First Year in a Mage Academy
- Thread starter Milk
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
Chpt. 1 - The Cursed Stupa Pt. 7
- Location
- Thailand
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Glasses boy - 5
Alone - 1
Without anyone else you know, you decide to grab a plate of noodles -the only offering that looked somewhat like Tylian food- and approached the boy from earlier.
"Can I sit here?" you asked, and was answered with a nod and a grunt. He seemed to be deep in thought about something.
You decided to tuck into the food rather than prod him too much and found to your surprise that it was actually quite good. However, the second thing you found out was that your mouth was burning. It was while you were downing your glass of water and urgently refilling it with the jug on the table that he looked up.
"You know what," he said, "We're not supposed to help underclassmen with the Ritual, but the guardians haven't raised so much as a fuss over that temporary hole you made, and I'm really curious how you did that. The way it sounded, it was something to do with your Curse."
"You're probably hard at work trying to figure out what Curse fell on you, already. Usually, we don't talk about them after they're dealt with, but how about I sneak into the Stupa with you, and you can just take a nap while I dissect your Curse?"
You tried to process his plan, and also considered how this very much sounded like something that would get you into trouble if the two of you were caught. On the other hand, it sounded like this boy was going to get you through the Ritual thing without you having to put in too much work.
[ ] Say yes. "Sure, but only if you know what you're doing."
[ ] Say no. "No, that sounds like a bad idea."
[ ] Ask more questions before deciding. (Write-in)
[ ] Say something else. (Write-in)
Alone - 1
Without anyone else you know, you decide to grab a plate of noodles -the only offering that looked somewhat like Tylian food- and approached the boy from earlier.
"Can I sit here?" you asked, and was answered with a nod and a grunt. He seemed to be deep in thought about something.
You decided to tuck into the food rather than prod him too much and found to your surprise that it was actually quite good. However, the second thing you found out was that your mouth was burning. It was while you were downing your glass of water and urgently refilling it with the jug on the table that he looked up.
"You know what," he said, "We're not supposed to help underclassmen with the Ritual, but the guardians haven't raised so much as a fuss over that temporary hole you made, and I'm really curious how you did that. The way it sounded, it was something to do with your Curse."
"You're probably hard at work trying to figure out what Curse fell on you, already. Usually, we don't talk about them after they're dealt with, but how about I sneak into the Stupa with you, and you can just take a nap while I dissect your Curse?"
You tried to process his plan, and also considered how this very much sounded like something that would get you into trouble if the two of you were caught. On the other hand, it sounded like this boy was going to get you through the Ritual thing without you having to put in too much work.
[ ] Say yes. "Sure, but only if you know what you're doing."
[ ] Say no. "No, that sounds like a bad idea."
[ ] Ask more questions before deciding. (Write-in)
[ ] Say something else. (Write-in)
- Location
- Attached to a wall
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Say no. "No, that sounds like a bad idea."
Taking a nap with a boy we just met in the room and no-one to watch our back, no thank you sir.
Taking a nap with a boy we just met in the room and no-one to watch our back, no thank you sir.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
[x] Ask more questions before deciding. (Write-in)
-[x] Is there a reason you don't talk about it?
-[x] Isn't telling anyone anything about one's Curse considered unlucky? Why is that?
Chpt. 1 - The Cursed Stupa Pt. 8
- Location
- Thailand
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Sorry I kept getting sidetracked!
You consider his offer. Your brothers would be on any boy that asked to hang out in a room with you while you sleep like a Homing Curse, but judging by his expression, it seemed that he either didn't care or didn't notice what he was really saying.
"Why can't you talk about the Curse?"
It was at this point that you realized that in Akasic, there are no singular or plural forms, so you may have been speaking of Curses, multiple. That, or there's a single Curse that all of you have to deal with its many limbs.
The boy chuckled dryly. "Tradition, mostly. But also just thinking about it risks reactivating it. Talking about it? Worse."
[Mediocre Negation Roll: 6, 3, 2, 5 = 1 + 0 - 1 + 1 = 2]
[Fair]
You recognize that he's talking about typical Hex Safety. Magic begets magic, but those that seek to cause harm to others follow this tendency even more so. This would be the first time you've heard of hexes so aggressive they would attack anyone who talked about them, though. Or maybe your tutor just never got around to talking about them.
Anyways, that makes finding out what's going on ten times more irritating, it seems.
"So, what does that make you, then? You're thinking about this a lot, it looks like."
"Let's say I've a knack for protecting myself," he said, then rapped his knuckle on the wooden table.
"Makes it a bit harder to see them, though, that's why I'd need most of the night to take a look at the one that's latched on to you. Like I said, I'd be doing most of the work, your part would be to just... be there. As the Curse's vict- focus."
[ ] Say yes. "Well, you better not be lying about knowing what you're doing."
[ ] Say no. "I'm not sure if your knack for safety extends to me."
[ ] Ask more follow-up questions (Write-in)
[ ] Say something else. (Write-in)
You consider his offer. Your brothers would be on any boy that asked to hang out in a room with you while you sleep like a Homing Curse, but judging by his expression, it seemed that he either didn't care or didn't notice what he was really saying.
"Why can't you talk about the Curse?"
It was at this point that you realized that in Akasic, there are no singular or plural forms, so you may have been speaking of Curses, multiple. That, or there's a single Curse that all of you have to deal with its many limbs.
The boy chuckled dryly. "Tradition, mostly. But also just thinking about it risks reactivating it. Talking about it? Worse."
[Mediocre Negation Roll: 6, 3, 2, 5 = 1 + 0 - 1 + 1 = 2]
[Fair]
You recognize that he's talking about typical Hex Safety. Magic begets magic, but those that seek to cause harm to others follow this tendency even more so. This would be the first time you've heard of hexes so aggressive they would attack anyone who talked about them, though. Or maybe your tutor just never got around to talking about them.
Anyways, that makes finding out what's going on ten times more irritating, it seems.
"So, what does that make you, then? You're thinking about this a lot, it looks like."
"Let's say I've a knack for protecting myself," he said, then rapped his knuckle on the wooden table.
"Makes it a bit harder to see them, though, that's why I'd need most of the night to take a look at the one that's latched on to you. Like I said, I'd be doing most of the work, your part would be to just... be there. As the Curse's vict- focus."
[ ] Say yes. "Well, you better not be lying about knowing what you're doing."
[ ] Say no. "I'm not sure if your knack for safety extends to me."
[ ] Ask more follow-up questions (Write-in)
[ ] Say something else. (Write-in)
- Location
- Attached to a wall
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Say no. "I'm not sure if your knack for safety extends to me."
[X] Say no. "I'm not sure if your knack for safety extends to me."
Sneaking into a room we know nothing about with a guy we know nothing about to let him mess with magic we know nothing about sounds like an abysmally bad idea. Maybe there's a good reason he was sitting on his own – he could have a reputation for reckless experimentation, or being a creepy perv, that we just haven't heard about yet. There has to be a reason people are expected to confront their own Curses, and for all we know letting someone else work on it will get us double-Cursed or something.
And even in the very best case where he's completely sincere, I have a suspicion that "taking a nap" is probably code for "do a perilous dream journey". It's probably a bad idea to commit to going into the chamber until we've picked up enough info to know how we should prep. We can probably ask that without letting on how little we know – just admit we're nervous and ask people if they have any prep tips. With luck, they'll let some comments about the Curse and Ritual slip as well.
Sneaking into a room we know nothing about with a guy we know nothing about to let him mess with magic we know nothing about sounds like an abysmally bad idea. Maybe there's a good reason he was sitting on his own – he could have a reputation for reckless experimentation, or being a creepy perv, that we just haven't heard about yet. There has to be a reason people are expected to confront their own Curses, and for all we know letting someone else work on it will get us double-Cursed or something.
And even in the very best case where he's completely sincere, I have a suspicion that "taking a nap" is probably code for "do a perilous dream journey". It's probably a bad idea to commit to going into the chamber until we've picked up enough info to know how we should prep. We can probably ask that without letting on how little we know – just admit we're nervous and ask people if they have any prep tips. With luck, they'll let some comments about the Curse and Ritual slip as well.
Chpt. 1 - The Cursed Stupa Pt. 9
- Location
- Thailand
- Pronouns
- He/Him
No: 3
Yes: 2
You were very tempted about having a senior do all your work for you, work that you weren't even aware you had to make preparations for before you were apparently put on some kind of House arrest. However, you knew better than to trust someone else with your own safety, and you have the feeling that he'd expect you to go on ahead with this so-called Ritual tonight if you said yes.
"To be honest, I'm not sure if your knack for protection would extend to me. It'd have to be a no," you said.
"Oh," you weren't quite sure if he was disappointed, his face unchanged from that distracted, pondering expression. "I'm just saying- I'd really like a post- oh, you probably would be as tight-lipped about it as the others once you're done with it, hm."
He slid his cutlery to the side -since when did he finish his food? "I wonder if that hole you made could penetrate the Stupa... well, guess I'll know if that happens. Haha." He nodded at you as he left. You struggled through the rest of your noodles with many glasses of water, thankful that most of the seniors have apparently already hurried out to continue their studies.
You brought out the journal and continued to read it, hoping its author did in fact write any notes on their own Curse.
"Well, in retrospect I'm not sure why I picked this House as my second choice. I had no idea it specialized in Negation. It's not easy diagnosing yourself, let me tell you. Nobody was willing to double-check the graphemes I planned to poke and prod with my Curse and find out once and for all what it is I need to fight."
Several of the later pages were filled with burnt holes, a typical sign of magical formulae that have been inscribed a long time ago and had the time to fade away from the world. You were at least able to puzzle out from the fragments of Akasic words that it was the author brainstorming ideas and casting Negation spells on themselves to see their Curse's behavior, but the specifics won't be that useful for you.
From what you understand, then, the first thing you'd want to know would be what you have been cursed with. There was the matter of you passing out and seeing visions...
You consider what you could do to prepare... (Pick 1 or 2 and order of action)
[ ] Rapport: People may be unwilling to help the journal's author, but you have ways of convincing people. Maybe someone else can make sense of what you experienced and point you to your curse's weakness.
[ ] Research: You were going to find a Negation tome and read up on types of curses. You could still do that.
[ ] Divination: Find a spot to meditate and see if you can experience these visions intentionally.
[ ] Divination: Alternatively... taking a direct look at the curse latched on you probably won't be that dangerous.
[ ] Negation: Maybe casting Curse-breaking spells you know on yourself like the journal's author did won't be such a bad idea.
[ ] Summoning: Try to summon and directly ask one of these 'guardians' people have been talking about for advice.
[ ] Observation: Explore the castle for anything that might help you. It's a big place, surely you'll stumble on something.
[ ] Do something else or use your arcana differently. (Write-in)
Yes: 2
You were very tempted about having a senior do all your work for you, work that you weren't even aware you had to make preparations for before you were apparently put on some kind of House arrest. However, you knew better than to trust someone else with your own safety, and you have the feeling that he'd expect you to go on ahead with this so-called Ritual tonight if you said yes.
"To be honest, I'm not sure if your knack for protection would extend to me. It'd have to be a no," you said.
"Oh," you weren't quite sure if he was disappointed, his face unchanged from that distracted, pondering expression. "I'm just saying- I'd really like a post- oh, you probably would be as tight-lipped about it as the others once you're done with it, hm."
He slid his cutlery to the side -since when did he finish his food? "I wonder if that hole you made could penetrate the Stupa... well, guess I'll know if that happens. Haha." He nodded at you as he left. You struggled through the rest of your noodles with many glasses of water, thankful that most of the seniors have apparently already hurried out to continue their studies.
You brought out the journal and continued to read it, hoping its author did in fact write any notes on their own Curse.
"Well, in retrospect I'm not sure why I picked this House as my second choice. I had no idea it specialized in Negation. It's not easy diagnosing yourself, let me tell you. Nobody was willing to double-check the graphemes I planned to poke and prod with my Curse and find out once and for all what it is I need to fight."
Several of the later pages were filled with burnt holes, a typical sign of magical formulae that have been inscribed a long time ago and had the time to fade away from the world. You were at least able to puzzle out from the fragments of Akasic words that it was the author brainstorming ideas and casting Negation spells on themselves to see their Curse's behavior, but the specifics won't be that useful for you.
From what you understand, then, the first thing you'd want to know would be what you have been cursed with. There was the matter of you passing out and seeing visions...
You consider what you could do to prepare... (Pick 1 or 2 and order of action)
[ ] Rapport: People may be unwilling to help the journal's author, but you have ways of convincing people. Maybe someone else can make sense of what you experienced and point you to your curse's weakness.
[ ] Research: You were going to find a Negation tome and read up on types of curses. You could still do that.
[ ] Divination: Find a spot to meditate and see if you can experience these visions intentionally.
[ ] Divination: Alternatively... taking a direct look at the curse latched on you probably won't be that dangerous.
[ ] Negation: Maybe casting Curse-breaking spells you know on yourself like the journal's author did won't be such a bad idea.
[ ] Summoning: Try to summon and directly ask one of these 'guardians' people have been talking about for advice.
[ ] Observation: Explore the castle for anything that might help you. It's a big place, surely you'll stumble on something.
[ ] Do something else or use your arcana differently. (Write-in)
I still think our best option would be to ask for advice without asking for details, but maybe it'd be a good idea to get a little more info down first, if possible. Thus,
[X] Research: You were going to find a Negation tome and read up on types of curses. You could still do that.
What curses might cause visions of the past, or of someone else's memories, or give you a spiritual link with someone who's probably long dead? It's a pretty unique effect, maybe that'll make it easier to find writing about - assuming it's not so unique that it's never happened before.
[X] Research: While you're trying to find things out, maybe it'd be a good idea to look up some of the things you saw in that vision.
There might be history books about the Fivefold God's divine kings – and more urgently, if the vision was real there's something called an "official Visitation" that might be relevant. If we're lucky, it'll be less secret than the Ritual, and we'll br able to extrapolate.
[X] Research: You were going to find a Negation tome and read up on types of curses. You could still do that.
What curses might cause visions of the past, or of someone else's memories, or give you a spiritual link with someone who's probably long dead? It's a pretty unique effect, maybe that'll make it easier to find writing about - assuming it's not so unique that it's never happened before.
[X] Research: While you're trying to find things out, maybe it'd be a good idea to look up some of the things you saw in that vision.
There might be history books about the Fivefold God's divine kings – and more urgently, if the vision was real there's something called an "official Visitation" that might be relevant. If we're lucky, it'll be less secret than the Ritual, and we'll br able to extrapolate.
- Location
- Attached to a wall
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Plan know what we are dealing with.
-[X][1] Research: You were going to find a Negation tome and read up on types of curses. You could still do that.
-[X][2] Divination: Alternatively... taking a direct look at the curse latched on you probably won't be that dangerous.
-[X][1] Research: You were going to find a Negation tome and read up on types of curses. You could still do that.
-[X][2] Divination: Alternatively... taking a direct look at the curse latched on you probably won't be that dangerous.