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* Michelle enters from the kitchen. She's wearing a pale lavender dress, tied at the waist with a burgundy sash. Her hair is loose this evening. As usual her earring shines in her right ear. * Michelle unlocks the door, "Hall's Open" * Michelle returns to behind the bar. * Jelarthna enters the Hall, looking slightly disheveled and tired. His clothes are a bit rumpled and his step is just a tad on the heavy side. He removes his long cloak and jams it somewhat forcefully on a wall peg. <Jelarthna> ::forces a smile as he walks to the bar:: Good evening, Michelle. ::in a tight voice:: * Zoya saunters into the 'Hall, wearing an almost distressingly sober and tasteful deep blue tunic over silvery grey slacks. Her faerie dragon familiar is not with her. Her step has recovered its bounce and her face its usual cheery demeanor. <Zoya> Good evening, friends! * Philister ambles into the Hall, his usual dark green shirt and deep purple breeches slightly splotched with foodstains. He wanders to the bar and hoists himself up onto a stool. He squints at Michelle for a moment.:: Heck, you're new, too. Well, I'm Philister, and meade would make me happy. <Michelle> What's the matter Jelarthna? <Michelle> Good evening Zoya. <Zoya> ::looks at Jelarthna questioningly:: <Jelarthna> ::In general:: I can't cast any spells now! Every time I start concentrating, it gets disrupted by al these theories running around in my head! * Michelle smiles, "Certainly." Michelle fetches a mug and fills it with the house specialty before giving it to Phil. <Jelarthna> Hello Zoya, Philister. I hope you're both doing better than me, tonight. <Zoya> ::laughs:: I warned you not to try anything just yet. ::nods at Phil and seats herself carefully a few seats away from Jel - out of arm's reach:: * Michelle giggles a little, "I can imagine." <Jelarthna> ::glowers slightly at Zoya:: * Philister has a gulp of the meade, and grins at Jelarntha. "I'm doing just fine. Sorry to hear that thinkin' is getting you in trouble." ::grins and has another gulp of meade:: <Jelarthna> ::sighs:: It seems to work that way, doesn't it? <Zoya> ::grins merrily at Jel:: I *told* you that you might regret asking me to be your teacher. <Zoya> If it makes you feel any better, you're making excellent progress. * Philister snorts derisively. <Jelarthna> ::to Zoya:: Somehow I think this would have happened anyway. It's like opening a can of worms. I *have* to make progress just to get to where I was years ago! <Jelarthna> ::glowers at Phil:: <Zoya> ::nods:: But once you master the theories, you'll find that you're able to go much further than you would have been able to, without them. * Michelle pats Jel's arm, "Come on now. It won't be this bad forever." <Philister> ::pipes up:: From what I understand, it gets worse. :grins some more:: <Jelarthna> ::managed a grin to Zoya and Michelle:: I know. It's just frustrating. <Jelarthna> ::to Phil:: You're taking advantage of the face that I can't cast anything right now, aren't you? <Philister> How'd you guess? * Zoya laughs again. <Zoya> Michelle, give me an ale, if you would. * Michelle gets a mug and fills it with ale, then gives it to Zoya. <Jelarthna> And you know what's really bad? These things keep floating around in my head, and it seems like I can't do anything else until I've got the next bit figured out. But there's always a next bit! <Jelarthna> ::to Zoya:: Is this what it's like for you? * Zoya takes a sip of her ale, sets it carefully on the counter, and then nods. "More or less. Nothing is ever completely solved - there's always another mystery. That part never changes." <Michelle> It goes away after a while Jelarthna. At least it did for me. You'll still have the thoughts floating around, constantly leading you to new ideas, but you learn to keep it in the background when you're actively working on something else. * Philister drinks some more ale, turns the stool around, and leans against the bar. <Michelle> Course the downside to that is that when you are trying to relax, the thoughts will start pestering you. That never wholly goes away. You just get used to it. <Jelarthna> It's still kind of strange. Nothing has ever obsessed me like this before. In a twisted way, it's kind of exciting. It's been bad enough to disrupt my Reverie a couple of times. <Zoya> ::nods to Michelle:: Some can learn not to let their curiosity rule them. Some even learn not to be curious any more. I was never able to do either. It's part of the reason I agreed to stand at Erdian's altar - in exchange for my devotions, he gives me answers I could never get from any other source. * Philister raises an eyebrow at Michelle "Are you a chaos mage, *too*?" <Jelarthna> ::at Zoya's mention of curiosity:: Uh, oh. <Jelarthna> ::stricken look:: <Michelle> No. I used to be a scientist. I went about figuring out how the world works in a manner very similar to the way Zoya goes about figuring out how magic works. <Zoya> ::frowns:: It's disrupting you? Now *that* we'll need to work on. No matter how fascinating the thoughts, you have to be able to control them. If they control you, then you'll never have the discipline to control magic flows. <Philister> The world works? Do tell. <Zoya> What's that look for? <Jelarthna> ::looks at Michelle curiously:: Huh? How? Wait a minute, I really don't need to be distracted now... * Michelle sighs at Phil's comment, then collects her thoughts. "Imagine you live in a world were gods, and spirits, and magic don't exist." <Zoya> ::snorts:: Magic exists everywhere. I've been to worlds where men had forgotten how to use it, but it always exists. <Philister> If the gods didn't exist? Then who makes the world? ::sighs:: Okay. I'm pretending. No gods. No spirits. No magic. <Jelarthna> ::to Zoya:: It's a little better now. It just seems like I can't try to rest sometimes, especially when I feel like I was on the verge of solving one of those homework problem, or when a couple of the theories started to make sense together. <Jelarthna> No gods? That could be a good thing, considering... <Michelle> Now how do you explain the existence of the universe? Or why it rains more in some places than in others? Or the fact that everyone in your family has blue eyes, but everyone in your friends family has brown eyes? Or any other question you care to name. * Zoya , who would probably die without access to magic, shudders at the thought. <Philister> Beats me. Why would the universe exist if there's no one to make it? ::chuckles:: With no gods, no spirits, and no magic, I'd just count myself lucky that I existed at all, and not worry about it. <Jelarthna> ::looking disturbed at Michelle:: Are you tormenting me on purpose? <Jelarthna> ::plaintively:: * Michelle sighs again and tries to come up with an example that's closer to home. <Philister> ::mischievously, to Jelarthna:: Imagine a world where fish walk on two legs. <Jelarthna> ::looks more comfortable:: I've seen that. <Zoya> ::mischievously, to Phil:: Been there. <Michelle> Actually on my world there was at least one species of fish that walked on four. <Jelarthna> However Michelle, if you're going to go any further with this, I think I'll need a beer. <Jelarthna> ::grins at Zoya:: You too, huh? <Zoya> ::grinning:: At least, I've seen one of them. Wasn't there for long, though. I *hate* water-worlds. * Michelle gets a mug and fills it with beer, then hands it to Jel. "Let me know if you need something stronger. I always found I could envision higher dimensions with greater easy if I was pleasantly drunk." <Jelarthna> ::smiles at Michelle:: I think I'm too distracted to need much more than this. <Jelarthna> ::to Zoya:: What do you have against water worlds? <Zoya> Oh, no! If you rely on the alcohol to open the boundaries of your mind, then you'll lock yourself in so you *always* need it! <Zoya> ::shrugs:: Well, for one thing, I don't breathe it. For another, I don't swim very well, and neither does my familiar. And the inhabitants tend to be cold-blooded and slimy, and not especially friendly. * Philister smiles at the havoc and has some more meade. <Jelarthna> I'll have to take you to one of my favorites some time. There's a dolphin-like race there that are quite beautiful and friendly. * Michelle shrugs, "True, but most of the famous discoveries where made that way." <Jelarthna> ::to Michelle:: You mean in your world, right? ::sips some beer:: <Zoya> Keep it in mind. By the time you've re-learned portal travel, you'll *need* a vacation. <Zoya> ::grins:: <Michelle> Yeah. <Jelarthna> No kidding! It's not like I don't know the spells anymore... it's just that when I start to cast it, I suddenly start wondering about the component, how they fit together, and then I start thinking of other spells with those components, and how the interact, and.. ugh. ::sighs:: <Zoya> ::chortles:: Wait until you learn how to research new spells... <Michelle> Trust me Jelarthna, it does get better. <Jelarthna> That ought to be interesting. I already have *way* too many ideas floating around. I've even started writing them down so I don't forget. <Michelle> Very important. <Jelarthna> hm? <Michelle> I don't suppose you patent spell ideas on this world. <Jelarthna> What's that? <Zoya> That's a good idea. Keep an eye on it, though. Once I got so obsessed with an idea that I started writing it out in chalk - just to jot it down, mind. Not wanting to keep it, just get it out of my skull. Wound up swabbing the desks for a *week* to get all the chalk up... <Jelarthna> ::takes another swig o' beer:: <Jelarthna> ::snorts the beer onto the counter:: <Jelarthna> ::tries to clean it up a bit - not very successfully without a towel:: <Zoya> ::chuckles:: * Michelle gets a towel and starts wiping the bar down. "Patents. In my world if someone got a really good idea they could patent it, and then no one else could use it unless they got the permission of the person holding the patent." * Zoya raises a finger, chants for a brief moment, and a cantrip cleans the spilled beer off the counter. <Jelarthna> Sounds awfully selfish. You could always just keep the spell hidden. <Jelarthna> ::glares at Zoya:: <Michelle> And that would be exactly why I need to start studying magic. <Philister> ::grins and drinks some more meade:: <Zoya> ::blinks at Jel:: What? <Jelarthna> ::glares at Phil, too; which is impressive! Two at once!:: <Michelle> How, but if you keep the idea hidden then you can't become famous or rich off of it, and someone else will figure out and get famous and rich off of it. <Jelarthna> I can't even do that right now... <Zoya> Oh, you'll be casting cantrips in another week or so. <Jelarthna> ::to Michelle:: I don't think anyone's gotten particularly famous or rich from a spell they created. <Zoya> [Nah. Glaring at two people at once just looks like sulking.] <Philister> While I admit, riches and fame do sound quite appealing, you mean I could go somewhere and say that this idea is mine, and people have to pay to use it? Whoever invented beer must live like a king... <Jelarthna> ::to Zoya:: Wonderful. <Zoya> It *is* wonderful. I thought it would be at least a season before you were ready to handle magic flows again. <Jelarthna> ::incredulous:: Really? I don't know how I'd have gotten through that. <Michelle> Well, you have to prove you came up with the idea. Usually by providing witnesses who swear that you explained the idea to them on a particular date. This usually requires written documentation verifying both your words, and the words of the witness. Then you also have to be able to disprove the claims of anyone who says they came up with the idea first. And, you can't patent an existing idea, and patents run out after something like 20 year, though in some cases you can renew the patent for like an additional 10 years. Beer existed long before patents came along. <Jelarthna> That sounds awfully complicated. How well did all of this red tape work? <Zoya> Michelle, the more I hear of your world, the less I want to visit. Some bureaucrat is going to tie me up on my ship and I wouldn't get to look at *any*thing new... ::takes a swig of ale:: <Jelarthna> That certainly doesn't sound like it's worth it. * Michelle shrugs, "Well enough to keep a lot of people wealthy, including the patent lawyers. Also permitted the well established merchants to charge incredible prices because they owned the patents. * Michelle thinks, "Yeah, you'd probably have a hard time getting through customs." * Philister drinks some more meade. "Sounds over-infested with law-writers, and lacking bold spirits. I'll just stay here with the magic." <Zoya> ::nods:: Local customs always take me a while to integrate. <Jelarthna> So, they were limiting something so that they could charge more for it? <Jelarthna> I'll be just as happy to remain here, as well. And I'll even be able to use magic again one day. ::gulp o' beer:: <Zoya> ::chuckles:: <Michelle> Basically. Course, some companies didn't. But most of them would then use this fact to show how much they cared for the public in an attempt to increase their sales. <Zoya> ::shakes head:: It all sounds very complicated and over-lawyer-y, to me. Give me a village marketplace anytime. <Michelle> It wasn't all bad. <Jelarthna> Thank you Michelle, at least you've found something I *don't* want to learn any more about. * Philister peers forlornly into the mug, at its visible bottom. He holds the mug out to Michelle. "More?" <Michelle> I still miss super markets, convenience stores, and computers. <Jelarthna> I'm not even going to ask... * Michelle takes Phil's mug and refills it with meade, "Here ya go." * Philister happily takes the mug and drinks about a quarter of it in one swallow. "Aaahh.." * Jelarthna leans against the bar and takes another sip of the beer, staring into nothing. <Jelarthna> ::His left ear twitches a couple of times, and Jel mutters something, and makes a motion with his good arm, and a very small globe of light appears on his index finger:: <Jelarthna> ::looks startled:: Whoa! <Philister> ::looks at Jelarthna's finger:: Congratulations. You can make your finger glow. ::he smiles:: <Jelarthna> ::jumps up:: I did it! ::grins from ear to ear:: <Zoya> ::looks equally startled:: Did you do that? ::looks somewhat suspiciously at Phil:: <Jelarthna> ::to Phil:: Sorry, even you can't ruin this! <Jelarthna> ::Does a little jig:: <Philister> ::to Zoya:: I didn't do anything. The master mage made his own fingie-wingie glow. * Jelarthna pauses, looks at Phil and mutters something:: <Zoya> ::blinks:: Well. You're coming along faster than I thought, then. Congratulations. <Jelarthna> ::smiling and looking a tad embarrassed:: Thank you. ::quickly finishes off his beer:: * Philister squirms a bit, reaches into one boot, and pulls out a discolored and worn wooden backscratcher. He tucks it under his collar and starts scratching his back. "Errrmmmmmm..." <Zoya> ::gets a calculated look:: Hmm. If you're casting already, I can probably speed the lessons up by a good fifty percent... * Michelle giggles slightly. <Jelarthna> ::hides a grin and shoos the mug over to Michelle:: Another one, please. <Jelarthna> ::looks at Zoya, then back at Michelle:: I think I'm gonna need it. * Michelle refills the mug and returns it to Jel. * Jelarthna gratefully takes a swig. <Michelle> We always used to say, it was bad for the students to have any success in their first few months because then the professors thought they were geniuses and expected that kind of performance out of them all the time. <Zoya> ::shrugs:: Cause and effect, my dear. We'll either speed up the lessons, or start working on stress control. * Philister appears to corner the itch and scratch it out of existence, and returns the scratcher to its slot in his boot. <Zoya> ::watches Phil with some amusement:: <Jelarthna> ::ducks his head a moment:: I'm probably going to need both... ::an almost a visible lightbulb goes off over Jel's head, and he quickly pulls some parchment charcoal out of his beltpouch, and begins furiously scribbling something on it:: <Michelle> I've seen people keep a lot of things in their boots, but a back scratcher is a new one. <Jelarthna> ::muttering:: Of course, that's how it goes... <Jelarthna> ::seems to be having a little bit of trouble writing with one hand, but maintains a good pace:: * Zoya glances at Jel's scribbles and beams proudly. She takes another swig of ale, watching:: <Jelarthna> ::chuckling, and some more muttering:: wait, if that so, than *this* one is... ::mumble, mumble:: * Philister watches Jelarthna casually, wondering if he's really going nutty, or if he'll just acting that way for a few weeks. * Jelarthna seems to finish, then shuffles through a couple of other pieces of parchment and reads them over a couple of times before handing them to Zoya. <Jelarthna> ::smiling:: Here you are! * Zoya takes the parchment and glances over each page. She holds out the second-to-last page. "What made you use this method? <Jelarthna> Well, when you take into account ambient magic level and the power level, it actually seemed simpler than the obvious route. <Zoya> ::eyes Jel for a moment, obviously trying to decide whether he's bullshitting:: Not bad. Not bad at all. I wasn't going to get into power separations until next week. ::She hands the parchments back to Jel:: Well done. <Jelarthna> ::blushes slightly:: Thanks. <Jelarthna> ::puts away the parchments and quickly takes another draught from his mug:: <Zoya> So, tomorrow we'll start with *why* that works so well... <Jelarthna> Good. It made sense, but I'm really not sure how... <Jelarthna> Which is vaguely disturbing to me now. <Zoya> ::sighs happily:: Only now do I begin to understand what my master meant about eager students... ::attempts to drink from her mug again, only to find it empty:: Hmph. Oh, well. ::she sets it down and shoos it toward the kitchen:: <Jelarthna> ::grins at Zoya:: As long as I feel like we've both gotten into something bigger than we thought... * Philister has another gulp of meade. <Zoya> ::laughs:: Master once told me that an eager student was a joy more precious and rare than any gem. I thought at the time that he was teasing me about... a thief we knew. * Jelarthna absently sips his beer and begins humming a lively tune. <Jelarthna> ::looks at Zoya probingly:: Oh, really? <Jelarthna> ::slight grin:: * Philister drinks some more meade. <Jelarthna> So, Phil, what have you been up to recently? Still managing to avoid work? <Zoya> ::looks, of all things, slightly embarrassed:: Darin tried to rescue me from my master once. Managed to steal me right out of my bedroom. Next thing he knew, Master had stolen *both* of us right out of the city. ::sighs sadly:: I miss him, sometimes. <Philister> Like an expert! I've been helping out around the Barrelstone a bit, since it's gotten too cold for fishing. And I've been doing a little of this, a little of that. Made a map of the islands around the city, and promptly lost it. Just little things. And you? Been up to anything interesting? <Jelarthna> ::expression softening somewhat:: I think I can understand that. ::grins a little impishly:: Which one do you miss? <Jelarthna> ::looks back over at Phil:: Oh, a little of this and a little of that. Depending on the scale, of course. It's good to hear some things stay the same, though. <Zoya> ::laughs:: Darin. He was a very good friend, once we'd gotten certain things straight. Left a very promising position in his Guild to help me avenge my master's death. ::looks up:: I don't miss my master. He's still with me. * Michelle shakes her head slightly, then goes to straighten out a dispute between the mugs and the cutlery. <Jelarthna> ::nods solemnly to Zoya:: Where is Darin now? Did he leave on the Spelljammer with you? <Zoya> No. He was killed in the battle for the 'jammer. Kevil and I cried all the way to the next 'sphere. * Philister just assumes that these people are having an irrational discussion and drinks some more meade. <Jelarthna> I'm sorry. <Jelarthna> Who was Kevil? Fade to black |
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