be interested in any neat tricks that can be done at his (supposed) level.

As for this week first thing is to make contact with Vardis without coming across as a creepy stalker. The gap between her and me might be much bigger than the gap between me and Ronald, but I'm going to have to get over that if I want to get anywhere in this magical world. Maybe it will be easier to overcome one on one than it will be in a group? Still without knowing much about her all I can do is try to talk and play it by ear.

Assuming I survive this encounter, the rest of the week I can hang out with my assorted new friends.

Egan_BW · « **Reply #19 on:** February 01, 2021, 10:26:13 pm »

Writey men write too much.

Go into Transmission. Knowing those fundamentals will probably be useful if I can manage to get materials and manpower for magical-hybrid engineering... And the weak and desperate will be useful to turn to my side. I'm not intending to be peaceful or merciful in tearing down this regime, so conscientious objectors won't be useful to me...

For my first action, start making friends and ingraining myself in the social structure here. Gain myself some status first, then we can start gauging people's loyalties.

MeimieFan88 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 02, 2021, 10:20:08 pm »

Skye's research was fruitful, but he didn't know how to utilize his findings. The inner council seems like the focal point of the magic empire, but it would be difficult to get to them, nor did Skye have any idea what to do even if he could.

The "currently active wars" are another point of interest. Perhaps he could find allies to help him fight against the empire, or maybe he could at least disrupt the empire in their tyrannizing of other nations through their magical superiority.

Skye would research more about this 'inner council', trying to identify members and their roles and whereabouts. He would also try to find more information on the currently active wars--who the empire is fighting and how the wars are currently going.

Skye would continue keeping up with his studies. This magic thing could turn out to be incredibly useful in fighting against the empire--give them a taste of their own medicine.

He was initially drawn to Evocation from the mention of the potential of "big booms", so he would like to gain some theoretical knowledge of devastatingly explosive energy. Such could prove to be useful in dismantling the empire, once he figured out how he might go about it.

Devastator · « **Reply #21 on:** February 05, 2021, 12:58:34 am »

Jackson "Revere"

You have a class assignment!

In two turns, you are to take a beaker of water, and demonstrate some visible change to it. Some examples that are valid are changes in colour, volume, or state. (boil or freeze it). Water is notoriously easy to change via alteration, but hard to change permanently.

There is also a written portion. You want Alteration Theory 1 completed to have a good chance of scoring well on it.

[6+2][12+3]

Although more advanced tools are locked up, wood is available, and you can scrounge up enough tools to make a basic hydraulic piston out of it. Or, well, a pair of pistons, joined by a hose, to two wooden square blocks. Push down on one block, and the other block goes up. It's still just a toy, though, and not powered, nor is it arranged to grant a mechanical advantage. But the idea worked. Huh.

[9][4]

This time class goes better. You eventually figure out that it was a problem of definitions.. you may know too much materials science, and were tripping over your own knowlege. Materials properties are a result of certain conditions, not an innate thing. Eventually you get it explained that this is true, but you are being taught metaphors for them to make it easier to grasp for most students for whom 'hardness' doesn't mean 'resistance to deformation'. So you get on that if you reframe your ideas through a different method, it begins to make sense.

You may pick a spell to learn, related to alteration in theory. Please mention if you have relevant magic or knowledge from another world.

Spoiler: Glass/Jackson "Revere" (click to show/hide)

Ding

You have a class assignment!

In two turns, you are to take a beaker of water, and demonstrate some visible change to it. Some examples that are valid are changes in colour, volume, or state. (boil or freeze it). Water is notoriously easy to change via alteration, but hard to change permanently.

There is also a written portion. You want Alteration Theory 1 completed to have a good chance of scoring well on it.

Permanent transmutation of materials is beyond what is normally accessable for first years, being introduced in third year. However, the first step in the process isn't restricted. How to identify metals and minerals. Of course, not being able to cast it, it's a fairly esoteric spell, and you're mostly trying to learn in the dark here. (If you have relevant knowledge from other universes, please let me know and the spell will become easier to learn.)

[9][2][7]

(I don't see any immediately relevant magic on Wing, but alteration theory should provide some benefits to alteration magic in that world. Fairly minimal with only one level, but something noticeable.)

Transmission class doesn't go too well, and other than an enthusiastic wolfperson, most of the students there seem bored, as does the instructor. It's supposed to be about passing magic around, but in your relatively brief time there, you don't get to experience that yet. Sad.

Evocation is a bit more interesting, with more ambitious students and more interesting tools. You get some practice in with the basis of theoretical energy projection, and witness some interesting, if tiny, demonstrations. Nothing terribly accomplished at this point.

Spoiler: Supernerd/Ding (click to show/hide)

Salem Monroe

Flaming swords and other things are immediately popular, and quite common uses of Alteration.. if you have some Evocation to combine with it, as Evocation spells can be tied into specific things, should one know both magics and be able to essentially cast them simultaneously.

It's not too hard to find some theory on how to do this, as it's one of the most common things for students to do, even if they are just making their own light sources or the equivalent of a cold pack.

You have a class assignment!

In two turns, you are to take a beaker of water, and demonstrate some visible change to it. Some examples that are valid are changes in colour, volume, or state. (boil or freeze it). Water is notoriously easy to change via alteration, but hard to change permanently.

[3+1][1][8]

You do find a moment to talk with Vardis, but she seems to be a busy person, always with stuff to do in advanced classes, locations to be, and you try to make a halting acquaintance with her during a hallway encounter or when eating a meal. It almost goes really bad, but your heroic nature prevents you from backing down.

She isn't offended by being approached by a first year, being too gracious for that, but she does ask you some questions and ferrets out that you're bad at magic (if not how bad), and were interested in the kind of person who does such an accomplishment.

At the end of your meeting, she makes it clear that she doesn't have a huge amount of time for you, but gives you instructions on how to leave her a message, and states that she clearly is interested in a low-powered first year student who nevertheless has the bravery to state his mind, while not being an arrogant dickweasel.

Things go less well with your friends, who want to talk about the encounter more than anything else. At some point they say a few lines about how you must be an impressive student holding some kind of secret power, which is rebuffed by them remembering that they've never actually seen you do magic.

You're able to cover for that, but you still haven't made much progress this week. Still, you have permission to leave Vardis messages, and maybe she'd be willing to help you out or do you a favor..

Spoiler: Stirk/Salem Monroe (click to show/hide)

Beero Herrice

[8]

Transmission class is indeed pretty boring, at first filled with the unspectacular and the lazy. The instructor doesn't have too much to go on, but is at least somewhat enthusiastic to have one attentive student.. normally bubbly helpful ones go into Healing, at least at first. You're even given a demonstration of basic transmission, which for the first time in your life (at least here), has you feel someone using magic through you, which is a sense you have never felt before. Interesting.

[1+1+1][2+1+1]

Sadly, it's the least interesting thing here. Right now, until some people get booted down out of the better classes, this is the class for the no hopers and the ones without the motivation to be very useful to you. You won't even have an assignment for weeks and weeks!

Spoiler: Egan_BW/Beero Herrice (click to show/hide)

Skye

You have a class assignment!

In two turns, you are to take a candle and light it on fire, or, alternatively, extinguish a candle that is already lit.

[10][2][7]

There is some success. The Inner Council leader is normally referred to by title, and is called The Merlin. The current one is fairly young, about 40 years old and is actually a graduate of this very school. Famous battlemage and sorcerer, who are mages adept at making something from nothing. Supposedly can summon a sizeable pet dragon from nowhere for an entire day.

Not all the members are combat mages, but there are at least two others. The other eight or nine inner circle members are important ministers.. minister of the interior for production, recruitment and industry, minister of internal affairs, for propaganda/security, minister of war for warmaking.. it's all pretty normal stuff.

True information on active wars is very limited. Makes sense for a propaganda society, things are going well and they have always went well and they will always go well. Can't even find out the names of the current enemy countries.

The remaining time you spend back in class, splitting your time between fire theory (EXPLOSIONS) and more basic evocation theory. It seems outright explosive power requires more evocation skill and fire elemental skill.

Spoiler: Meimefan88/Skye (click to show/hide)

Supernerd · « **Reply #22 on:** February 06, 2021, 01:24:44 pm »

Doing something like changing the color of water without magic was actually pretty easy. The trickier part was finding a way to change it in a temporary manner; as a permanent change would cause Ding to stand out too much too early.

Ding's first choice for the assignment would be instead to 'enchant' it so that it burns, albeit for a very short period of time. Ding will spend some time searching for a clear fluid that is flammable, less dense than water and immiscible with water such as hexane or heptane. Even as little as a milliliter would be enough to do this trick. Ding would also need to procure a match or a candle, which would be easier by comparison. The idea is to have a tiny amount of flammable liquid floating on top of water, which will cause the water to appear to be on fire for a couple of minutes before it runs out of fuel and can no longer be lit up; achieving the desired result of a temporary enchantment to water.

Ding would attempt to test this in private to make sure it actually works before attempting to do this.

IF Ding is able to get the materials needed for this in a timely manner, Ding will then turn his attention to unrelated subjects; such as actual magic knowledge. Ding figured that he had enough for this particular test, but it wouldn't be the only one. Ding would start doing additional research on alteration theory.

(I am currently attempting a related action to the metal changing in Lands Adrift. I posted that at the same time as my last action here, but time flows in a funny way.)

Devastator · « **Reply #23 on:** February 06, 2021, 01:56:45 pm »

(I can't decide what happens in Lands Adrift, but if your attempt is successful there I'll reduce the difficulty of learning the spell theory here. I'd expect once the spell is complete you could possibly cast it in the other world, but that's not up to me to decide what happens there.)

Stirk · « **Reply #24 on:** February 06, 2021, 02:42:13 pm »

Well better get started on that blatant cheating I guess.

Bringing out his art supplies, Salem prepares a paint that will turn the water slightly cloudy when added. Like "Squint and you can see it" cloudy. Enough that you'd notice if you where looking for it but not enough that you'd actually get excited for it. Ideally he'll get a passing grade but everyone's attention will be pulled toward something more interesting. Hopefully it will take just a drop or two to change the water.

Part two is finding a second beaker. He'll just bring in a second beaker filled to the same line and switch them out when everyone is is looking at the more interesting displays. Simply magic trick.

This probably won't need his particular set of skills. Which is nice considering glassblowers arn't exactly common on school grounds. If he's lucky he might even be able to use opportunity to throw his friend's suspicion off!

First he tries to check out a set of beakers to practice with. Assuming he is allowed to he sets up a study session with his (first year) friends with said beakers. During said study session he pours through his books looking like he's preparing until everyone is distracted by someone else's success. Then he casually throws the vial across the room, cryptically mutters "Overdid it again..." with a sigh and goes off to clean up his mess. When he brings the beakers back he states that some had been broken during the practice and he had thrown them away as a result. In reality, he takes one of the beakers to his room and simply reports it broken with any of the rest. The eye-witnesses should be enough to prove that some had been broken and give Salem a "reason" for not casually using his powers.

Egan_BW · « **Reply #25 on:** February 07, 2021, 12:19:38 am »

Nobody said that this life would be fast and thrilling. Though, this gives me time to follow up on opportunities for other realities...

Look for ways to defeat advanced armor, preferably with a kinetic projectile weapon.

MeimieFan88 · « **Reply #26 on:** February 08, 2021, 07:09:00 am »

It seems I've learned all I can about the magic empire for now. Time to try something else.

Skye would ask around about the offices he had discovered earlier that were behind magic-locked doors. He would ask both other students and staff members, feigning innocent curiosity as his reason. And in truth he was quite curious about it. Propaganda societies always had secrets to hide. And they were rarely pretty.

Skye would also practice well for the upcoming class assignment. It was important to maintain his standing in the school. He would also need to hone his magical abilities to utilize the explosive power he was trying to acquire.

He would spend a lot of time studying fire theory, and practicing lighting candles on fire and extinguishing them. He would try to go above and beyond, in fact, trying to light/extinguish multiple candles at once, or even starting a fire on other mediums such as paper or pieces of wood.

Glass · « **Reply #27 on:** February 10, 2021, 11:34:51 pm »

Jackson considers what he's learned about Alteration. So many different ways to change material properties... but no, there were more practical things to understand. Even if not for himself.
Metal degrades over time. It can get worn away, it can be dented, broken, it rusts. Proper maintenance can slow the process, but not stop or reverse it. But perhaps magic might hold the key to truly repairing metal objects, rather than simply patching them over with more metal, or melting them down and making a new piece?

Jackson had other concerns and considerations for now, too, though. Specifically, the alteration of water. Boiling or freezing it would likely be difficult; changing the temperature without an obvious outside influence would almost certainly be impossible. A change in volume... perhaps by using two cups, made to appear similar, but one making it so the water would rest at a higher level? Maybe. But what was likely the simplest would be to change the color. Dyes existed, after all. Hells, even rusty metal would color water, the issue there was just that it would be obvious what the cause was.
Yes, the ability to put something into the water that would dissolve into it and change its color was likely the best bet that Jackson had. And so, when he went to the library, his goals were less focused on his usual metallurgy and much more toward matters of chemistry and dyecraft.

Devastator · « **Reply #28 on:** February 11, 2021, 08:41:34 pm »

Ding

You have one more turn to prepare for your class assignment.

[8+1 (perception.)]

You have several choices for flammable materials you can get. Alcohol, which is readily available, and flammable if present in quantity, Acetone, which is a cleaning solution also readily available, and cooking oil. Alcohol mixes with water; Acetone also does, but requires less to ignite, and is very smelly (which might count as changing properties, come to think of it), and cooking oil, which doesn't, is flammable, but is somewhat more visible.

[9+1]

Matches are oddly harder to get than you expected, although it's quite easy to get your hands on a candle. You do manage to turn up some, although they aren't what would be considered matches to the modern eye, being bits of sulfur-infused wood that ignite very easily but still require a spark, and burn for about a minute or so. You do manage to find a source of sparks easily enough, flint and steel exists and you can get a pocket-sized kit.

Additionally, you are able to acquire these things without drawing attention.

[1]

You don't have much time to spend on alteration theory, with most of your classtime spent plotting out how to pass the assignment.

Spoiler: Supernerd/Ding (click to show/hide)

Salem Monroe

[4][4]

[12]

You were unable to find any paint. Well, paint that would work. You can find some enamel and thick oil, but that isn't suitable.

You then go a bit further afield, and check out some of the second-year stores. There you find something very interesting, coloured waxes, which you rub onto stone or metal and it applies the color in the wax to the object. Neat! and something you're unfamiliar with. Sadly, both are pretty useless for your purpose of colouring water.

Glassware isn't a controlled substance here, and it's easy enough to grab some samples. You do get pressed into cleaning up a glassblowing workroom for most of a day, which provides you ample opportunity to grab any broken shards you want, (and, if you're willing to risk it, some retroactive tools.) Unfortunately, that does take too much time to let you make any more in-class progress.

One more preparation turn remains for your class assignment.

Spoiler: Stirk/Salem Monroe (click to show/hide)

Beero Herrice

[8][3]

[10]

In the lull of the early weeks of Transmission class, you investigate armour penetration. You get far more information about the relationship between size and velocity, hardness and toughness, and the advantages and disadvantages of various things, things that would cause a skeleton's head to explode.

Body armour around here is normally made of enchanted robes that soak up force in an area around them, slowing blows or deflecting arrows.. making them hit less hard or be easier to block or parry. This can get up to very high levels, with robes capable of stopping gunshots inches from your face, or allowing one to fall an infinite height safely, slowing you before you hit the ground.

Hard armour and plating is made for unpowered armour, or stuff that isn't going to be worn by a mage. It's also useful for situations that'll break magic armour, such as explosions (which have no substance to stop), heat, light swords, and so forth. Can also make it less stressful to keep one powered, if minor blows just bounce off, spell armour won't need as much juice or be recharged as often.

There is also mention of a light metal called "Gesiron", which for some reason appeals to you, being like Titanium.

For a kinetic projectile, you'd do best to use one that explodes after being stopped. Or use a lot of them, hitting in a very short time, like a big shotgun or a machine gun.

Spoiler: Egan_BW/Beero Herrice (click to show/hide)

Skye

[3+4]

Hanging around the faculty offices attracts attention; Some of the teachers are wondering who is poking around, especially at assignment time. It isn't exam time, so it isn't really important, but after you're seen a few times you decide to stop hanging around there before the instructors get too suspicious.

You are able to pick up that the doors don't seem too secure, and that with a closer look, you can probably find a weakness. The normal faculty offices only have ordinary doors with magic locks attached to them.

[9][9]

As for practicing fire, it goes as well as can be managed. You acquire a tinderbox, and start more than a few fires, trying to examine them magically. Even going as far as burning yourself mildly. Still, though, try as you might, you cannot cast spells here. If you want to make fire, you're going to have to use something other than magic.. for whatever reason, you don't have what you need to be able to use magic here.

(You did gain some fire magic theory, which might be useful in another world.)

You have one more turn of preparation before your assignment is due.

Spoiler: Meimefan88/Skye (click to show/hide)

Jackson "Revere"

Restoring a broken machine.. turns out to be healing-type magic, not alteration type magic. Huh. Alteration can do something vaguely similar, however, making a bit of metal 'younger', repairing rust, degredation, metal fatigue, all manner of very minor damage, but once something seems to be visibly damaged, such as cracked, broken, or shattered, alteration isn't the field to fix it. Bent seems to be a gray area, and some level of repairing can be done, but actually repairing objects turns out to be covered by healing magic.

[8][1]

Unlike a certain Salem, you are able to find yourself some more appropriate dyes, ones usually suitable for colouring clothing or leather, but liquid and dissolves, so good enough for water.

Doing so without attracting attention is not your forte. To get some, you have to interact with a partsworker managing a desk, all manner of tools and equipment behind it, and a visibly nervous first-year student certainly attracts attention. You have your dies, but you'd better be slick about using them.

[5]

The library is your refuge, and you return to safety, where you can throw your head back into your books. There is plenty of information on dying available, including examples of machines used to assist it, mixing tanks, heat treatment, chemicals.. far more stuff than you can examine at a quick glance. You could certainly pick up some pointers on how to make or use dyes here with a bit more study.

[5]

You also try to polish your new 'spell' some more with the remaining time. It still seems hopeless, but you know from other worlds that this sort of thing does exist, even if you can't use it here. At least now.

You have one more turn of preparation before your assignment.

Spoiler: Glass/Jackson "Revere" (click to show/hide)

Glass · « **Reply #29 on:** February 11, 2021, 11:21:34 pm »

Jackson is focusing on practicing for the exam, learning the precise movements to make in order to effectively drop the dye into the water and quickly swirl it in without being seen. Hardly his forte - a blacksmith rarely needs to be subtle - but he's also never been one to hit his hand while hammering. And anyway, improving that is what practice is for.
Specifically, he practices using much more readily-accessible cooking oil (assuming he can acquire it, which seems reasonably likely), which is distinct enough from water that he can tell when he's had success. It's much harder to judge what is and isn't visible, but he'll try nonetheless. Additionally, once a day - maybe more on the day before the assignment - Jackson will use some of the dye with the techniques he's practiced, making sure that it's working properly, quickly changing the water's color.

Jackson considers that he should really try to find out if there's any other magicless people around to help with that.

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Author Topic: Multiverse Crash: Incindia (Read 2319 times)

Devastator

Re: Multiverse Crash: Incindia

Supernerd

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Devastator

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Stirk

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Egan_BW

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MeimieFan88

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Devastator

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Supernerd

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Devastator

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Stirk

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Egan_BW

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MeimieFan88

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Glass

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Devastator

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Glass

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