View Flat HTML
View Metadata
Search Post
Kithabel is sitting on the flat top of the tallest tower of her palace, forcing the rain to decline to fall on her, taking a break insofar as she ever takes a break. She has no constructive ends to pursue right now, so she's playing with the lightning in the clouds overhead. She doesn't want to try taking a direct lightning strike yet - she could probably take it, but only probably - but she can tell it to arc here and there in patterns, she can ball it up and watch it roll through the air, she can make it turn colors. She's making sure none of it hits the town, and if it starts a fire in the woods she'll take care of it, but at the moment it's a toy.
+ Show First Post
connecticut_yankee
"Of magic, of course. You don't have any to show off, but that's never stopped the other professional magicians we've got around here."
connecticut_yankee
"I'm sure that'd help, but people around here are so gullible that most of being a magician is claiming to be a magician.
And I'd appreciate it if you didn't go around being a magician at people."
And I'd appreciate it if you didn't go around being a magician at people."
connecticut_yankee
"Long story. The relevant part is, I have quite a lot of political capital tied up in being the best magician around. Since nobody can actually do magic, that's not very hard. But if you turn up and claim to be a magician tomorrow, the next day everyone will be telling each other about how you flew across the sky.
There is no way way you haven't noticed this if you've posed as magicians before."
There is no way way you haven't noticed this if you've posed as magicians before."
connecticut_yankee
"If you say so. Just don't—" Hank glances down at the floor, which is six inches farther away than usual. "Well. That's something."
off_to_be_the_wizard
"Yep," says someone who looks nothing like Skeeve. "Convinced yet?" He puts Hank back down, and appears to turn back into himself.
connecticut_yankee
"Doesn't really matter; you're more than good enough to convince everyone else. I'll believe you for sure when you power a generator."
connecticut_yankee
"I'm the only one here who knows how to build one, but I'm working on fixing that. It produces a type of energy that's useful for things like this." He touches something on the wall, and the room is lit. "Anyone who can power a generator can make it real obvious whether or not they're creating more energy than they're putting in."
off_to_be_the_wizard
Skeeve blinks because of the light, but not because of surprise.
"He's probably right. Enough technology can do almost anything magic can; I'm not even sure if the D-Hopper is magic or not. Some dimensions don't use magic at all, and aren't really held back by it."
"He's probably right. Enough technology can do almost anything magic can; I'm not even sure if the D-Hopper is magic or not. Some dimensions don't use magic at all, and aren't really held back by it."
ertia
"I don't even slightly understand how that would make light come from the ceiling, but I suppose I'll have to take your word for it."
connecticut_yankee
"It's the same thing that makes lightning light, only less of it and steadier. Can also work for sending messages across the country in no time at all, and transporting people. Though it's usually easier to do that a different way."
ertia
"I can - could - do those things. Can't now. Can I borrow a candle to stare angrily at? This reportedly being an introductory exercise for Skeeve's variety of magic."
connecticut_yankee
"Of course. I'll be back in a moment." He leaves, and can soon be heard rummaging through a drawer in an adjacent room.
ertia
Kithabel looks at Skeeve. "Is there more to your sort of magic than just particularly momentum-unresponsive demands made of the universe?"
off_to_be_the_wizard
"That's most of it. That and practice. Motivation also helps; you're more likely to succeed if there's something hanging in the balance rather than just trying to do the thing. The main reason there aren't more magicians is because doing things for the first time involves thinking about nothing else for hours on end, but with luck it might be easier for you.
There's no ritual you need to do first or anything, if that's what you mean."
There's no ritual you need to do first or anything, if that's what you mean."
ertia
"Mmhm."
Kithabel brings her breathing under control and awaits her candle.
Kithabel brings her breathing under control and awaits her candle.
connecticut_yankee
It arrives. Hank makes sure to watch; he knows this candle hasn't been rigged.
ertia
"This could take ages," Kithabel mutters, "it might be very boring."
She glares at the candle. How fucking dare it not light. She's a sorceress, she put in the work, she never slacked off, it will do what she wants and she wants it to light. Now.
She glares at the candle. How fucking dare it not light. She's a sorceress, she put in the work, she never slacked off, it will do what she wants and she wants it to light. Now.
off_to_be_the_wizard
It doesn't.
It's a candle, and if she thinks it's going to bend to her will just because she's an incomprehensible being of incredible power then she's wrong. It will stand against her on behalf of all inanimate objects everywhere.
It's a candle, and if she thinks it's going to bend to her will just because she's an incomprehensible being of incredible power then she's wrong. It will stand against her on behalf of all inanimate objects everywhere.