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In Paraasilan, Esmaar, a pair of roommates are about to break a rule that, compared to the one about running in the corridors or even the one about unlicensed teleportation, is there for a good reason.
In unison, they complete their shared spell.
Adarin in Elcenia
"...What do you think half dragons look like?" Korulen inquires, sounding confused. "I mean, I could shift to my other form, but it'd probably knock over a chair, in here."
"All you need to be a wizard is a channeling capacity and everybody's got one, big or small," says Saasnil, sounding like she's paraphrasing somebody. "Oh, and you need hands, and the ability to speak, or at least they think you have to be able to speak but there might be something else you could do instead that would work, but the three established traditions of wizardry all involve it."
"All you need to be a wizard is a channeling capacity and everybody's got one, big or small," says Saasnil, sounding like she's paraphrasing somebody. "Oh, and you need hands, and the ability to speak, or at least they think you have to be able to speak but there might be something else you could do instead that would work, but the three established traditions of wizardry all involve it."
"Dragons as I've known them were fairy-tale creatures with scales, stag horns, fur, and could heal with their breath. They carried precious gems in their claws and posed riddles to any travelling passerby. You are- not that. At all," says the man, exasperated and out of his depth.
He needs a minute, just to think. Then, he's plotting. Adarin isn't sure what any of this is, but he's going to try and use it.
"Do I have a channeling capacity?" inquires Adarin.
He needs a minute, just to think. Then, he's plotting. Adarin isn't sure what any of this is, but he's going to try and use it.
"Do I have a channeling capacity?" inquires Adarin.
"...Scales yes, horns not staglike, no fur, breath can involve fire but that's kind of the opposite of healing, why would you carry precious gems around all the time, the riddles I guess might be case-by-case depending on the dragon?" says Korulen.
"Probably not," Saasnil tells him. "Since you're not from our world."
"Probably not," Saasnil tells him. "Since you're not from our world."
Adarin makes an uncommitted 'Mm' sound, then goes back to thinking. He is not native to whatever magic they have, but perhaps he can explain his. Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath and sort of- whispers an incantation. It's not in the same language he was speaking, but the translation spell will translate it all the same.
"False vision, come forth in light," he whispers, holding out his hands. A little dragon-as-he-knows-it appears on the floor next to him. He's in the habit of keeping his incantations in another language, to make counter-spelling difficult.
He looks at Korulen. "This is how I know dragons. It seemed polite to show you."
"False vision, come forth in light," he whispers, holding out his hands. A little dragon-as-he-knows-it appears on the floor next to him. He's in the habit of keeping his incantations in another language, to make counter-spelling difficult.
He looks at Korulen. "This is how I know dragons. It seemed polite to show you."
Korulen peers at it. "Well," she says, "that doesn't look like me or my mom, or for that matter any other kind of dragon besides jade ones."
"You did that without gesturing," observes Saasnil. "You must have an interesting kinda magic."
"You did that without gesturing," observes Saasnil. "You must have an interesting kinda magic."
"Apparently so. Mine is passed down through bloodlines, it's not... Automatically given to everyone," explains Adarin. "And it's not used quite so casually."
The light-dragon pokes its nose against the barrier, and makes no more headway than Adarin did. A subtle test, to see if his magic could get out, if he could defend himself. Since the answer's no, he's going to be a very nice visitor.
The light-dragon pokes its nose against the barrier, and makes no more headway than Adarin did. A subtle test, to see if his magic could get out, if he could defend himself. Since the answer's no, he's going to be a very nice visitor.
"There are some kinds of magic that aren't wizardry that you have to be the right species to do," says Korulen. "I have a few of the things dragons can do because of Mom, just not most of them. I think merfolk have a couple of kinds only they do. And vampires. Wolfriders, I guess, you could argue whether to count them..."
At last. Sanity. Something that makes sense. He nods, glad for a bit of normalcy, though he didn't understand what half of those words she used were.
"I see. Then- I suppose I am the first partial-Fae you've ever met. I do hope I've made a good impression," deadpans Adarin. "Are you planning to show me off to all of your friends?"
There's a hint of bitterness in that statement, he can't help it. He doesn't like being treated like a show animal.
"I see. Then- I suppose I am the first partial-Fae you've ever met. I do hope I've made a good impression," deadpans Adarin. "Are you planning to show me off to all of your friends?"
There's a hint of bitterness in that statement, he can't help it. He doesn't like being treated like a show animal.
"Just one. Someone was making fun of Saasnil earlier," says Korulen. She's starting to look sheepish, like maybe she has begun to notice that there are flaws in the plan of summoning a random person.
"But I can too do complicated old spells," says Saasnil, "he'll see."
"But I can too do complicated old spells," says Saasnil, "he'll see."
"I do believe that he will. You will return me, once he has? Or at the very least give me a place to sit, the floor is uncomfortable," says Adarin, flatly.
He waves at his illusionary not-the-right-kind-of-dragon, and it disappears. Adarin fixes Korulen with a somewhat judgmental look.
"Tell me. Is it common to summon 'random people' to show off to your peers?"
He waves at his illusionary not-the-right-kind-of-dragon, and it disappears. Adarin fixes Korulen with a somewhat judgmental look.
"Tell me. Is it common to summon 'random people' to show off to your peers?"
The door opens. It's an elf bearing a strong resemblance to Korulen, and he doesn't look happy.
"No," he says. "It is not common. Nor permissible nor wise."
"...Eeep," says Korulen.
"No," he says. "It is not common. Nor permissible nor wise."
"...Eeep," says Korulen.
"Then at least your society is somewhat sane," says the human in the circle. "Good day to you, sir."
Adarin inclines his head. Parental figures are good, and this one doesn't seem to have the same insanity his own mother caught.
"Will I be returned home in the same condition I left it?" he asks, reasonably. He's just a little bit nervous.
Adarin inclines his head. Parental figures are good, and this one doesn't seem to have the same insanity his own mother caught.
"Will I be returned home in the same condition I left it?" he asks, reasonably. He's just a little bit nervous.
"We may hope. However..." The newcomer inspects the chalk on the floor. "Korulen. Saasnil. Did you co-cast this?"
"Yes - and it didn't hit us in the face, either, we were careful -" begins Korulen.
"Did your teacher somehow omit to mention that you cannot co-cast a reversal?" snaps the older elf.
Korulen shrinks. Saasnil sits down, hard, on her bed.
"Yes - and it didn't hit us in the face, either, we were careful -" begins Korulen.
"Did your teacher somehow omit to mention that you cannot co-cast a reversal?" snaps the older elf.
Korulen shrinks. Saasnil sits down, hard, on her bed.
"Ah," says Adarin. "Is it possible one of them could do it?"
It seemed reasonable, even if he didn't understand all the rules at play. The spell might send one of them into mana deprivation, but that honestly wasn't his problem. They should have thought of that before they summoned a poor, unsuspecting random person.
It seemed reasonable, even if he didn't understand all the rules at play. The spell might send one of them into mana deprivation, but that honestly wasn't his problem. They should have thought of that before they summoned a poor, unsuspecting random person.
"One of them could, if either had the channeling capacity to do it alone," says the older elf. "I think the best we can do is accelerate Korulen obtaining a familiar and hope that does it. And even sped up a bit, it will take... some time."
The elf is joined by a human woman with jade-green hair, who gives the appearance of already knowing the situation.
"Hi, Mom," says Korulen quietly.
The elf is joined by a human woman with jade-green hair, who gives the appearance of already knowing the situation.
"Hi, Mom," says Korulen quietly.
"I see. That is time I don't have, I'm afraid," states Adarin, standing and brushing himself off. He looks between the two authority figures in the room.
"Please let me out of this circle. My magic might suffice," he says, reasonably. Trans-dimensional magic is something he does possess.
Of course, it required a knowledge of where he was in the planarscape, and how far it was away from his home. Too far, and it would either send him into mana deprivation or kill him. Cheerful thought.
"Please let me out of this circle. My magic might suffice," he says, reasonably. Trans-dimensional magic is something he does possess.
Of course, it required a knowledge of where he was in the planarscape, and how far it was away from his home. Too far, and it would either send him into mana deprivation or kill him. Cheerful thought.
"Unfortunately," says the green-haired woman, "the fact that you've been inconvenienced through no fault of your own doesn't guarantee that it would be safe to release you from the circle. Do you object if I perform a minimally invasive mental scan to check?"
"... Are you going to change any of it or use anything in my head against me?" asks the politician, immediately on edge. His head was one of his few safe places, there were dangerous things in there, things he didn't dare say out loud.
"I won't change anything unless you ask me to. If I don't like what I find, you'll have to stay in the circle, but that will be the worst of it," she says.
"Then you may," he warily replies. He's not comfortable with this at all, but it seems he has little choice.
She nods.
Nothing happens, at least not that he can detect.
After a short while, she steps forward and smudges the chalk circle with her foot.
Nothing happens, at least not that he can detect.
After a short while, she steps forward and smudges the chalk circle with her foot.
Adarin's even more uneasy at how it feels like nothing. Someone in his head feels like nothing at all. If there are things in the world that he fears more, he definitely doesn't know what they are.
He will be on his very best behavior. Oh yes.
Tentatively, he touches where the barrier used to be, and finds it's not there anymore. He steps forward, looking around.
"Thank you. Now - do you mind if I attempt to see if I can get home through my own power?" asks Adarin, reasonably.
He will be on his very best behavior. Oh yes.
Tentatively, he touches where the barrier used to be, and finds it's not there anymore. He steps forward, looking around.
"Thank you. Now - do you mind if I attempt to see if I can get home through my own power?" asks Adarin, reasonably.
"A mirror would help, though I don't need one. I need to find it, before I can attempt to get back," explains the guest. "If you're feeling traditional we could find a clear basin of water, but I find a mirror works just as well."