Vorstallen Magic Preparatory - The Third-Best School for Young Mages in the Nation! Enrol Today!

[occipitallobe]

You presently have 1 Willpower. 2 Willpower is locked behind your Locked Action, Tutoring Session: Magical Theory. 1 Willpower is locked behind Tutor Your Friends, giving Ulos a total of 2 Willpower per week. The pool will regenerate after this turn.

Ulos will take 4 Actions, but one of these is locked in as Tutor Your Friends. You cannot unlock this without abandoning the Tutoring Sessions entirely. As such, only 3 Actions will be taken from this list.

Temporary/One-Off Actions:

[ ] Appraise your Artifact - Sure, you can't do it, but you can find someone who can. Knowing what that Artifact does might be key to either keeping it or selling it for a good sum. Roll Cha vs DC (Moderate). Success offers information about Artifact. Failure offers no information. Critical failure offers completely false information. Roll will be hidden. Action is removed once either a success is rolled
or a critical failure is rolled.

Offensive/Defensive Actions:

[ ] Scout out your Rivals - Pretty standard. Go spy on your enemies. Roll vs your Rival's roll to avoid being scouted. If you beat their Roll, gain +20 on all Actions against them (defensive or offensive) for the remainder of the week.

[ ] Launch an Assault! - You have Itching Powder now, you can do something terrible (ly amusing)! Make your enemies itch in class to humiliate them, douse their clothes in it to force them to miss valuable learning sessions, or even convince onlookers they have some sort of disease. Roll vs your Rival's roll to succeed. A regular success will cause an automatic failure on their next Action. A major success will cause an automatic failure on their next Action and their classes for that day. A critical success will cause both these effects and cause them to be humiliated, reducing all Relationships with anyone who observes this humilation by one step.

[ ] The Brickworks - Use your newfound tools and knowledge to carve up some sweet, sweet Slumbering Bricks. Litter the walkways with them, put them anywhere you tend to go as long as they can be reasonably hidden. Offers a chance for any confrontation to involve a Slumbering Brick that you and your friends can activate. Slumbering Bricks allow an automatic escape from almost any situation, or alternatively a free attack on your opponent. Will take a lot of time and effort. Roll against DC 40 vs Craft: Rune up to 4 times, or until you fail. The first four successes (this Action may be taken multiple times - successes refers to number of successes on all Brickworks Actions) will offer you and your three friends a small brick apiece, which offers a 50% chance to withdraw from a hostile situation. Each success after that offers a +5% chance for any confrontation to involve a Slumbering Brick, which will offer an automatic withdrawal from hostile situations. Willpower upgrade - By focusing hard on this task and working to discover the best ways to etch runes in clay and bricks, all Clay Rune DCs are reduced by 1.

Training Actions:

[ ] Start Studying (Write-In Subject) - You have your textbooks. Next step is reading through them. Sort of nerdy, but hey, aren't you here to learn? Gain a Training Roll associated with the subject you choose. Willpower upgrade - spend 1 point to gain 2 Training Rolls. -1 to all Training Rolls of this sort due current roommate penalty.

[ ] Relentlessly Practice Magical Combat - Use some of your little magic to practice your Spellweaving. Abraham will help you, using his progidious Magic Pool to help you deal with, avoid, and retreat from spells. Gain a Training Roll on the lower of Combat: Evasion and Combat: Retreat, as well as a Training Roll vs Channeling. This will help Abraham practice his own Magical Combat. Willpower Upgrade offers a second Training Roll for the applicable Combat Skill. Shooting at you with fireballs is not easy for Abraham, who will spend 1 Willpower undertaking this Action.

[ ] Study Group - The Study Group needs to get going if you're going to dominate your subjects. Get your books, get your bag, and head on over to the Library to get the librarians to let you into a study room. Gain a Training Roll for Lore: Theory of Magic or Lore: Six-Fox Pact. 20% chance for Relationship improvement (DC 80). Willpower upgrade - spend 1 point to gain two Training Rolls. Can only be taken twice per Week max.

[ ] Practice Spell (Write-In From Spellbook) - Time to practice a spell. Get better, cast faster, cast cheaper. Roll against DC (??? depends on Spell). Takes ??? Magic Pool, where ??? is equal to a Spell's cost times 5. Character gains an additional Training roll if they still have more mana after practicing. Willpower upgrade - spend 1 point to gain an additional two Training Rolls if you have enough mana for it.

Diplomacy and Discovery Actions:

[ ] Hang Out With A Friend (Write-in Friend) - It's good to spend time with people you know. Maybe take a break, and hang with one of your friends. Available options include Madavian Junotrin, Henrietta Aufstadt, Lucy Firefield and Abraham Quincey. Increase Relationship by one step. Roll against DC (Variable, depending on friendship level). On success, increase Relationship by another step.

[ ] Madavian's Speed Dating Agency - With Madavian here to help you, you'll have an easier time of meeting new people. Gain two Diplomacy Rolls. Madavian's presence also offers one reroll, mitigating any unpleasant social consequences (reroll will be taken after both rolls, reroll will prioritize Critical Failures over regular Failures). Willpower upgrade - Spend 1 point to gain a third Diplomacy Roll.

[ ] Go Exploring - It's a big campus, and you haven't seen the half of it. Who knows what you could find? Roll 1D100 vs ???. Success offers ???, failure offers ???. Willpower upgrade - spend 1 point to gain a second roll. Spend 2 points to gain a third roll.

[ ] Study your Magic Pool - You need to learn to meditate, focus, and understand what is happening in the Ether, and in yourself when you draw from it. Gaining such inner understanding may shed light on your Curse's functionality. Gain a Training Roll for Skill: Meditation versus Willpower.

[ ] Suck Up To Inukar - Figure out what they like. Do the research. Then suck up. Not hard in theory. Roll against DC 40 (depends on teacher) vs Cha and Lore: Magical Theory. Success increases teacher's Relationship by one step and future DC of this Action sharply. Locked for all teachers who are not Inukar (insufficient Relationship).

Crafting, Gathering & Shopping Actions:

[ ] Gather Mushrooms - Unlocked by your knowledge of the Secret Mushroom Colony. Self-explanatory. Roll against DC ??? using either Lore: Alchemy or Lore: Magical Plants. On success, gain ???.

[ ] Go to the Marketplace - You have money to spend and items to sell. You need to spend some time gearing up, finding tutors, spells, artifacts, items, and more. Activates Shopping Mini-Turn with more Actions within it (including "Find a Buyer" for your items), allowing the buying and selling of items and services.

[ ] Search for Ingredients - You don't know about a whole lot of Alchemical Ingredients, but you can go looking. Even if you don't find exactly what you're looking for, you can scout out good places. Roll against DC ???. On success, find Ingredients. On critical success find a Location with Ingredients.

[ ] Map out the Dorms - So you've got a pretty decent map of the Dorms. You can do better, right? Get the more obscure students' details, look at their timetables as best you can, figure out what routes people take... really get the map going.. No skill gains. Roll against DC 75, on success gain Item: Map of Dorms (Finished). +20 bonus to pranks and similar actions taken within the Dorms. Replaces Map of Dorms (Unfinished).

[ ] Family Money - Madavian would be happy to send away for money on your behalf (or spend some of his money on you and then replenish it later). However, he'd need a good reason to do so. Reason must be written in if no reason has come up in the thread. No Skill gains. Madavian rolls Cha vs DC (Variable) to gain a Variable number of Coins.

Locked Actions:

[ ] Craft Alchemical Recipe (Write-In) - Time to get your Alchemy on! Get in there and make something useful! Roll against DC ??? (depends on Recipe). Success adds Recipe to Inventory. Locked. Requires at least 1 rank in Craft: Alchemy. Requires access to Alchemical Equipment.

 

[occipitallobe]

The weekend began as most weekends started.

Ulos woke up, swinging himself down, feet planting firmly on Madavian's bed. Madavian grumbled for a moment and turned over, going back to sleep. He sprung past Abraham, who was curled up on the floor, wrapped in a large feather-downed quilt inside a oiled canvas sleeping bag. Waking Madavian wouldn't matter, the other boy went back to sleep in seconds anyway, but Abraham was a light sleeper nowadays. Ulos shook his head. After all he'd gone through rooming with Thomas, he could see why.

Usually they studied, but today Ulos had plans. Ordinarily he struggled to better himself, but sometimes you needed to get one over your opponents. Today was for preparation.

Firstly he snuck out, taking his crafting tools with him. He sat down to begin crafting, scratching runes onto bricks, copying the page he had been given onto brick after brick. Ordinarily, he thought, it would be best to recruit the others, let them guard him while he did this, to find somewhere. That way he could activate the first one, and just make sure it went ok. No, best to leave them alone. The bricks were meant to be loud and visible, and he didn't want to attract attention.

He found after a few hours, it came naturally to him. Copying the rune across,

At the end, he sighed. It had been difficult, but he thought he'd activate one, just to make sure.

He concentrated, and put his magic into the rune.

Nothing.

He blinked. He was sure he'd gotten it right.

He focused on the next rune.

Nothing.

He looked at the rune he had been given, and down at the bricks. They looked exactly the same!

Except...

Ah.

"Shit!"

The rune was sketched on a piece of thin paper, delicate and dark ink running across the face of the paper. So dark, in face, it seeped a little through the paper itself, easily visible on the other side.

The side he had copied from.

"Three hours!", he said.

He groaned, and took to the work of smashing the bricks. He ground and threw them against each other, so the rune would not be visible. Best if nobody knew what he'd been doing.


(3 + 10 (Phys) + 10 (Clay Crafting Tools) + 5 Craft (Rune) = 28. Failure. -1 DC to all Clay Runes!)

Later on that day, he took to mapping the dorms again. It was a quick and easy endeavour, as Madavian had quietly written down the names of everyone he was in classes with, and used that information to somehow figure out where the rest of the year took classes. He had spent the week simply studying the others in their year, and Madavian even did a quick sketch with coloured lines the political relationship between various students.

Plan out a prank, see who got mad, who might retaliate, who might feel threatened. It was a pretty solid thing.

(Map Out the Dorms - 99 vs DC 75! Critical success! Gained Map of Dorms (Superior). +25 bonus to pranks and similar actions taken within the Dorms)

(Bonus roll one! 5 vs ???. Something cool missed.)

(Bonus roll two! 66 vs ???. Success! Something cool found!)

It was later on that day that Henrietta came down to meet him, dressed in a conservative grey dress. Sometimes he wondered if she preferred grey, or simply found it easier to avoid notice that way.

"I know you've been mapping out the dorms, Ulos. Preparing for something?"

He nodded.

"You know, I'm not your equal in magical theory. Not yet. But I have an idea."

She looked at him.

"It is possible to enchant your map. I've seen the schema for similar items, they're not especially complicated runic devices. You put life detection runes that need virtually no mana somewhere, and have them each entangled to another set of runes on the map. You need to build the map out of something durable, ideally, maybe steel or stone, but it's not hard to do. It's a pretty basic setup for a defensive laboratory. We could copy the map across to something more durable, and work on runes to link it to each part of the dorms. The runes take a few seconds to recharge, and you can just lean on the wall or something once every few weeks to recharge them."

Unlocked Option - The Magical Map!

---

The next day, Ulos found himself meditating again. Magic that had not been easy to feel previously expanded a little, and he came to realise that even when out of sight, he could sense in the vaguest sense magic elsewhere. Of course, there were simple spells to do the same thing, but there was certainly some value to being able to sense magic yourself.

(Meditation Training (3)*5 = 15 . +2 Arcane Meditation. Current is +6 Arcane Meditation (0/10 next level)

It was later on that day that Madavian returned to the room, and spoke to him.

"Hey, Ulos. Note for you."

He handed over a piece of paper.

Please come to my office within the hour. - Inukar

The Magical Theory building was maybe thirty minutes away by foot. Ulos stood up immediately, and jogged off.

A little while later, he went into Inukar's office.

"Welcome, Ulos."

The barrel-chested man looked him up and down,

"Every term, there's a meeting between the various schools, to discuss magical co-operation and exchange. Bunch of useless tosh, to be honest, but good networking. Good food, too. This year it's held in the Outer Ring College, over next weekend. Every year I take one first-year with me as a gofer, someone to carry my books and get me coffee. I mean, everyone does. They generally pick their most talented students, though. It's you or the Aufstadt girl for me, but after she got caught cheating, well..."

He smiled.

"Henrietta's very good, Senior Mage. We study together, and she's almost caught up with me."

"That's as may be, but I'm not enthusiastic about her character. So, how about it?"

Inukar has invited you to the Yearly Vorstallen Magical Co-operation and Exchange Conference.

[ ] Yes, go - Next weekend will not have any Actions taken, instead being replaced with a minor Adventure. Who knows what could happen? Meet other mages, explore another campus, and try not to start a feud between your school and another! You will, however, need to hold your tutoring session earlier in the week.

+ Adventure has all sorts of boosts if successful. Networking opportunities, intrigue, diplomacy, and maybe even combat! Probably not combat.
+ Possible major boost to Inukar relationship.
- Only two Actions next week, as you need to Tutor Abraham and Madavian earlier.
- Next Weekend has no Actions for obvious reasons.

[ ] Argue For Henrietta - Henrietta is a major fan of Magical Theory, and setting her up to meet and spend time with Inukar means she'll be able to impress one of her teachers. Low chance of success, as Inukar doesn't think much of her. Arguing for her and failing will have Inukar move on to his third choice - you cannot take this choice, fail, and then go yourself.

+ Henrietta gets a minor boost with Inukar as well as bonuses from the Adventure.
+ Major boost to your friendship with Henrietta.
- Don't get to go on an (albeit minor) Adventure.
- Low chance of success.

[ ] Don't Go - Just stay and do nothing. Henrietta doesn't deserve to go anyway. Cannot be taken due to Trait: True Friend or No Friend.

A note as well. Willpower reserves can be spent on Adventures for bonuses to rolls or to take superior alternative actions. Spending them all may not be wise.

---

You presently have 2 Willpower. 2 Willpower is locked behind your Locked Action, Tutoring Session: Magical Theory. 1 Willpower is locked behind Tutor Your Friends, giving Ulos a total of 2 Willpower per week. The pool will regenerate after this turn.

Ulos will take 4 Actions, but one of these is locked in as Tutor Your Friends. You cannot unlock this without abandoning the Tutoring Sessions entirely. As such, only 3 Actions will be taken from this list.

If the thread votes to go the Conference, only 2 Actions will be taken from this list.

Temporary/One-Off Actions:

[ ] Appraise your Artifact - Sure, you can't do it, but you can find someone who can. Knowing what that Artifact does might be key to either keeping it or selling it for a good sum. Roll Cha vs DC (Moderate). Success offers information about Artifact. Failure offers no information. Critical failure offers completely false information. Roll will be hidden. Action is removed once either a success is rolled
or a critical failure is rolled.

Offensive/Defensive Actions:

[ ] Scout out your Rivals - Pretty standard. Go spy on your enemies. Roll vs your Rival's roll to avoid being scouted. If you beat their Roll, gain +20 on all Actions against them (defensive or offensive) for the remainder of the week.

[ ] Launch an Assault! - You have Itching Powder now, you can do something terrible (ly amusing)! Make your enemies itch in class to humiliate them, douse their clothes in it to force them to miss valuable learning sessions, or even convince onlookers they have some sort of disease. Roll vs your Rival's roll to succeed. A regular success will cause an automatic failure on their next Action. A major success will cause an automatic failure on their next Action and their classes for that day. A critical success will cause both these effects and cause them to be humiliated, reducing all Relationships with anyone who observes this humilation by one step.

[ ] The Brickworks - Use your newfound tools and knowledge to carve up some sweet, sweet Slumbering Bricks. Litter the walkways with them, put them anywhere you tend to go as long as they can be reasonably hidden. Offers a chance for any confrontation to involve a Slumbering Brick that you and your friends can activate. Slumbering Bricks allow an automatic escape from almost any situation, or alternatively a free attack on your opponent. Will take a lot of time and effort. Roll against DC 40 vs Craft: Rune up to 4 times, or until you fail. The first four successes (this Action may be taken multiple times - successes refers to number of successes on all Brickworks Actions) will offer you and your three friends a small brick apiece, which offers a 50% chance to withdraw from a hostile situation. Each success after that offers a +5% chance for any confrontation to involve a Slumbering Brick, which will offer an automatic withdrawal from hostile situations. Willpower upgrade - By focusing hard on this task and working to discover the best ways to etch runes in clay and bricks, all Clay Rune DCs are reduced by 1.

Training Actions:

[ ] Start Studying (Write-In Subject) - You have your textbooks. Next step is reading through them. Sort of nerdy, but hey, aren't you here to learn? Gain a Training Roll associated with the subject you choose. Willpower upgrade - spend 1 point to gain 2 Training Rolls. -1 to all Training Rolls of this sort due current roommate penalty.

[ ] Relentlessly Practice Magical Combat - Use some of your little magic to practice your Spellweaving. Abraham will help you, using his progidious Magic Pool to help you deal with, avoid, and retreat from spells. Gain a Training Roll on the lower of Combat: Evasion and Combat: Retreat, as well as a Training Roll vs Channeling. This will help Abraham practice his own Magical Combat. Willpower Upgrade offers a second Training Roll for the applicable Combat Skill. Shooting at you with fireballs is not easy for Abraham, who will spend 1 Willpower undertaking this Action.

[ ] Study Group - The Study Group needs to get going if you're going to dominate your subjects. Get your books, get your bag, and head on over to the Library to get the librarians to let you into a study room. Gain a Training Roll for Lore: Theory of Magic or Lore: Six-Fox Pact. 20% chance for Relationship improvement (DC 80). Willpower upgrade - spend 1 point to gain two Training Rolls. Can only be taken twice per Week max.

[ ] Practice Spell (Write-In From Spellbook) - Time to practice a spell. Get better, cast faster, cast cheaper. Roll against DC (??? depends on Spell). Takes ??? Magic Pool, where ??? is equal to a Spell's cost times 5. Character gains an additional Training roll if they still have more mana after practicing. Willpower upgrade - spend 1 point to gain an additional two Training Rolls if you have enough mana for it.

Diplomacy and Discovery Actions:

[ ] Hang Out With A Friend (Write-in Friend) - It's good to spend time with people you know. Maybe take a break, and hang with one of your friends. Available options include Madavian Junotrin, Henrietta Aufstadt, Lucy Firefield and Abraham Quincey. Increase Relationship by one step. Roll against DC (Variable, depending on friendship level). On success, increase Relationship by another step.

[ ] Madavian's Speed Dating Agency - With Madavian here to help you, you'll have an easier time of meeting new people. Gain two Diplomacy Rolls. Madavian's presence also offers one reroll, mitigating any unpleasant social consequences (reroll will be taken after both rolls, reroll will prioritize Critical Failures over regular Failures). Willpower upgrade - Spend 1 point to gain a third Diplomacy Roll.

[ ] Go Exploring - It's a big campus, and you haven't seen the half of it. Who knows what you could find? Roll 1D100 vs ???. Success offers ???, failure offers ???. Willpower upgrade - spend 1 point to gain a second roll. Spend 2 points to gain a third roll.

[ ] Study your Magic Pool - You need to learn to meditate, focus, and understand what is happening in the Ether, and in yourself when you draw from it. Gaining such inner understanding may shed light on your Curse's functionality. Gain a Training Roll for Skill: Meditation versus Willpower.

[ ] Suck Up To Inukar - Figure out what they like. Do the research. Then suck up. Not hard in theory. Roll against DC 40 (depends on teacher) vs Cha and Lore: Magical Theory. Success increases teacher's Relationship by one step and future DC of this Action sharply. Locked for all teachers who are not Inukar (insufficient Relationship).

Crafting, Gathering & Shopping Actions:

[ ] Gather Mushrooms - Unlocked by your knowledge of the Secret Mushroom Colony. Self-explanatory. Roll against DC ??? using either Lore: Alchemy or Lore: Magical Plants. On success, gain ???.

[ ] The Magical Map - You and Henrietta, working together on a magical map. Henrietta has done some research, and you have a good map to begin with. This Action will roll initially versus Lore: Runes to begin figuring out what to do and where. DC is ???. Once the research roll is complete, you may begin construct the Magical Map. The Magical Map offers awareness of living creatures within the Dorms. This means you can reliably target empty (or full rooms), offering new and powerful options when engaging in an attack. It also offers perfect awareness of people coming towards your room. It will be made of stone, clay, or metal. Offers a Roll vs DC 70 to improve Relationship one step with Henrietta.

[ ] Go to the Marketplace - You have money to spend and items to sell. You need to spend some time gearing up, finding tutors, spells, artifacts, items, and more. Activates Shopping Mini-Turn with more Actions within it (including "Find a Buyer" for your items), allowing the buying and selling of items and services.

[ ] Search for Ingredients - You don't know about a whole lot of Alchemical Ingredients, but you can go looking. Even if you don't find exactly what you're looking for, you can scout out good places. Roll against DC ???. On success, find Ingredients. On critical success find a Location with Ingredients.

[ ] Map out the Dorms - So you've got a pretty decent map of the Dorms. You can do better, right? Get the more obscure students' details, look at their timetables as best you can, figure out what routes people take... really get the map going.. No skill gains. Roll against DC 75, on success gain Item: Map of Dorms (Finished). +20 bonus to pranks and similar actions taken within the Dorms. Replaces Map of Dorms (Unfinished).

[ ] Family Money - Madavian would be happy to send away for money on your behalf (or spend some of his money on you and then replenish it later). However, he'd need a good reason to do so. Reason must be written in if no reason has come up in the thread. No Skill gains. Madavian rolls Cha vs DC (Variable) to gain a Variable number of Coins.

Locked Actions:

[ ] Craft Alchemical Recipe (Write-In) - Time to get your Alchemy on! Get in there and make something useful! Roll against DC ??? (depends on Recipe). Success adds Recipe to Inventory. Locked. Requires at least 1 rank in Craft: Alchemy. Requires access to Alchemical Equipment.

 

[occipitallobe]

"I'll go."

Inukar smiled.

"Good. You know, Edward went to this a few years ago. Hated it. Would not shut up about it, either."

"Really?"

"Yeah, the boy's smart, but he's not..."

Inukar shrugged.

"Well, not that diplomatic, I guess."

Odd. Ulos felt he had been about to say something completely different.

On Monday, as per usual, he had his brutal day of tutoring. Edward showed up, and looked him up and down.

"Headed to the conference?"

"Yes."

"Pointless thing. Inukar thinks 'making connections' is important. The reality is, though... if you're a good enough mage, the connections get made for you. Anyway. They'll probably quiz you on magical valence between branches of magic. It's not really related to what we generally talk about, but I'd prefer if you didn't make an idiot of yourself after Inukar introduces you as someone tutored by me."

Ulos tried to speak, but Edward simply kept going.

"So. Magical valence is weird, and to be honest, fairly new. The idea that runes and sigils interact with one another is fairly common - the magic comes into the world, and if it doesn't come in the right way it has problems. You can disrupt sigils this way by flooding them with waves of raw Ether, though doing so is tough and to be honest, raw Ether is something you don't want to handle without an artifact doing the heavy lifting for you."

"Don't we handle raw Ether when we draw on magic and bring it into the world?"

Edward's eyes widened for a second.

"Right. Inukar likes to teach the same way I do - get the equations in first to see who has the mental fortitude and intelligence to figure it out, and then move on to the grand unifying business. I find the latter more interesting, but it's undeniable the former has more immediately utility to you. So..."

Edward turned for a second, lost in thought.

"Raw Ether?"

"Right. The Primordial Ether is genuinely Primordial, or so the theory goes. At least the theory I subscribe to. The entire world is made out of Primordial Ether taking the forms of, well, stuff. Spirits are just slightly more animated versions of Ether. We only see so many of them because, being animate, they tend to be easier to spot. We don't know this for sure of course, but it fits with our knowledge. Spirits are unpredictable because there's no guiding principle for them like there is in nature."

Edward gestured over at the wall of Inukar's office, where a bookcase sat. Ulos had no idea what he was pointing to, exactly, but dutifully craned his head as to not to seem stupid.

"Ether itself is supremely dangerous. We don't really know why some people can access it, but something about human intention and action transforms Ether into a constrained space where it becomes a controlled effect. If you draw Ether into the world, on the other hand, it is not constrained or controlled. Doing this is difficult, as if Ether is not channeled by some other effect, such as a Sigil, it is channeled by the human body."

Edward looked down at the bookcase further, drawing out a book. He flipped it open. Inside was a picture of a man with black and green protrusions coming out of his body.

"Channeling Ether into the human body is extraordinarily difficult, thankfully. My personal opinion is that those who lacked the mental mechanisms to naturally safeguard themselves from doing so died, leaving the existing mages as those who naturally have such mechanisms. It is why you might be able to feel or touch your magic pool, in some abstract sense. You cannot, however, unless you are very unlucky, draw it naturally in to yourself. If you can do so, you are likely to do so in a moment of accidental panic or foolish experimentation. At which point, the random nature of the Primordial Ether touches the human body, which is a piece of pristine and perfect clockwork doing a hundred thousand different things. The effect is not dissimilar to taking a sledgehammer to a pocket watch, at least in terms of damage."

"So how does this relate to magical valence?"

Edward looked at him.

"Well, this is largely my own research. Valence is a rough notion, one not fully explored. Notably, though, you cannot destroy a Spirit with magic. The effects of a Spirit, certainly. An embodied and active Spirit, though, is literally invincible and unstoppable. It will tear through magical constructs as if they are not even there, ignore the most esoteric attacks, and destroy any sort of magic it comes into contact with."

He smiled.

"Magically, this holds true for other things. If you wish to interrupt not merely the form magic is being channeled in, but the raw Ether itself, it is necessary to counter it with Ether as well. Artifacts can be made capable of refining Ether into a usable, but still somewhat raw form. A 'counterspell' if you will. This is not particularly interesting, excepting that this 'refined Ether' is very similar to the magic we feel within the forms of our sigils and runes. It is the same stuff, simply not as directed, not as shaped."

"The interesting thing, though, is that Ether has valency once refined. Sigil Ether and Runic Ether counteract one another, repelling one another in a sense and scattering a spell. This holds true for runes against runes and sigils against sigils, as well. However, Alchemical Ether is the opposite. I know, personally, several Alchemical Recipes that require a charged Rune as a recipe, and trying to counterspell an Alchemical Concoction often makes it stronger, though not to any useful degree."

Ulos looked at Edward, a little confused.

"So... Ether changes according to how we use it? And different forms of Ether have different effects on each other?"

"Two effects. There are only two 'directions' Ether can be refined in, as far as we know. Of course, valency postulates the existence of another branch of magic. Sigils and Runes use the same Ether, what is the corresponding branch to Alchemy? Something I hope to discover, at any rate."

Ulos's eyebrows went up.

"Shouldn't this be a secret?"

Edward chuckled.

"Oh, the fabled Fifth Magisterium is a fairly common legend. I think the facts bear out it exists, others think it might not, or perhaps is not discoverable with our current knowledge. Anyway, it's not really anything you'll need to focus on anytime soon, but I thought the notion of valency would be a useful one, coming up to the conference. I want us back on illusion sigils, anyway. Write out these exercises, and..."

(Magical Theory Roll: (3+3+5+5+1+1+1+1) * 4 = 80 . Gained +2 Magical Theory. Current +25 Lore: Magical Theory (31/35 next level))

---

Later on, Ulos decided to try and figure out the damned Artifact, one more time.

(Artifact Roll: 38 + 10 (CHA) + 5 (Lore: Runes / 2) = 53 vs DC 50. Success!)

It was obvious, now Ulos thought about it. He recognised a rune for water on there, which was rather odd. Of course, who would know more about magical theory than Edward?

He went back to the office that day, finding Edward engaged in a shouting match with Inukar. He stood outside the door for a minute, his hand moving away from the handle as soon as he heard the shouting.

"Shut up old man! You think you know everything because you've spent a few years studying?"

"That's enough out of you, child. You're arrogant and foolish, and being good at something isn't the same as being experienced. When you live as long as I have, you either learn how to survive or you don't survive."

"Coward."

"You think I'm a coward, Edward? Look at me. Look at me! I've been delving into magic for decades and I'm still alive. You think I got scars because OI'm careless? No, I only have scars because I'm careful, you young idiot! You don't know what careful means, because this is the first time you've found something actually dangerous. Or interesting, for that matter. I'm telling you. Study it with me. Go slowly. Live."

Ulos backed up the hallway a bit.

"I'm sitting on the greatest.... and you want me to go slowly? No! No, I-"

A few minutes later, the door burst open and an extremely angry Edward burst out. Upon seeing Ulos, he took a deep breath, as if ready to yell, and then slumped down, all the fight leaving his lanky body.

"Ulos? What are you doing here?"

"Um, I have this amulet I acquired, and I want to figure out what it does?"

"Artifact?"

Ulos nodded.

"How did you- no, don't tell me. Knowing would just make it more boring. Come with me, we'll have a look."

Edward led him outside, down a ways, and into a small thicket of trees, one of many that littered the campus. Inside was a seat in a clearing, the sun shining down onto a field of grass.

"Now, let's look at this amulet of yours."

Edward turned it over, and muttered a few words. He looked at it for a little bit longer, and then smiled.

"Oh, this is reasonably standard. Very, very good craftmanship, though. Impressive. It's an Alchemical Amulet of some sort."

"Alchemical Amulet?"

"Protects you from vapors, liquids, stray fumes of semi-raw Ether if any happen to come out. Very interesting construction."

You have identified the Amulet as the Amulet of Purification. Requires 150 Magic Points to fully charge. When activated, offers six hours of protection against poisons, acids, and harmful liquids and particulate matter of all kinds, converting them to either pure water or pure air before coming into contact with the mage. Allows +1 to all Craft: Alchemy Training Rolls, and +20 to all rolls to improve a Recipe as you are able to weather far worse conditions to improve your magics. Allows you to imbibe any liquid without fear of poisoning. Only needs to be charged once every month due to extraordinary workmanship.

Edward looked intently at it.

"The workmanship is precise, and extremely good. Hmmm."

He looked thoughtful.

"I'd like to exchange it for something of mine, if you're interested in a trade. I have a few Artifacts scattered about, of similar scale. Want to take me up on it?"

[ ] Yes! You're no Alchemist anyway! - Go straight for a different Artifact. Edward has two for trade (of roughly equal value, within 25 Coins of the Amulet's value either way). If you vote Yes, please vote for a sub-vote.

+ No incriminating Artifact.
+ Get a new sweet Artifact!
- Lose an amazing Alchemical Artifact
- Also great for countering poisons and such, as well as fumes which are excellent attack vectors in your first year.

[ ] The Rainbow Hammer. Getting into a battle, but don't have a large Magic Pool? The Lens is here to help! Runes are carved into an opal that is set in a small pendant shaped like a hammer. Holding it and using the command words allows the user to fire three forms of kinetic force - blunt kinetic force to incapacitate, sharp kinetic force to slice and kill, and percussive force in the air to make really loud sounds. Can store up to 250 Magic Points. Blunt attacks use 30 points, sharp attacks use 10, and percussive sound strikes use 150. Blunt attacks will break (but not shatter) bones, and are only deadly if aimed at the head. Sharp attacks will cut a human being in half. Percussive attacks will inflict deafness for ten or fifteen minutes to everyone nearby.

[ ] The Fear Capacitor. The secondary option. A simple thick copper wire wrapped around a topaz, runes carved into both the copper and topaz respectively. Not hugely effective against experienced mages, but a great crowd control tool otherwise. Want to inflic pants-wetting terror on your opponents? Done. Want to do anything else? Not on the cards, sorry. Against mundane opponents it's essentially unstoppable, and against mages who haven't prepared a defense or haven't properly practiced one it can be a fantastic alpha strike capacity. Can store up to 100 Magic Points. Fear attacks cost 5 Magic Points per person, and last about five to ten minutes. Can be stacked on top of each other for added effect.

[ ] Keep the Amulet of Purification. Not as offensively oriented as what Edward is offering you (why is he offering you such powerful, damaging tools?), but offers a near-complete defense against poisons and fumes, as well as improving any possible Alchemical training and classes. Of course, it does leave you offensively without any power whatsoever. Benefits as above.

 

[occipitallobe]

Ulos thought about it. The Amulet was useful, sure, but...

He really needed some power in his life. It was a tough choice.

The Capacitor was attractive, but ultimately didn't work on bigger threats. Sure, it was a nice tool to screw with Thomas, but then what? The Hammer was deadlier, but maybe that was a quality he might want in times of desperation. More importantly, he could break open doors, smash down barries, and cut through anything in his way. Not everything was a battle, and the ability to reshape the environment might be more useful than fear would be alone.

He wasn't sure. Damnit, he wasn't sure. Each choice seemed equally good. For a moment he thought of simply keeping the Amulet and trading later, but he knew it was a point of vulnerability. You didn't keep the stuff you'd stolen, you fenced it for something that couldn't be traced back to you. Even he knew that much. If Thomas turned up his hiding place, he could maybe expel Ulos. Punish him badly, at the very least.

"The Hammer?"

Edward shrugged, and raised an eyebrow.

"With your magic potential?"

"I have good friends."

Edward smiled, but there was no mirth in it.

"I see. Well, enjoy. I'm going to go study this masterpiece."

The two split up, leaving Ulos holding the Rainbow Hammer in his hands.

(An aside. From now on unless it is mentioned otherwise, Abraham and Madavian will recharge runes and Artifacts Ulos has every week, up to a limit. This limit will vary based on the subjects they are taking and their own gear, and I will inform the thread if we start to come close to it. If not otherwise mentioned, however, all items will be fully recharged every week, and if there are Magic Points to go around, the more powerful friends will be happy to help Ulos out.)

---

"Today, class, we will continue our study of the Six-Fox Pact. I know we are weaving from subject to subject, but to gain an understanding of a thing, you must observe the thing in its totality. Understanding the naval traditions of the Pact will help you understand far better than some dry history. Now, if any of you are maintaining active defenses around illusions, please lower them. This particular illusion is well worth seeing."

Professor Junotrin frowned, and sketched a symbol in the air. Ulos blinked. He had never seen her do that before. Where Inukar's movements were precise and swift, Professor Junotrin lazily waggled her fingers about, each one moving in unison in ways he did not think would work, should work for the usual creation of a sigil. It took her a third of the time Inukar did to create the same sigil, and while his other favourite teacher focused, she merely waved her hand casually.

Suddenly he was onboard a ship, fire roaring around him.

He jumped.

The ship lurched, and fire rose up around it. Across from him he saw the blue flag of Narubar raised, and mages standing on the deck there, busily throwing sigils at his vessel, which was sinking. He felt the flames creep up on him, burning hotter and ready to scorch his flesh and-

He was jerked back into the classroom.

"Narubar dominates the Six-Fox Pact in terms of mages. But mages are not sailors, though we might summon a wind to aid a ship. Rather, sailors come from all over the Pact, as well as those impressed into service from the Archipelago. During the Archipelagean War, all nations of the Pact contributed sailors and soldiers to help oppose the efforts of the Undying Empire. Sailors were common from other Pact nations, and the Pact Fleet was a navy of the Pact, not merely the renamed national fleet of one Pact nation or another. While the Pact shares many different traditions and beliefs, as well as strengths and weaknesses, it is the naval forces of the Pact who most believe in their brotherhood beyond that of necessity. After all..."

(Rolled (5x4) = 20. Lore: Six-Fox Pact + 2! Current +7 Lore: Six-Fox Pact (3/10))

Souls and Spirits continued apace, though Ulos felt he was progressing at best alongside the rest of the class, where previously he had been at its head. Part of this was his lack of interest in the subject material compared to his other interests - Theory and Runes were simply more interesting, and part of it was the constant necessity to watch out for Laila and any other Narubites, something he did not have to do in Theory or in History.

(Training Roll: 2x4 = 8, Gained 0 Lore: Souls and Spirits. Current = +11 Lore: Souls and Spirits (8/20 next level))

"Welcome, class."

Weres spoke.

"Hopefully you have all mastered the Burst of Light spell on your own time and terms. Today, we begin on Kinetic Detection. Why is Kinetic Detection important?"

He stared down the class.

"Some of you are thinking. I am among the weakest of my classmates. Why bother learning kinetic detection? Why not have a rune do it for me? Let me elaborate."

Weres drew a quick sigil in the air, and Ulos felt strong. Strong enough to take on the world, like everyone in the world supported him and wanted to help him. Like the world only existed for his benefit. Like-

The feeling faded all of sudden.

"Mind magic. Do you know what the difference between mind magic in sigil form and that in rune form is?"

The class did not speak.

"It's simple. Rune mind magic is set in stone, and evokes a singular effect. A talented mind mage flickers at the edge of his opponents vision, subtly altering the world in ways that his opponent may not expect. A rune, on the other hand, might evoke the illusion of a cage, or a mountain, or a singular emotion. A mind mage can do much, much more than that. He can improvise."

Weres smiled.

"There is something more, though. Do you know the difference between the runic detection of kinetic energy and the sigil one?"

Ulos thought frantically. It was obvious, really. Runes linked to runes, but sigils linked to mages.

(Magical Lore Check! Magical Lore over 15, check available. 75 + 26 = 101 vs DC 80. Pass!)

He put up his hand.

Weres looked at him.

"Yes?"

"Is it that runic detection merely informs the rune of the kinetic energy, where the sigil informs the caster?"

Weres smiled.

"I see you're as far ahead in your magical theory as I'd hoped you might be in my class, Ulos. Yes, that's correct. A rune of detection might activate another rune if the condition is correct, or perhaps even create a field of lights displaying the energy. What it does not do, and cannot do, is translate that information to your intuitive mind directly. A detection spell cast by the mage will allow him to dodge, or block, or counter as he thinks appropriate. A detection spell cast by a rune is significantly less flexible."

After, Weres took Ulos aside.

(Training Roll: ((3*2) = 6. Gained +0 Spellweaving! Current is +6 Spellweaving (7/10 next level))

"Ulos. I can see that you're struggling. I understand that you may not want to spend the most time on your basic capabilities, but trust me when I say that they're likely to save your life one day. Take some time to practice outside of class."

Ulos looked at him and scowled.

"Oh, don't give me that. You're in the bottom quarter of the class, it's not the worst thing in the world. Still, I think you should practice more."

"Can I get access to the Artifact outside of class hours?"

Weres shook his head.

"Sorry, it's usually pretty booked. I know you don't want to try spellcasting because you happen to have a smaller Magic Pool than your classmates, and I don't especially blame you. It's just that... well. If you don't, it'll catch up with you. Maybe you become a great master of runes and alchemy, but in the end, if you can't defend yourself without equipment, all it takes is a man with a knife at the wrong time. Give it some thought."

---

Gained Spell!

Spell: Kinetic Detection
Cost: 2
Difficulty: Moderate (25 DC)
Effects: Detects all kinetic energy below a certain sharpness and above a certain threshold (usually anything with the sharpness of a knife, or anything that is moving above the speed of a sprinting man). Grants perfect awareness of these things in a thirty-metre radius around the caster for ten minutes.
School: Kinetic Energy

---

The last thing he wanted to do, of course, was go talk to Inukar. Sucking up, as Madavian had so politely put it. Still, they were going somewhere new and exciting this weekend, and Ulos needed to get as much information as possible.

(Suck Up To Inukar - (74 + 26 (Magical Lore) + 10 (Cha)) = 110 vs DC 40. Resounding success!)

He walked up the door of Inukar's office, and knocked.

Inukar opened it up.

"Ah, Ulos. Good to see you. Come in, come in. Getting ready for our little trip."

"Yes, Senior Mage."

Inukar chuckled.

"Edward doesn't call me that, and given how well he tells me you've been doing, neither should you. Call me Inukar. Well, in my office. Formalities need to be observed in public, of course."

Ulos's eyes bulged for a moment. The older boy tended to think he was stupid or lazy half the time, and accused him of not trying in his damned tutoring! Not that he didn't appreciate the knowledge, but Edward thinking he was doing well was probably the last thing he had expected.

"Of course, Senio- Inukar."

"Now, what's this I hear about you showing Weres up in class? He was pretty impressed, you know."

"You think? He told me I was doing badly and I need to practice outside of class."

Inukar smiled.

"He's not wrong, Ulos. That being said... look, I'll talk to him. If you make some decent progress, I'll see what I can do about getting you some time allocated every now and again to the Artifact there. Impressive, though. Not quite so much as Edward, to be honest, but that lad is a rare genius, for all the good it'll do him when he-"

Inukar cut off abruptly.

"Senior Mage?"

"Inukar. Or whatever, to be honest. It doesn't bother me. It's just... Ulos, what do you know about Alchemy?"

"Very little, to be honest."

"Yes, and so does Edward. He's found... something, though. Something interesting and important, he thinks. I think it might just be interesting and dangerous. There are a lot of those, and we lose a lot of good mages to those little tidbits of knowledge. Someone dies, and we never go back to that corner of magic in fear of death ourselves. I'll admit his theories are novel, but-"

He shook his head as if to shake off the thought.

"No matter. Just keep an eye on him for me, would you Ulos? If he seems especially tired or out of sorts, just let me know. It might mean a lot."

Ulos nodded, though in truth he wasn't sure.

"Now, off with you. I'll see you tomorrow morning, bright and early!"

---

Adventure: A Weekend Away! has begun.

It was on Saturday morning Ulos awoke, tiptoeing over Abraham and getting dressed. The Rainbow Hammer sat firmly around his neck, a high-collared shirt hiding that it was there at all. Fully charged and functional, he could use it if he really got into trouble.

Outside was a carriage with a chest inside, and next to it stood Inukar.

"Papers, mostly, Ulos."

Ulos looked at him quizzically.

"In the chest. Normally I'd think about flying over, but it's too damn cold for that and only an idiot casts a spell to maintain the temperature around him outside of his own laboratory. Hop in."

The two hopped in, and sat down. The carriage rattled forward on the cobblestones, Ulos thinking about the time he had come here, five weeks ago. He had friends, now, and knowledge. Still, he wasn't that much more powerful in truth than he was then. The Rainbow Hammer would cut apart his enemies with ease, but it wasn't his magic that fueled it.

Over the next two hours, Ulos napped on and off while Inukar did likewise, the two sitting in companionable silence while they travelled. The carriage stopped, and the coachman at the front looked round.

"Ready to get out, Lord Mages?"

Ulos raised an eyebrow, and the man cringed a little.

Inukar smiled.

"Of course. My best to you, coachman, and a fine weekend."

He vaulted out, carrying the heavy steel-bound chest with him as though it were no more than a toy.

They walked towards what were the Outer Colleges, or at least one of them. A set of amalgamated schools, the Outer Colleges had three campuses, all a few streets from one another. In front of them stood a great marble building, labelled 'The Hall of Meeting'.

Inukar chuckled.

"Always a little pompous, the Outer Colleges. They know they're not that good, so they make up for it with fancier names."

Around them other mages flooded in, some with blue dye, others with none, shirts bearing small badges showing where they came from and why. A small gaggle of teachers and students wore grey robes, completely featureless.

Inukar saw where Ulos was looking.

"Greystone. So staid and boring they're almost interesting."

Already entering were a few mages in what could only be described as exquisite suits, tailored perfectly to them. The students simply wore blazers, and each of them had a tiny enchanted pin that had, of all things, an egg dancing on a book.

"Collegium. Fancy, fancy people. Rich, too. They look down on us, Ulos. Don't take it personally, though. They look down on everyone."

Inukar winked.

"It's why they're so bad in theory. So busy staring down at the rest of us they can't see what's in front of their noses. Anyway! Go have fun for half an hour, and meet me back inside. There'll be breakfast, but mages have first pick, students come in after a bit. Usually all the students head over to the Glorious Courtyard-" Inukar jerked his head towards a large archway "-but if you don't feel like meeting and greeting, I'd advise heading to the Pillar of Rushing Flame. It's a neat little Artifact, and well worth seeing."

[ ] Go to the Glorious Courtyard - Meeting and greeting. Not Ulos's strong point, but hey. Might be worth meeting other students from other schools. You won't make friends, as such, but you might learn some useful things.

[ ] Go to the Rushing Flame. If Inukar thinks it's worth seeing, why not see it? Maybe you'll pick something up, whether it be situational knowledge, theoretical knowledge, or just get to look at a cool fire Artifact.

 

[occipitallobe]

What was the Rushing Flame, Ulos wondered? Meeting people without Madavian seemed, well, a little frightening. Maybe it would be better to check out something Inukar thought was interesting.

He walked past the courtyard, through the archway. One of the things he noticed first about the campus was that it was, well magical. A burst of light and sound flickered into his mind as he walked through the archway, a rainbow spreading across the horizon before disappearing. The grass was green, but as he looked down he noticed the occasional blue or purple strand, or even silver and gold, threaded throughout the lawn underfoot.

Vorstallen was so staid, so proper, compared to here. The buildings were all the same squat brick, the roads were all the same peculiar near-invincible material, and while there were oddities and such on the expansive campus, they were largely hidden away from the eye where only a dedicated explorer or favored student would find them.

Here, the magic was everywhere. The path beneath his feet was mirrored, reflecting the sky above him yet somehow leaving him out of the reflection. He walked along, presumably towards the Pillar itself.

After a minute, he saw it. He couldn't possibly miss it. Fire roared up from somewhere beneath the ground, shaping itself into a phoenix that flew off the top of the pillar before dissolving. Then the flames became a horse, rearing up and sputtering out, then a tower, and then a great bow, shooting fiery arrows into the morning sky.

"Ridiculous.", he muttered.

Maintaining such a thing would be prohibitive, he knew. Unless it was mind magic. Wait, was it mind magic? If it was... well, Ulos knew a little about the theory, and he suspected he could detect the magic the same way that he detected his own magic.

(Roll 18 + 25 (Magical Theory) + 6 (Arcane Meditation) = 49 vs DC 40. Bare pass!)

He concentrated for a moment, closing his eyes and then feeling for the tendrils of magic attaching to his mind.

Nothing.

No, it wasn't mind magic, at least of the sort he knew about. That was real fire, constantly roaring, constantly spewing out pictures sketched and seared in flame. As he walked closer, he saw. Flames spitting five or six hundred feet into the sky, ten or fifteen feet in radius.

The sheer expenditure of magic made Ulos wince. The sort of power needed to maintain a pillar like that, well... He couldn't properly imagine it. It would take hundreds of students charging runes every day just to keep it going.

What was Inukar trying to tell him? Was it simply worth seeing? No, even if Inukar didn't intend to tell him anything, Ulos could take a lesson from this.

He looked over. Another man was standing there, a fair bit older than himself. His hair was a sandy blond, falling down like a mop over his eyes. He wore a tailored suit and cape, and his face was adorned with the most ridiculous mustache. Long handlebars, twisted at the ends, extending past the sides of his face and half a foot further, like some absurd denunciation of the concept of doorways.

He spoke.

"Hello. Are you one of Inukar's?"

(Diplomacy Roll: 52 + 10 Cha + 11 Lore: History = 74 vs DC 70. Bare pass!)

Ulos nodded.

"I'm one of his students, Ulos. Might I ask who you are?"

The man grinned, showcasing a mouth half-full of teeth replaced with gold.

"I... I am Sadulk. Do you know what this pillar is, Ulos?"

Ulos shook his head.

"Let me ask you. Varengetter Flamelegion. Does the name ring a bell?"

"One of the lesser Undying?"

The man nodded.

"Yes. Do you know how he died?"

Ulos cast his mind back. Varengetter had died prior to the Six-Fox Rebellion, rather, he had died as a consequence of his challenging one of the Emperor's clanmembers, who had lit him aflame somehow in what was said to be a perpetual fire-

He drew in breath sharply.

"Is that... Varengetter?"

The man clapped his hands.

"Very good, Ulos. Very good. Well, it's certainly not him anymore, though how the link between Varengetter and the Primordial Ether was established to create a permanent flame is a question we've not yet been able to answer. The Saint killed far too many of the mos t knowledgeable Undying, and magical research was set back fifteen hundred years or so as a result. There are things the First Undying could do that make the King of Bones look like an absolute rank novice, you know? This, I think, was one of them."

Ulos shook his head. It wasn't a waste of magical power at all. No, it made sense. The college was built around the Pillar, not the Pillar for the college. A permanent reminder of the Emperor's power for all who studied there at the time.

"Now, for the second question. How was it done?"

(Magical Theory Roll: 20 + 25 vs DC ???. Failure.)

(Souls and Spirits Roll: 41 + 10 vs DC ???. Failure.)

Ulos looked at the Pillar, now producing a flame shaped like a full-scale model of some sort of siege engine.

"I.. I couldn't say."

"A pity. Ah, well. Inukar never did have an eye for the most speculative students, merely the most skilled."

Sadulk tweaked his mustache, which sprung back into position as soon as he did, almost unnaturally fast.

"Oh, that reminds me. Two things. Firstly, before I forget, tell Inukar that the moon is still waning when you next see him. Secondly, you seem like a nice young man. I'd go eat the swill they serve here, but if I wanted to eat food prepared by a tired cook who hated me I'd just go home to my husband. Ha-ha-ha!"

Sadulk enunciated the last few words, and Ulos winced. He was certainly unusual.

"But I'm about to go get some utterly divine fried breads, they're superb. Fried in butter, cheese melted on top, herbs in the bread, mmm. Care to join me? I'm meeting a few colleagues of mine before breakfast, and I'm sure they'd like to meet you. Plus you could meet my protege, she's about your age, though probably more talented.'

Ulos frowned at this, but didn't say anything.

"So. How about it?"

[ ] Breakfast with Sadulk - The man is unusual and abrasive, but he's probably worth pumping for information. Meet him and his friends and students, and see what comes of it. If he wanted to do you real harm he already could've, so you're not in any real dangerous, though he might have some other motives...

[ ] Breakfast with Inukar - You'll be getting the scraps from the table, but they're good scraps. A meal of bacon,eggs, breads, beans, and so on. Besides, 'the moon is still waning'? That's odd, and maybe worth looking into. Maybe worth returning to Inukar and preparing for the day before making any other moves.

 

[occipitallobe]

Inukar had said he'd see him again at breakfast, but it had been more of a note of fact than a request. And really, why bother with the scraps when he could have something better? Though, he didn't have any money, so...

"I would, Mage Sadulk-"

"Oh, just Sadulk, please. Anyone who needs that title doesn't deserve it, and anyone who deserves it doesn't need it."

"Well, Sadulk, I'd like to, but I didn't bring my purse with me, so-"

"Pish posh! Honestly, young man. I'm a mage of some talent, which means money means about as much to me as fingernail clippings do to you. Not very valuable, and a little embarrassing to have to carry around. Pia carries the money. Clever girl, and she only steals from me to buy interesting things I'd probably like anyway."

Ulos raised an eyebrow.

"Ok, I'm in."

Sadulk smiled, showing yellowing teeth.

"Come along, young Ulos."

They walked down, along the pathway and slipped out a small archway that led into an alleyway. For one brief moment Ulos panicked - the alley was dark, and maybe Sadulk had led him here to rob him? After all, he only had the word of the man that he was a powerful mage. He felt the comforting weight of the Rainbow Hammer beneath his shirt, and pulled at the bottom of his shirt-tails so it clung to his skin, ensuring the artifact was in contact with him at all times. If Sadulk attacked, he could hit him hard, hard enough to knock him over, and run away.

The man stepped out of the alleyway, and Ulos's moment of fear left him.

They turned, and on the cobblestoned lane that met them sat a busy little cafe, wooden chairs and tables taking over half the lane. No carriages led through the small lane, and people filtered past, occasionally one stepping in to investigate the smells of garlic and fresh bread.

Sadulk waved to a few people sitting down.

"Pia! Iceshatter! I brought along a friend!"

There were two people sitting there. One was a girl around Ulos's age, though if he were to look at her he'd call her more pointy than pretty. Her hair stuck out at various angles, her nose was sharp and her ears large. Her eyes were intelligent, though, focused, and quickly sizing Ulos up from head to toe. Next to her sat a man who looked almost like a caricature of a mage, with a long beard dyed blue, a blue stripe in his hair, and, of all things, frost tinging his beard.

Sadulk pulled up a chair.

"Sit down, Ulos, sit down."

Sadulk walked over to the counter.

"Six breads! Two cups of coffee, Imperial brew if you have it. "

He reached into his pocket, and flung down a random assortment of coins.

Ulos drew in breath sharply.

One of those was gold, thick and large. Enough money to buy the shop, perhaps, but certainly enough to pay for a few weeks earnings. The girl serving at the counter looked terrified, unsure of what to do.

Quick as a flash, Pia stood up, and looked down at the shopkeeper, eyes terrible and full of menace.

Then suddenly, she smiled.

"So sorry. He's a mage, and he has no idea what things are worth. Take a numismata."

She proferred the silver coin to the girl.

"I know, it's more than it costs, but I think he deserves a little punishment for being so cavalier, don't you? Split it between yourself and your friends, courtesy of this great idiot."

Sadulk winced.

"Pia. Please, I do have my dignity."

She clapped her hand over her mouth.

"Really? Where? I was certain you'd lost it years ago. Where did you find it? Was it-"

Grumbling, Sadulk walked back to his seat.

"You see, Ulos? You see what I have to deal with? If she didn't make every other student in her year look like an idiot, I'd have tossed her out of the city by now."

Pia grinned.

"And who would get you from place to place, or stop you spending all your money on trinkets?"

The third man looked at them both.

"Yes, yes. You're both very funny. Sadulk. Why bring this child here?"

His breath was steamy, as if the air in front of him were far colder than it was a few feet away where Ulos sat.

She winked, and pulled Sadulk away from the counter.

"Well, he's Inukar's boy. And to be honest, Pia, I thought you'd like to cross wits. Then we can show up, tell Inukar my student is better, take his wallet, and go home."

Pia looked at him and shook her head.

"I'm sorry... Ulos, was it? He gets like this. He's a brilliant teacher, but he gets a little... inferior-feeling when it comes to the Lib-"

"Pia! Let me say it!"

Sadulk tweaked his mustache.

"Let us simply say I disagree with the current way our magical faculties and facilities are rated."

Pia leaned over and stage-whispered.

"He's jealous because we're from the Librarium."

Ulos shook his head hopelessly.

"Um..."

Sadulk sighed.

Just as he was about to launch into another tirade, breakfast came out.

Piping-hot coffee, and bread fried in butter, and then with cheese and garlic melted on top. A set of rags sat next to the table in a little basket, clearly to wipe their hands on.

Ulos picked up a bread, and dug in. This was an odd situation, to say the very least. What to do? He only had a little time before he really did need to head back to the main building.

---

[ ] Talk to Sadulk - He's a powerful mage, by the looks of things, and seems to have connections. He knows Inukar, as well. He might know something valuable, or have some useful advice to offer. Chance of additional knowledge (moderate DC), upgrade to a spell you know (high DC), or a new spell (very high DC). Magical Theory roll.

[ ] Talk to Pia - She's more sane, and your age to boot. You might not learn a lot, but you might get to know someone interesting. Diplomacy roll. History and Lore: Six-Fox Pact applicable. Success offers a new friend outside the Preparatory. May open up new Weekend Actions (in the Librarium Arcanum), or possibly new Adventures.

[ ] Talk to Iceshatter - He's quiet, but the man has ice in his beard. What's going on with that? Long-shot option. Moderate DC offers a little knowledge about Iceshatter, very high DC offers mysterious bonuses.

[ ] Take Sadulk's Challenge - Pia doesn't seem keen, but hey! He's challenging your mentor. You need to show off what you can do, and show that you're the superior student when it comes to Magical Theory! Enter a Magical Theory contest mediated by Sadulk. Victory will offer a prestige boost (+5 to all rolls with Vorstallen teachers for the rest of the term due to showing up another school), as well as a relationship boost with Inukar. Losing offers the reverse (-5 to rolls with teachers, relationship penalty with Inukar).

 

[occipitallobe]

Ulos looked the three over.

Sadulk was interesting enough, but anyone bright enough to become a fully-fledged mage probably had some inkling of how to protect their own knowledge. Likewise, Iceshatter was interesting, but seemed uninterested in him. How the man was maintaining that ice effect, he had no idea. He was also busy flipping through a newspaper, which Ulos was sure hadn't been there before.

Lastly, was Pia. He thought about taking up Sadulk's contest, but it seemed like an obvious trap. The man had no obligation to ask them questions they both might know, and could easily focus on specifics only Pia would know. Not that he knew if Sadulk would do that, but why take a risk when he didn't have to?

He shrugged.

"Um, Pia?"

She looked at him.

"Yes?"

He looked down at her little finger on her right hand. Something they'd been taught... there were three scars there.

(Diplomacy Roll - 66 +7 (Lore: Six-Fox Pact) = 73 vs DC 50. Solid success!)

"This is an odd question, but what brought you here from Uin-Malat?"

Pia's head jerked up, and her eyes fixed on his face for a second.

She breathed in, her easy composure gone. A few more breaths, and a fascimile of it reappeared.

"How did you know I was from Uin-Malat?"

Ulos shrugged. The two little scars were common in Uin-Malat, one made when a child was born to mingle their blood with that of their village, and one when they came of age to mingle it with that of their nation. He could tell her, but this was to some degree a contest, he knew that. Madavian had taught him a little bit about the schools of magic in Vorstallen, and showing some superiority was a way to show you were worthy of conversation, of exchanging knowledge. Not too much, you weren't trying to humiliate, but...

He wasn't sure if he grasped the theory entirely.

"The way you bear yourself."

She stared at him.

"I see. Well, given you know so much, I'm idly curious. What do you think the Fifth Magisterium is likely to be?"

(Magical Theory: 22 + 25 (Lore: Magical Theory) + 20 (Intelligence) = 67 vs DC 60, 90, 120. Pass first check! Edward's conversation on this topic offers a reroll for all Magical Theory checks related to Valency, or the Fifth Magisterium during this Adventure.)

He shrugged, and quickly thought of something. If he hadn't had that discussion with Edward before he'd come down... but this was something that did not simply require memorization and regurgitation of knowledge, but where having a quick mind came into play. Before he spoke, though, he noticed. Iceshatter's newspaper was gone. How odd.

"Who knows, right? But if I had to hazard a guess, it'd be transformation."

"You mean the Agnattian Hypothesis?"

Ulos had no idea what that was, and nodded confidently accordingly.

"Runes are permanent, sigils are less so. That is their prime difference in function. Alchemy transfers abstract attributes, the Fifth Magisterium may very well transform things in a wholly nonabstract fashion."

Pia sighed. He felt for a moment he'd disappointed her.

"Well, that's something. I mean, everyone who reads for ten minutes thinks it's the Agnattian Hypothesis."

She smiled at him for a moment, and Iceshatter had his newspaper again. He browsed it for a few more moments, and put it down.

"Still. It's worth considering. To be honest, I didn't expect you to know about the Fifth Magisterium at all, this early in your studies. Sadulk says Vorstallen prioritizes the formulaic part of theory over the abstract in the first year."

Ulos shrugged.

"That's true, I guess. But if you make time, you can study ahead."

Pia nodded.

"Well, I think it's time for us to return to the main hall. Presumably you as well. If you're ever at the Librarium, I live in the Cube. Top floor, just ask for Pia and they'll send you my way. If I'm ever at Vorstallen...?"

Ulos realised she was asking about him.

"Parrot's Perch, in the Dormitories. Ask for Madavian, he's my roommate. Everyone knows him."

She nodded again, and ran her hands through her messy hair.

Sadulk had just finished off Iceshatter's bread and coffee, and rose up and clapped his hands.

"Right, Pia. Iceshatter. Time to go! We'll see you later, young man!"

He traipsed off, leaving Ulos behind. He looked down at the table. Odd, hadn't there been a newspaper there before? He hadn't seen anyone take it.

(You have gained a Contact: Pia Ford. This unlocks a few Weekend Action: Visit Pia!)

---

He returned to the Hall, where mages mingled about, and students darted around them to where the last of the food was being served. Thankfully, Inukar wasn't exactly difficult to see being as brawny as he was, and Ulos walked over to him.

He looked at him, and frowned.

"You're late, Ulos. Reason?"

"I met a man, Sadulk... something. Oh, he wanted to tell you something, that the moon was still-"

"Waning?"

Inukar's voice went hard as steel, and with one massive hand he pulled Ulos's face to him, with the other, he wrought some tremendously complex sigil between the two of them, hidden from general view. It flared, and Inukar stood there, staring into Ulos's eyes. Ulos felt a little dizzy for a moment, and his legs started to drop out from under him, Inukar's other hand catching him before he could fall.

"Nothing still in the mind, if it was ever there. Sadulk was always very good at disguising his traces, too."

"Mage Inukar?"

Inukar grunted, and took Ulos by the hand, walking them outside and to the courtyard. By now it was mostly empty, and as they rounded a corner, Inukar shook his head.

"My own fault. You didn't know."

"Um, know what?"

Inukar sighed.

"Nothing you need to know. Let's just say I'm surprised he had the courage to show his face here. Though..."

Inukar's voice trailed off.

"There is something you could do for me. It might be a little risky, but he wouldn't bother hurting you seriously."

"Can you explain anything, Senior Mage?"

Ulos's voice cracked as he spoke, and he found himself trembling.

Inukar shook his head.

"Sadulk is dangerous. He's no danger to you, if you found your way back here and remembered him. Obviously needed to draw you away from the gaggle of mages proper if he was going to use mind magic of any sort. No, he won't harm you, but how much of this morning you remember accurately I couldn't rightly say. He wanted to flaunt it in my face. He's always hated me, ever since-."

Inukar's voice cut off.

"No. Let me say this, Ulos. I can't follow him around, or figure out what he's doing. Too suspicious. You can't follow him around, he's no novice. But his student... well, I think you could learn something there."

Inukar ran his hand over his bald scalp, muttering something to himself.

"You don't have to, though. I don't know why he's here or what he's doing, but any information could be useful. Still, you're a first-year student. Risking your mind to chase around a mind mage's apprentice may not be your idea of fun. It's up to you."

[ ] Spy on Pia - Ok. Wait. What? What!? You don't know what's going on, how accurate your memory is, or what has happened. Inukar won't tell you, and now he's saying you should go spy on someone? It's your best shot at finding out what's going on, though. You may as well. You will lose the ability to see research presented and meet other mages. Time to get embroiled in... something. Inukar will teach you Shatter Illusions, a simple spell allowing you to destroy all mind magic being used on you, though it won't reverse the effects of mind magic that has already effected you. Might be risky.

[ ] Let Inukar Handle It - Seriously. Someone screwed with your memories at breakfast? The most important meal of the day? Sure, this is tough and weird and unpleasant, but chasing around a potentially hostile mage with no backup and no real practical skills to speak of strikes you as a poor idea. Adventure continues normally. Meet other mages, review research. Keep a firm eye out for Sadulk. Considerably less risky.

 

[occipitallobe]

A little late, but better than never, no?

(Intrigue Roll 5 + 0 (no applicable skills) = 5 vs DC 70. Critical failure! - I would have rolled this on-site but forgot how.)

It seemed simple enough.

"I'll do it, Senior Mage. What... what do you expect might happen if I fail?"

Inukar shrugged.

"Nothing permanent, certainly. He'd probably inconvenience you for a day or two in a way designed to humiliate me if he catches you. He's probably planning to humiliate me in some way anyway, though. It's mostly for my benefit - but, my benefit can easily be yours, eh?"

Inukar smiled at him. Ulos gulped, and decided to follow her. He sketched a sigil in the air, one, twice, and three times, giving Ulos ample time to memorise it.

Learned Shatter Illusions!

It was a few hours later that Ulos saw Pia, and decided to follow her. Things were going well at first - she meandered from shop to shop, looking at this and that. He didn't see Sadulk anywhere. For a few hours he followed her, and slowly but surely the streets became emptier and emptier. Soon, it was just Pia and he, walking down an empty street. Ulos scampered from cart to open door to table to hide behind, but she never once bothered to look at him.

Two hours.

Four hours.

Six hours.

Time passed, and Ulos felt his legs become weary, and his... voice? That was peculiar. Why was his voice weary when he had been so quiet. In a single moment, his awareness pulsated, and Ulos knew where he was. An illusion, though a masterful one. He moved his fingers, wiggling them carefully to perform the spell as he'd been shown. Nothing.

Again!

Nothing. He couldn't perform it, though he tried again and again. Whatever he was trapped in, it was beyond the ability of Inukar's spell to break.

What else was there to do? He continued following Pia. She darted among the streets faster now, harder to follow, flickering like a ghost. He couldn't catch her, no matter how hard he tried. Fear started rising in his guts, unable to escape a reality that he knew wasn't real, but couldn't properly touch. Would he be here forever? Who knew? Was he in his real body running around, hurting himself, getting hurt by others? Humiliating himself?

His breath began to rise sharp and short, and he felt the fear beginning to overwhelm him. Trapped inside an alien world for trying to spy on someone? That was insane!

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the world shattered. Fragments of reality crashed down, building crumbling upwards and outwards, streets evaporating into clouds of molten gold, the earth itself becoming a spray of rainbow lights. The last thing remaining in the world was Pia, and her face and body warped... into Inukar.

"There, there, lad. You got hit hard."

Ulos looked up wearily. He was sitting in a hallway, wearing his shirt and underpants. No, not his shirt. He looked down at the shirt, and felt a tremendous sense of vertigo, and very nearly vomited. Then he did.

Inukar leapt backwards, and sketched a sigil in the air, whisking the vomit up and out a convenient window. Ulos heard an angered yelp from outside, but he was in no way able to care.

The shirt had words etched on it. He tugged at it, trying to remove it, but it was stuck fast. After a moment of two he managed to read the words.

"My mentor is a big ugly whoregoblin!"

The 'my mentor' part of the phrase sat above a passable portrait of Inukar's face, the 'is a big ugly whoregoblin!' part sat below.

Inukar sighed.

"That man could never take a joke. Or being broken up with."

Ulos tugged at the shirt again. It seemed like it was fused to his skin. He hyperventilated, beginning to panic.

"Easy, Ulos. I think I've reasoned out what's happened here. Simple enough - mind magic to disorient, a second layer to prevent you from properly feeling your own body and being able to cast an effective counterspell. The shirt... I'm surprised he went to the effort. There's a rune on that cloth, which means I'll need to get a Concoction for you to drink so you can slough off your skin and grow new skin to get it off. Easier than carving it off and trying to heal the wounds without scarring. Not to worry, I'll pay for it all."

Inukar shook his head.

"We'll head back. You've already suffered enough, and I won't be able to show my face here if you're wearing that."

Inukar shook his head again, and sighed.

"Sorry about this all. I keep comparing you to Edward - your talent in theory isn't that far below his, but I forget that you lack his talent in other matters."

He gathered Ulos up, and threw him over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes.

A few minutes later Inukar called up a coach, and they were away.

It wasn't until they were back at the Preparatory that Inukar spoke again.

"Ulos, you might resent me for this - using you as a pawn to spy on a rival. I don't regret having you do what you did, though. Edward never learned to avoid risk, and he rushes forward with all the ability of a genius and all the caution of a child. As much as I admire his talent, he's likely to kill himself before too long. You, on the other hand... better to learn the lesson now, from someone who wouldn't harm you, but would happily humiliate you. You suffered from failure, but better to suffer now than die later. Better that you'd succeeded, of course, but too many students only learn the lessons of failure and the risks of magic when those risks present real harm."

Ulos didn't say anything. But in his mind, one thing was repeating over and over.

[ ] Inukar Is Right, Danger Is Everywhere - Insane as what just happened was - being trapped inside a magical maze inside his own mind, Inukar made a good point in a poor way. He needed to understand the dangers in front of him and work hard at avoiding them. So what if he progressed a little slower? Relationship with Inukar maintained. Ulos will gain Trait: Magically Cautious (Ulos will be slower to learn new spells, runes, and Alchemy depending on the danger of the magic, but will gain a bonus to practicing and mastering things he has already learned. He will be more cautious generally.)

[ ] Inukar Is Wrong, Danger Must Be Faced - The danger is there, but Edward has only gotten as far as he has, as fast as he has because he's willing to take risks. It makes sense to follow in his footsteps. Ulos isn't Madavian, with a hundred safety nets ready to catch him. If he doesn't crash through all the barriers in front him, he'll just crash. Relationship with Inukar maintained, future relationship gains with Inukar diminished. Ulos will gain Trait: Forging Onwards (Ulos is more willing to take risks. He gains a bonus to learning new spells, runes, and Alchemy, but has a doubled risk of disaster when learning new dangerous magic. He will be more decisive generally.)

[ ] Who does that?! - What in the devilry of the Saint was that? Inukar let him get sent into a terrifying illusionary world, humiliated, sickened, and now Ulos has to regrow his skin! That's insane. There needs to come a point where Ulos spends less time with Inukar, and more time with other teachers and subjects. Relationship with Inukar capped at Acquaintance. Ulos will gain Trait: Boundary-Keeper (Ulos will become much better at determining what he finds acceptable and not, and will be able to deny requests from his friends if they cross those boundaries, even if they're in desperate need. Mitigates some of the mandatory actions from True Friend or No Friend).

 

[occipitallobe]

I think whenever something rises up from the dead, it's fair to ask - why should I invest my time reading this? Will I like it?

I thought I'd do a slightly-longer-than-elevator pitch here, so new readers can see what I'm aiming for and if it's in their sphere of interest.

These are the basic three things that are the foundations of this quest.

(1) I worldbuild like an economist - or at least someone obsessed with game theory. Why are runes so primitive compared to other spellforms? Because they're easy to copy and there's no magical copyright law so people have less incentive to research them. Why is the Empire such a terrible place? Everyone is defecting in their own best interest, but if they could all co-operate it could be a post-scarcity paradise. The Undying Empire was originally a thought experiment where I asked 'what does a magical world look like where there's no copyright law'? I love worldbuilding and sometimes other things might take a little bit of a backseat to it.

(2) Magic is real, testable, repeatable (with a single exception). There's 'force of will' sort of magic where you will things into existence with magic powers - where magic is mysterious, impossible to understand and often relies on emotions or desperation. There's Mistborn-style magic where using x gets you y every time, and your job is to figure out how to use y the best. Vorstallen is the latter. Ulos gets better at magic by studying new spells and practicing them, as well as learning the underlying theory to make the above easier. Casting spells is hard - for sigils, the 'cast a thing and a thing happens' style spell, the closest comparison is maybe Chinese or Japanese calligraphy where brush order and neatness matters and if you fuck it up you might kill yourself - now trying doing it while people are shooting at you.

Acquiring knowledge, using it correctly, and practicing to get better at applying it are the keys to power. But it won't be generic (this spell disarms opponents, pretty much the best spell ever) but rather hyper-specific spells (this spell explodes two kilograms of clay, and if you learn it well enough you can vary the weight up and down). Mages are closer to programmers than they are to beings of incredibly intrinsic power - they can eventually develop a broad and powerful toolkit, but they're not cultivators or inherently invincible. They just have far more tools than non-mages. In terms of games, magic is a puzzle game, not an RPG.

(3) The pacing is slow. One thing I enjoy about Rihaku quests is how exponential they are. The stakes increase massively and the challenge is to keep up with or surpass them at a quick enough pace. Still, you can enjoy apocalyptic nail-biters and long-running stories with slow plots. Vorstallen is more slice-of-life - this quest is on par with the first Harry Potter novel wordcount wise and we're six weeks into Term 1. I expect it'll pick up eventually, but I really enjoy the pace. Things happen, people hang out each week, Ulos talks with friends, teachers, mentors, has spats with rich students from the opposite side of the magical Iron Curtain, etc. Not every gun is owned by Chekhov. The stakes are currently low and the pacing is slow.

If this appeals to you, please read through, ask questions, post - if you're curious about the world or the quest, please, pipe up! If not, that's ok too - this definitely isn't for everyone.

 

[occipitallobe]

Had Ulos known regrowing his skin would have been so itchy, he never would have agreed to it.

Inukar had taken him down to the Smokestacks, waving his hands and opening doors as though the notion of doing so physically offended him. Some part of Ulos told him this was Inukar trying to show off, to show him that there was protection in the world. That there were two ways of doing things - the foolish, and the sensible.

They descended a flight of stairs, and Inukar spoke.

"Eileen, I need a favour."

A woman stood up out of nowhere. The dark shimmered as she moved, and he found it difficult to focus on her, her skin flickering and fading into nothingness as her motion stilled. She was willowy, and gorgeous in a way that other women had not been. He couldn't make out her physical features, but a passion burning under his skin was lit like nothing else he had ever felt. She was his heart's desire, he knew that now, and the notion of anything else ever having been meaningful paled in the-

"You got the alchemical glamour to work?"

She smiled, and the world lit up. His heart danced and his lips quirked with joy and mirth, and he knew that this moment would be surpassed by no other.

"How did you know, Inukar?"

"You think I'd normally feel attracted to you?"

She pouted, and Ulos felt the urge to strangle his teacher. Who was he, speaking about this angel in such a fashion! The man-

Inukar muttered a few words, and Ulos's vision faded. His body went slack, and he felt empty for a moment. And then normal again, as though all the prior emotions were someone else's, and he had simply been watching from behind his own eyes.

"Vision-based. Interesting. What are you planning for it?"

He heard a breathy sigh.

"Perhaps I'm planning to seduce you, dear man."

Inukar laughed.

"Hah! I'm too poor for you, Eileen. A daughter of Dawnbreaker and a blacksmith's son?"

She chuckled in return.

"No, this is going to the Five Families. For all those needing to get themselves a Scion, but can't find the willpower to do it - either for your reasons, or for regular old ugliness or contempt. Vascilia Junotrin especially, I think. She's been jockeying for position, but her husband is a fat slug of a man and finding yourself position without three or four Scions to shore up your claim to head the family is a difficult thing."

"Well, if you need any help..."

Another chuckle.

"If you wanted money, pretty man, you should have gone into a more lucrative field. Magical theory is all well and good, but alchemy and runes pay. Now, what do you need. I only see you when you want a favour or I need one paid back, so?"

Inukar sighed deeply.

"I sent Ulos here to spy on Sadulk's student. Turns out Sadulk wasn't interested in a game of whose student is better and decided to humiliate him directly. That shirt will grow into the skin, given time."

"New skin?"

"New skin."

"You owe me two, now. Come by next weekend, I want to get your input on a... notion of mine."

"Done. Do you have some in stock?"

Glasses clinked, and Ulos found something pressed into his hand.

"Drink these, boy. The one in your left hand first, then count to thirty, and drink the second."

The first concoction tasted of sweat and grime, but had an inexplicably peppery aftertaste. Ulos counted, and drank the second. Sweet.

"Why two?", he asked.

Eileen tapped her foot and spoke.

"The first is for the skin. The second transmutes pain to other sensations, mainly itching. It's a very inefficient transmutation, mostly bleeds out and you only get one-hundredth the sensation. Your skin is your most sensitive organ, and we can't just regrow part of it. It's an incredibly painful process - you'd almost certainly rather live longterm wearing that thing bonded to your skin than undergo the twelve or so hours this takes in that sort of pain."

The itching started.

It didn't stop.

Inukar took him out, and back to his office. He pulled out a folded bed, and lay it out.

"Lie here till you're done. I have things to check on, but do your best."

The itching continued, worse and worse. Ulos wanted to scratch his skin off, but he kept his hands carefully by his side.

He was left there alone, to think.

It had been a disaster of a weekend, no doubt about that. Humiliated, no connections made... Ulos felt hot tears rising up for the first time since he had been brought back, and let them fall onto decaying skin falling off his face.

Still. Still he didn't regret it. Inukar talked about risks, but what did Inukar know about risks? Ulos sold his magic, sold who he was to get here! For good money, but knowing what he knew now... if he'd simply left and come here somehow, the academy would have likely given him a scholarship for his sheer raw power. A ridiculous risk, but it paid off. He was here, now, and power and wealth could be at his fingertips. Being a flit was... you were nothing. Less than nothing, really. Your value was in your body, to be enchanted and to work the fields after your death, and most flits sold their bodies in return for a modicum of comfort for a few years of life. Being a mage was nothing like that.

But he still had no magic, really. He knew his potential far outstripped that of anyone else he had seen, but did it matter? No. He had sold it all, and he was the weakest mage he knew. That was one risk, but it had been worth it. He never would have made it here, otherwise. Another risk, with Thomas. But...

He thought about it, and the itching rose and got worse.

For Madavian, why take too many risks? He was on top of the world, and the risk of a fall was felt more keenly than the benefit of a rise. No, others had families and wealth to fall back on, places to go. If Ulos failed... that was the end of him. He needed to rise, rise fast enough that he could outrun everything nipping at his heels. There were only risks, but if he didn't take them he was certain to fail.

Gained Trait: Forging Onwards (Ulos is more willing to take risks. He gains a bonus to learning new spells, runes, and Alchemy, but has a doubled risk of disaster when learning new dangerous magic. He will be more decisive generally.)

Eventually his skin flaked off, the bound shirt with it. A miserable twelve hours and Ulos was free. Inukar came in with some food and water, and waved his hand in the air, a small set of invisible forcefields simply removing the flaked skin, seemingly banishing it from reality itself. That wasn't it, of course, but Ulos was too miserable and itchy to properly identify the spell.

Inukar looked at him.

"I'm sorry this happened, Ulos. Just... be safe, alright?"

Ulos smiled a wan smile and muttered some noncommital words. He would be safe, but only when he had conquered every obstacle in front of him.

--------------------------------------------

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