Entry I | Video

[andhishat]

[The screen is black for a long moment, though the speakers seem to be working, passing along the soothing and lovely sound of someone banging their finger against a spot too near the microphone. Finally, though, the camera blooms to life, and give those watching a great look at the massive brown eye being shoved right up against the camera. A young woman’s voice is again too close to the mic]

Honestly, whoever enchanted this thing is a master artist. I can’t even detect a hint of magic around it, and yet it seems to be working just fine. I’m not sure why they made it look like a flat brick and not a proper crystal ball or mirror is beyond me.

[She sighs, pulling back slightly to reveal a young woman with slightly pointed ears and exotic features who looks anywhere between 15 and 23]

Oh wait, right, that would require someone to become a powerful archmage without going so utterly mad that they start running around creating whatever pops into their heads. [She holds it back further and shakes her head.] At least it isn’t an owlbear.

So, am I to take it there are those out there who can hear me?

Comments

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[gorillawarfare]

That, or this is just a really charming echo.

Let me guess, another mage? Don't worry. Apparently there's a lot of you here. Enough that there's a cub scout troop for it.

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[andhishat]

[Bemused] Nonsense, that's not nearly suave enough an echo to be mine.

Oh dear, I've gone and given myself away. I'm not certain what a cub scout troop is, but it must not be many because it seems your buildings are mostly standing. That's rare when you have a lot of mages in one place.

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[gorillawarfare]

But it is witty and endearing enough to be mine. Marco, at your service or something. I'm getting pretty good at the guidebook thing already.

I think these guys are more preoccupied with eating pie, from the sounds of it. But don't let that go on record. The one's still miffed about the Cheetohs thing I think.

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[andhishat]

I'm going to have to check and make sure those words mean the same thing here as where I came from. Well met Marco, I am Reya, and we may be in luck, I happen to get along with guidebooks a great deal easier than people.

Eating pie is a far wiser investment of ones time than what most mages get up to. [And you have lost her] I speak at least three languages, but that wasn't any of them. Cheetohs?

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[gorillawarfare]

Doesn't hurt when said guidebook is also the things that are the same where you come from, thank you very much.


[ the sigh of the long suffering ] A delicious foodstuff and cultural landmark of my people. No one said we'd be trading in junk food for technology in the future, and I have to say, it's pretty depressing.

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[andhishat]

[She has no idea what to do with you Marco, but you are amusing] Well then I guess I'll just have to read it and see how good it's information is.

[She's clueless enough not to realize how much like a pick up line that sounds]

A shame. I'm all about cultural exchanges, as long as delicious foodstuffs are involved. No magic, weird machines, and now apparently bad food. I'm starting to think this 'future' is very overrated.

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[gorillawarfare]

[ it's a specialty of his. A night out at the fanciest Pizza Hut in town is a good start ] Hey, I'm an open book full of fine print. Read to your heart's content.

Finally, a woman after my own heart. Tell me you like pizza and Tekken 3 and we're in business.

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[andhishat]

[Oh Marco you rake! Take her now!] That seems a good way to be caught by Explosive Runes. Ah well, life is meant to be lived dangerously.

I have never heard of either, but I am open to new opportunities. [She grew up with monks. MONKS! As long as it is nor porridge, she will devour it with glee.]

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[gorillawarfare]

[ he would! if only he had a driver's license! ]

This is where I say something about only needing a spark, but I'll withhold my classy one-liners until the second chapter.

Well, it just so happens that there's a guidebook full of those. We can start with Ren and Stimpy and work our way up from there.

[andhishat]

[Badam-tish]

That's a good idea. You don't want to spoil all your plot twists too soon.

Ren and Stimpy? Are they some sort of thespian duo?

[gorillawarfare]

I like keeping the mystery and allure alive. It's almost chivalrous, really.

[ grin ] The best thespians around. It's rumored that Shakespeare was inspired by their works.

[andhishat]

[Chuckles] I really must check a book of word meanings soon to ensure we are on the same page. Mystery and allure very rarely have much to do with shining knights in my experience.

[Never mind that slight crush she might have had on a paladin, she tries to forget it.]

Shakespeare? Sounds like a northern barbarian chieftain. [Her voice goes gruff as she mimes shaking a weapon] "Shake-Spear!"

[gorillawarfare]

What? I don't look like someone with a white horse? You wound me, mysterious hot lady. You wound me deep.

You just summed up why I got kicked out of English class in ninth grade.

[andhishat]

[Oh hey, did you know her ears turn a little red when she's embarrassed?] You can either have a white horse or be mysterious, one does not lend itself to the other. If you're going to convince me of both, you are taking on a arduous task.

Well now, that sounds like an exciting story. I've been kicked out of lessons my whole life, mostly for experimenting with spells during lecture.

[gorillawarfare]

Arduous tasks are right up there under suicide missions for how I pass my free time.

This is where I'd normally say something about casting a spell on me, but today I think I'll spare you the grief.

Does that mean you guys have like...wizard public school or something?

[andhishat]

Well then, at the very least we seem to have common hobbies.

Thank you. I'd hate to have to turn you into something unnatural.

No such thing exists in the region I am from, though there are stories of academies to the south. Mostly my guardian taught me himself, though the monks also contributed to my education.

[gorillawarfare]

Some would say that my looks, humor and brains already put me in that unnatural category.

...monks?

[andhishat]

I might be inclined to agree. [Wait, was that a complement or not?]

Yes, the monks of Candlekeep. They seek to gather all written knowledge under one roof, and reluctantly participated in my upbringing.

[gorillawarfare]

[ totally a compliment. Excuse him while he preens ]

I might be inclined to agree with the agreement.

So stuffy nerds salivating over Proust. Got it. I'm guessing you didn't get out much.

[andhishat]

[Clearly Marco has acquired an excellent peacock morph]

A double positive statement? Bold move.

I've never heard of that one, but even a avid consumer of literature as myself couldn't memorize all the obscure authors who made the monk's robes tent.

A grand adventure was a trip down the road to the local market, and the only other inhabitant within ten seasons of my own age was my best friend Imoen. Of course, I've been rather overcompensating for lost time of late.

[gorillawarfare]

[ the most prettiest peacock there is ]

I live for danger and threatened semantics.

So pretty much the Tolkien-esque version of Rumspringa, huh?

[andhishat]

I can see you are not one to back down at the promise of phonic punishment.

[Head tilt]

You continue to use words I am sure are common, yet that have no meaning.

[gorillawarfare]

Never. It really irritated the elementary school teachers.

[ smirk ]

I'm glad we're in agreement on Tolkien. I mean, blah blah blah greatest books about hills that ever were. I get it.

[andhishat]

I've only known you a few minutes, and even I could guess that was the reason.

[Sigh]

You are a very strange man, and I say that as someone who is friends with a man who talks to his hamster.

[gorillawarfare]

I'm taking that as a compliment as most women find hamsters adorable.