So... I have a very cool idea that vibrates a lot with how Mathilde does diplomacy, gets Sophia interested in us, and kinda combines all that we have been talking about. My main idea is to drive two points: first, that the world might be weird and frightening, but by properly learning about it and ourselves, we can make it better. Second, to fan the flames of curiosity. Ghyran might be a crutch to her to help her deal with the world. And anything can be a crutch, but particularly knowledge. And with enough simultaneous crutches, suddenly you don't need any particular crutch any more!
So, let's open it sideways of what she would expect, not too near, nor too far as to seem false:
"Do you know what I did to the former owner of this hat?"
*Flash a sly grin* "Easy, girl. Had something been decided about you, it would have happened already, and not by my hand. But let's give you some time to think. I suppose you have not been showed around the place by one who commanded the army to liberate this place, right?"
*Do a tour of K8P, talking about details of the battles, how the whole clusterfuck started, and how we made as best as we could with the information at hand. Make sure for Wolf to appear at some point and play with some children like the Best Boy that he is. Finish in the former facilities of the Duckling Club, telling her about what we have achieved.*
"You know, when I was a kid I made a wooden horse neigh, and it almost cost my life. Yet I was found and brought to the Colleges, and that single thing was the greatest degree of luck I had ever had, and I made sure to squeeze it as much as I could." "So, now that you know me a little more, can you tell what I did to the former owner of this hat?"
"I mourned him. With time, I might tell you that story too."
*Simply walk away*
It's a shame that asking her questions about herself will probably make her feel like she's being interrogated. It totally makes sense that she'd be terrified of Mathilde, but I was so excited to meet her and learn about her character; how she acts, how she talks, how she interacts with other characters. Alas, looks like we'll just have to interact with her and Panoramia even more to learn more about her.
I was thinking more along the lines of taking that Ghyran nut research action with Pan soon, but literally stalking Sofia works too!Or we can take the kinder option and not keep on terrifying the poor girl and just let her grow to know Karak Eight Peaks and the other wizards who live there without being stalked by a senior member of the secret police.
Ghyran nut, Ghyran nut, Ghyran nut, Ghyran nut, GHYRAN NUT, GHYRAN NUT!I was thinking more along the lines of taking that Ghyran nut research action with Pan soon, but literally stalking Sofia works too!
I think we should give Panoramia some time with Sofia before we study the Ghyran nut, so that she can decide if her magic-addicted apprentice can join that research or if the risk of Sofia trying to snort it is too great.I was thinking more along the lines of taking that Ghyran nut research action with Pan soon, but literally stalking Sofia works too!
This also Dhar poisons her brain, because there's no way a magic addict like her doesn't have at least one Arcane Mark.Maybe it's my antisocial showing, but is mindhole and diving out a window an option?
Awww, but the ghyran nut is the one thing that's actually interesting from our haul... Like the arm is nice but we stapled it to johann and so can't destructive test it and the rubbings might be cool but their too abstract...I think we should give Panoramia some time with Sofia before we study the Ghyran nut, so that she can decide if her magic-addicted apprentice can join that research or if the risk of Sofia trying to snort it is too great.
I think we should give Panoramia some time with Sofia before we study the Ghyran nut, so that she can decide if her magic-addicted apprentice can join that research or if the risk of Sofia trying to snort it is too great.
The Eight Winds of Magic are, at least in the eyes of the Colleges, the 'natural' state of magic. When they stagnate or are forced to intermix, they become Dhar, the noxious, corruptive energy of Dark Magic. But when they diffuse thinly enough into natural matter the Eight Winds become a single variety of energy known as Earthbound magic. According to Teclisean doctrine, this is the energy drawn on by all practitioners of magic that use neither Winds nor Dark Magic. Also according to Teclisean doctrine, this means that these other magical practices can only ever be lesser to magic that uses the Winds, because where the Winds constantly blow in from the poles, Earthbound magic can only be created gradually and in small amounts, and most of it ends up being drawn into the Waystone Network. It would take an exhausting amount of effort or infrastructure to bring together enough Earthbound energy for a single spell of any real significance, whereas multiple Battle Magic spells can be performed under almost all circumstances using ambient Winds. The upside is that this Earthbound magic can be shaped into just about any theoretical framework the caster can imagine.
Given her decisive contribution, I believe Sofia deserves to be first author, even if she did not help write the actual paper.Observations on a Ghyran Nut of Unknown Origin, Effects of a Ghyran Nut of Unknown Origin on a Jade Apprentice, by L.M. Mathilde Weber (Grey), M. Panoramia (Jade), A. Sofia de Siernos (Jade)(S•T•T•L), A. Eike Hochschild (Grey), 2490.
Whatever happens, it shall be useful and interesting data!