milliways_bar | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Telemain hasn't been in the bar in months. Which is why he doesn't expect his door to open to it, which is why he doesn't look up from the book he's reading while he walks, which is why he collides with a chair.

"Oh my," he manages, a few long moments later when it's all sunk in.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Although the magician is wearing a vest with a lot a lot of pockets, no, he does not.

"I'm seldom gone far enough that I can't get home with a very basic transportation spell, or perhaps two. I am only travelling in so far as I am self employed and not attached to a kingdom or court."

"More power to you, then. I've never been that great at doing teleportation spells on the fly. I can make Bookmarks, but it's not the same thing at all."

"What an elegant expression," Telemain observes, rather pleased. What he calls that has over seven syllables. "I've established a few of those in my rings," he has three magic rings on one hand and four on the other, "but they're not powerful enough to work from here."

"Hm. I've created a Bookmark that leads to Milliways by incorporating interplanar travel techniques, but I haven't attempted to make one that leads out of Milliways..."

"Really."

Telemain leans forwards, attention completely captured.

"How did you do that? Even the most powerful transportation spells from my world have failed, although interplanar travel is something that is largely unexplored. I don't think there's a lot of discourse on the subject of other realities."

"I applied the same basic methodologies used to make a standard Bookmarking spell, and added some Nagasta runes used for making planar gates," Dominic replies. "I don't have my notes on me right now, unfortunately, but it's pretty straightforward once you see the diagrams..."

"Runes are not widely used in my world."

Telemain knows a very basic few, but they're hard to find books on and there's lots of easier ways to do things.

"Oh? They're quite handy for storing a spell for later use."

"We would use a word for such a thing." If Telemain says 'Argelfraster' he can squirt soapy lemon water at anyone in the vicinity. Since this melts wizards, it's kind of an important skill. "If you prepare the spell carefully beforehand. It takes more work to set up but it is more convenient in the long run, provided you have the skill to calibrate everything properly."

"Hm. In my world, trigger words are generally used for spells built for people who have no magic of their own. They need a specific way to set it off, you see."

"And in mine, people are not innately magical. It is merely a matter of having the inclination and skill needed to tap into the magic that surrounds us. We use incantations, ingredients, rituals and materials. I suppose you might say that we are no more or less magical than anything, that it is merely a question of knowing how to activate and use it. Which remains the crucial difference between a wizard and a magician."

"Really." Dominic sounds intrigued, yet skeptical. "Some have theorized that anyone can become a mage with the proper education, but I've never seen any actual evidence to back that up..."

"Mages are what you call them? Is that the full title?"

Or just some shortened form.

"That's the general term, yes. There are more specific titles for those who specialize in different fields."

"Fascinating. And you have entire schools for magic?"

He can't help but sound a little bit envious.

"Of course. I teach at one. Are you saying your world doesn't?"

"We have a Society of Wizards, but that is quite another thing. Magicians traditionally learn by their own research, or occasionally by finding an apprenticeship. Witches... well, you'd have to ask Morwen about that."

Telemain was never exactly going to become a witch, so he didn't look into it.

"There must not be that many people who are skilled in magic, then."

"It depends on where you are. I live near the Enchanted Forest, where magic is common enough. Most people are taught a simple spell or two by their parents, and books are not hard to come by for those who are interested. And there are a huge number of enchanted items about that anyone can use."

Magic carpets are going out of fashion, sadly.

"Now, that may be one thing our worlds do have in common. Making enchanted objects is a staple of Callan's economy."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only