>>133823
C'mon, why not.

Well. I'd wait 'till you're safe in your room. Avoiding awkward conversation and such.

Yeah, might want to at least be in your room if it's frowned upon to do so in public.

Brom 2010/02/17(Wed)20:38 No. 133873 ID: f98e0b
File 126646789073.png - (55.88KB , 800x600 , 61.png )

>>133860
True. Dio heads to his room. There's a mirror there anyway and he wants to see how far he's progressed.

Brom 2010/02/17(Wed)20:38 No. 133875 ID: f98e0b
File 126646790745.png - (71.80KB , 800x600 , 62.png )

He lets his ears flop out and feels the breeze on his face. Much better. He notes with some approval that his Oculus is growing in nicely. If he focuses hard he can almost see through it.
His old eyes are fading. He's already noted he's having some issues seeing. As soon as they're fully gone, he has to go on his Alienation. You always hear horror stories of people who can't see out of thier Oculus losing their eyes early and going blind or something and being forced out onto the planes blind. Complete bullshit, of course.

>>133875
How do mages get the Oculus?

>>133875
Hey. Nice eye.

>>133875
Uhm woah... so... do all wizards bear the Warp Eye?

You mean you lose two precious organs your mother gave you? Forever?

Take this as you will, but you actually look a lot better than I thought you would.

So... magic comes at the price of binocular vision? I see.

Now, what exactly causes the Oculus' growth?
Does the Oculus perform any functions which could not be performed by normal eyes?

>>133875
Hey Dio; what does it mean when someone has a red Oculus, practices mind-control/stupefying/paralysis magic, and the dabbles in the creation of homunculi?

And does a red Cat's-Eye marble mean anything specific?

Brom 2010/02/17(Wed)21:08 No. 133909 ID: f98e0b
File 126646968775.png - (98.87KB , 800x600 , 63.png )

So many questions. It's like you've never seen a Cyclops before. Where to start?

When Dio was a kid, like 7 or 8, he was a slave in the Furlesian Markets. He had the Gift, and he always used to make glamors and illusions for fun. He didn't know there was anything astounding about it. An agent from the Arcanopolis, he's pretty sure it was Orpheo actually, was passing through and bought him to bring him back here.

The Oculus is a unique aspect of the Arcanopolis Magi. It does everything normal eyes would (including 3d vision; magic has a funny way of fixing things), grants improved sight and nightvision, but more importantly it can give the Gift of magic to those who don't normally have it, and for those who do it exponentially increases their strength. It's irreversible, though, so once you're marked as an Arcanopolis Cyclops, you're staying that way.
>>133902
A red cat's eye marble? Sounds like an immature oculus, or one that lost its previous owner. Priceless. See, every mage in the Arcanopolis is given the Oculus when they turn ten. It starts out for all purposes as a normal marble, really, but it's made from some weird mineral that's mined in one of the Planes and alchemically modified, so as the mage's power grows, it does as well. If they ever kick the bucket, the Oculus drops out and can be given to a new owner.
Dio doesn't know about Haemonculi. That's fairly dark magic. Sounds like Ark Fraternity stuff to him.

>>133909
Tell us more about the Ark Fraternity.

...You are adorable. Can a mage have two?

>>133909
So does the Oculus turn back into a 'marble' when its owner.. *ahem* kicks the bucket?

Brom 2010/02/17(Wed)21:29 No. 133953 ID: f98e0b
File 126647096830.png - (116.57KB , 800x600 , 64.png )

>>133934
Yeah.
>>133927
The Arcanopolis isn't exactly swimming in these things. Even if they were Dio doubts it's possible. There's only so much room on your face, you know?

>>133921
Diometricus doesn't really want to talk about the Ark Fraternity. No mage of the Arcanopolis does. They're Magic Supremacists, cultists, secret police. They dabble in the blackest parts of Magic. They have influence and power all across the Arcanopolis. Dio really shouldn't even be thinking about them.

Can they fuck you up if you think about them?

>>133953
Okay, let's stop thinking about them, then... What can we do in your room?

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)08:32 No. 134233 ID: f98e0b
File 126651074546.png - (64.60KB , 800x600 , 65.png )

>>133954
>>133996
Yeah, the less said about them the better.

There's not much to do in Dio's room. Most students spend life out on campus. He seems to recall Jai's bout starts in about a half an hour. Should he go watch that?

>>134233

No.

>>134233
Of course he should. She is his friend and he should be there and support her. He might also pick up some useful tricks.

Why of course.

>>134233
What better chance to admire her reach and flexibility could there be? And besides, she's your friend; she'd probably appreciate you being there for it.

>>134257
Exactly this. You could even try to improve her performance by casting some illusions.

>>134262
I really don't think she is going to like that. We should just stand in the crowd and cheer like a little girl or something.

>>134262
Interference...
I think this is an official match, so that would probably be a bad idea.

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)14:38 No. 134321 ID: f98e0b
File 126653268661.png - (77.38KB , 800x600 , 66.png )

(you are now that other one.)

In her ready room, Jai Etra Vostra goes through her battle preparations. She's going to go up against Everett, a thaumaturgist. He's good, but Jai is pretty sure she's better. There are the normal pre-combat butterflies in her stomach as she gets dressed in Battle Uniform. It's chock full of defensive spells to keep her mostly out of danger, and has a counter on the back. Three hits against her and Jai's lost the match. Obviously not the desirable outcome. She hums a Furlesian war song under her breath as she prepares for combat.

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)14:38 No. 134322 ID: f98e0b
File 126653270133.png - (570.72KB , 800x600 , 67.png )

Her spells include:

Arcane Flame which summons an orb of fire she can either throw or use as a makeshift flamethrower, which is more powerful but close-range.

Arcane Bolt which is a projectile made of pure energy and force. If this wasn’t a practice bout with layer upon layer of protective spell on both combatants, it would have the capacity to blow holes in people.

Counterspell which lets her cancel out a spell being cast or flying through the air toward her with a concussive blast of force.

Arcane Shield which can deflect all but the most powerful magical and physical attacks if she can throw it up quick enough.

Levitate, which, as the name implies, gives Jai the power of flight. She has to maintain it, which slightly weakens any spell she casts while flying, but the advantages are obvious.

Mage Hand which allows her to manipulate smallish objects (Boulders are out, but not swords or chairs, for example) at a distance.

Arcane Throw, a more concentrated, less versatile Mage Hand that can push objects away from Jai and toward her opponents at high speeds.

>>134322
What kinds of weapons is she allowed to bring and how many of the?

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)14:47 No. 134336 ID: f98e0b
File 126653322781.png - (620.30KB , 800x600 , 68.png )

Jai's no illusionist, so she completely lacks Dio's splitmid abilities. What she does have are spells that pack considerably more of a physical punch and various enchanted items. She's allowed to take one of those in with her to combat, so she has to choose.

She's enchanted her dagger to be a defensive tool. It can be used to cancel out any magical attack directed toward her if she's fast enough.

Her necklace can have any spell cast into it and then be used as a conduit to cast that spell later. The longer the delay, the more powerful the effect. She's got arcane throw on it right now, and it's charged up enough that if she uses it on Everett she'll be able to toss him around like a ragdoll.

>>134336
I would suggest putting Arcane Flame in the necklace, then using Arcane Throw to drag him into range and then let him have at it.

>>134336
The iteams seem pretty good. How fast can Jai follow up with her spells?

>>134336
Take the dagger. If you can block at least two hits with it, it'll be better than the one hit you get by using the necklace. Also, an Arcane Throw like that seems like it might break limbs, even with the protective gear on.

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)16:54 No. 134533 ID: f98e0b
File 126654088493.png - (67.15KB , 800x600 , 69.png )

Jai takes the dagger, and enters the arena. It's a big, featureless stone cube. Everett is across the arena. He nods to her.

She looks up at the observation window. There's the usual crowd of battlemages here to observe, as well as the Arena Master on call, Jean-Luc. She looks back to Everett, then double takes. Dio is there, looking humorously out of place among the lean warriors watching. He cheerfully waves. Jai bites back laughter. She's glad he's here.

"Okay, mon petit guerrière," says Jean Luc, his voice amplified into the arena. "You know zer rules by now, I am thinking. Three green crystals on your harnesses, vhen zey are all red you are out. Spirits be viz you both, blah blah blah, you may begin."

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)16:55 No. 134537 ID: f98e0b
File 126654095313.png - (125.14KB , 800x600 , 70.png )

With a simple expenditure of will, Jai gathers arcane energy into her fist. She prepares to cast her first spell. Everett doesn't move. Typical spooky thaumaturges.

>>134537
inb4 datass

>>134547
In after.

>>134537
In 'dat ass'

>>134537
Pick him up by the head and throw him straight down has hard as you can.

He's probably projecting his spirit. Better start dodging immediately while firing at him. Use Levitate to make it harder for him to track you.

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)17:56 No. 134626 ID: f98e0b
File 126654457059.png - (179.82KB , 800x600 , 71.png )

>>134585
Right. One thaumaturgist pancake, coming up. With a concussive thump that echoes in her chest, Jai fires off a wall of shimmering force designed to pick up and drop the spook, hard, as she blasts herself violently into the air.

But it looks like Everett was ready for it. He calls up a divine shield that ricochets the blast directly back at her, then channels the Positive Thaumaturgical Feedback through the Flames of Dis. He's brewing up a ball of Infernal Flame in his other fist.

Counter?

>>134626
Wait until he's about to drop the shield for an attack, and time an Arcane Bolt to hit him while it's down. Block his flame with your dagger.

>>134533
>Jean-Luc

Is he kind of bald and british? Wears red and black? Likes Earl Grey tea?

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)18:33 No. 134725 ID: f98e0b
File 126654679766.png - (181.35KB , 800x600 , 72.png )

Jai swerves out of the way of her own Throw, then waits for Everett to attack. When he hurls his fireball, she blasts straight through his weakened shield with Arcane Bolt. He takes it square in the chest and stumbles backward. If not for the suit, his sternum would have shattered. He's temporarily disoriented, and it'll take him a second to counterattack.

"Touché," calls Jean Luc, who as far as Jai knows sports no sort of red and black jumpsuit.

She throws her knife up to block the Infernal Flame, and feels it searing her arm. The dagger pulls the energy in and away from Jai, but if this were a real battle her left arm would probably be useless from the heat.
Oh, shit. Her sleeve is on fire.

>>134725
Can you ... Do a barrel roll?
If not then pat it out on the defensive or just ignore the heat and hope the suit takes care of it while you blast away at him.

Shoot him with whatever spell can be most quickly refired off. Keep him off his feet, I guess...? If the spellcasting isn't like once-a-second highspeed combat, set up a shield.

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)19:46 No. 134868 ID: f98e0b
File 126655119579.png - (313.69KB , 800x600 , 73.png )

>>134747
Jai swerves around a bit to try to get the fire out, but nothing's working. She switches to a defensive stance to try to get the fire down a little, throwing up an Arcane Shield. She'd snipe at him, but she's already maintaining a shield and levitation. She doubts it would be hard hitting enough.

Everett recovers and sees his chance. He tilts his head back and howls, opening his body up as a direct channel to the Inferno. Jai is deflecting most of it, but spirits he's strong. She starts to waver.

Can you Arcane Throw your Arcane Shield at him as a sort of long-ranged shield bash?

Better yet if you cancel levitation will you be able to land safely enough on the ground?

Lastly can you Mage Hand his own hand to re-direct his spells, or his head to bash it against the wall a few times?

>>134868
Drop levitation and focus into the shield. Start hitting your arm against the wall or something to put it out.

>>134868
How skilled at activating/deactivating Levitate are you?

'Cause you could cut Levitate for just long enough to give yourself a sudden dip in height, then speed forward and shieldbutt him... or drop the shield as you're speeding forward and go for a flying kick.

Slap his face with mage hand.

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)20:14 No. 134941 ID: f98e0b
File 12665528809.png - (295.29KB , 800x600 , 74.png )

>>134897
Thwack

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)20:15 No. 134946 ID: f98e0b
File 126655290660.png - (197.22KB , 800x600 , 75.png )

Bang.

>>134946
Laugh maniacally.

>>134946
Is that bad?

Someone's cooking. A bit bigger than I expected but nice job.

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)20:39 No. 135023 ID: f98e0b
File 126655435051.png - (96.88KB , 800x600 , 76.png )

>>134977
A bit bigger than Jai expected too.

It kind of blasted the air out of her lungs and her ass out of the air.

Everett is over there coughing up soot.

>>135023
Get your shapely ass up off the ground and win this match like the winner you are.
Winner.

>>135023
Quick, hit him again!

>>135023
If you can manage, get the knife ready. It didn't do the best job of deflecting his flames, but if he's able to recover before you at the very least you can avert a direct hit.

If you can get the drop on him, blast his ass and end this.

>>135023
Would physically hitting him count? If it would use levitate to zip over there and punch him soundly in the head. Aim for a knockout.

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)20:52 No. 135059 ID: f98e0b
File 126655514020.png - (96.99KB , 800x600 , 77.png )

>>135031
>>135032
>>135035
'Kay.

Jean Luc's voice comes over the intercom. He's laughing. "Touché and bout to Miss Vostra! Dust yourselves off and hit zer locker rooms, mon trublionére. And zer showers. You're both covered in soot."

>>135059

>Showers
yesyesyesyesyesyesyes

>>135059
Listen to your Arena Master and hit the showers.
Conveniently cut away before we see any of your naughty bits.

>>135059
Nice win. Get yourself cleaned up and then it's gloating time. Alternatively, see what Dio thought of your match.

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)21:25 No. 135131 ID: f98e0b
File 12665571218.png - (75.49KB , 800x600 , 78.png )

Jai can't help singing a victory song into the bar of soap. She heads back to the locker room to change.

>>135084
Why would she want to gloat? Everett was pulling some crazy shit before she slapped him in the face. Besides, he's kind of cute. Jai was hoping to impress him. She'll pull the whole modest thing if he comes to congratulate her. Gosh, Everett, it was just luck. Gee, Everett, you're so strong. Et Cetera.

She'll go find Dio when this is over, and talk to him. She's really glad he came to watch, that means a lot to her. But she's sort of embarrassed about it. Partly on his behalf, sitting there with all the Battlemages up in the Observation room, and partly because her butt was like, waving around right in his face the whole time she was maintaining that shield spell. Bah, who cares. Victory is sweet.

>>135131
Part of you liked waving your ass in Dio's face, didn't it?
Sure, he's short, but he's also a freakin' prodigy. He's only going to get better at this stuff.

>>135131
Just make sure you're not condescending about it. Modesty taken too far can come off as condescending. You did beat him after all, so if you state that you aren't talented, it is implying that he is even less so.

What are you talking about? Dio is a complete badass. Give him a few years and he'll be pounding those 'battlemages' through solid concrete and all that other crazy shit you mages do.

Also how do you know Everett's cute when you all wear helmets and shit? Also bear in mind you kicked the shit out of him by slapping him in the face. Really now, how impressive of a mage can you be when a simple slap can completely wreck your shit?

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)22:08 No. 135165 ID: f98e0b
File 126655973041.png - (135.06KB , 800x600 , 79.png )

>>135133
Yeah, okay, so Jai doesn't exactly have a problem with showing off the wagon she's draggin' occasionally. She's kind of proud of it. She was a pudgy kid before Alienation.

You do not need to convince her Dio's one to watch. He's earnest and friendly, and to take down a shifting dreamthing all by himself? She'd already be all over him if he wasn't a little pear shaped and they hadn't already been friends for years. Besides, right now it'd be a little awkward. He's still pretty much a kid.

Come his Alienation though, and it will be another story. She's got an eye (get it?) for future hotness, and Dio is going to grow into something special. And she'll have seen him first and be out all alone with him on his Alienation.

Everett? It's more like a feeling. He's a pureblood mage with two parents in the Ark Fraternity, but he told her he's still on the fence about joining it so they haven't snipped his ears or reddened his eye or anything disgusting like that yet. She doesn't know what he looks like under that helmet. She's not against finding out, of course...

Brom 2010/02/18(Thu)22:14 No. 135167 ID: f98e0b
File 126656007778.png - (92.49KB , 800x600 , 80.png )

She changes into civvies and heads into the observation room, where there's the usual congratulations and backslapping, as well as Dio, who's espousing about how awesome that just was, Jean Luc with his customary post match bearhug.

"Mon championne!" he shouts. "Zat vas quite zer display you put on for us. Devo..."
"Dio," says Dio.
"Dio here was stunned. Zis is apparently his first time watching a battlemage bout. Very keen on learning about zer suits."
"It was like, whoosh!" says Dio. "And then there were like lasers or something and an explosion and it was action movie shit in there," he says.

"Mon students tell me zis boy took a dreamthing down by himself," says Jean Luc. "You must drag him here more often, chére. He'd be a hell of a battlemage, I am thinking. And ve vill prepare him for his alienation better, no?"

Well nothing would be hurt getting to know the guy a bit more, right? Why would they mutilate him anyway

I dunno; you call him short all the time but I bet Dio could kick your ass. Like right now.

>>135165
I wonder if we could persuade Everett not to join the Ark Fraternity somehow. On the other hand if you start a relationship with him then break it off to get with Dio, that could turn him the other way and he'd join the Ark Fraternity with revenge or something in mind.

>>135167
Jai, if genre-savviness helps even a bit it tells that people on the edge of joining a dark evil organization with questionable moral values that practices forbidden rituals will usually join said organization in the end; unless they're actually a main character who's trying to infiltrate said organization to destroy it from within/they're having a moment of weakness.

This doesn't bode well for that Everett dude, either way.

>>135169
To be fair some would consider the occulous to be mutilation I would recon. I mean... normal people do some weird shit to prove they are 'in the club' so you know wizard initiations, sects, and clubs are just plain freaky as hell.

>>135176
Also... yeah... this voice agrees.

>>135167
You know getting Dio into the battle mages doesn't sound like a completly bad idea. It should make him alot more competent to handle any physical dangers of the alienation and he pretty much already seems to have the tricky mind stuff down.

And it might be a good idea to befriend Everett. Maybe not intimate friendship but getting to know him a bit more and see what he thinks of the world.

Suggestion 2010/02/19(Fri)14:20 No. 135435 ID: f98e0b
File 126661800948.png - (77.70KB , 800x600 , 81.png )

>>135169
>>135174
>>135228
Okay, so Jai will go visit Everett.
He's still in his ready room with a novel. Jai knocks on the wall and enters.

"Hey," she says.
"Srta Vostra," says Everett, shutting his book. "Hello. Uh, good bout. What's up?"

"Wazzup boi, 'dat was some schweet sparrin' junk we did back there. I liked yo' boom-flamespell thing. Wanna go an' practice some tight moves wid' me?"

Or, on a more serious note:
"Hey, nice sparring! Whatcha' reading?"

Srta Vostra? What's that mean?

Suggestion 2010/02/19(Fri)21:49 No. 135759 ID: f98e0b
File 126664494065.png - (78.10KB , 800x600 , 82.png )

>>135484
(("Señorita Vostra" was what he said technically. It's an abbreviation, sorry for any confusion. -ed))

>Why mutilation?
Arkers believe that they must distance themselves from Viddera, so they cut off the ears, the last vestiges of their former life. That's not cool at all. Jai wants to know just what exactly you're supposed to nibble on if the ears go missing. The red eye thing is just for show, she suspects.

>>135472
"Sweet sparring we did back there," says Jai. "The fire thing was crazy."

"Crazy of me to try," sighs Everett. He's got an accent. Jai likes it. "That particular trick involves tearing a piece of your soul off and spiralling it into Hell."
"Wow."
"Yeah. I'll have to go get that back, later. Well hey, it sounded impressive when I said it, but it just took one bitchslap to send it awry." She hears him give a sudden sharp intake of breath. "Did I say bitchslap? I just meant, I didn't mean you're a, um, it's the kind of slap, not that you are a uh."

Jai laughs. "Relax, Everett. I get it. If you'd been this jumpy during the bout you may have won." He laughs, nervously. "Whatcha reading?"

"This?" He shrugs. "It's Rillo's A Treatise on Visions for the Future of the Magi. Ark stuff. There's a quiz to get in and it's a big part of it."

Ask him how serious he is about joining those guys.

>>135759
"So... you decided to join? I hear these rumors about them..."

Brom 2010/02/19(Fri)22:38 No. 135799 ID: f98e0b
File 12666479032.png - (75.55KB , 800x600 , 83.png )

>>135764
>>135768
"So are you gonna join the Clan of the Earless?" asks Jai.
"Well, I mean I was thinking about it," says Everett. "I hear if you go Ark Fraternity and the combat magic class you can effectively count it for both colleges and double your credits that way for an entire year. Plus I've got lineage in it, you know? My parents really want me to join."

"It's just that you hear stories, Everett. There are these rumors about them..."

"Yeah, the ear thing's kind of weird, I guess, but it's like an initiation. It's a place where you can belong, you know? I don't know a lot of people here besides you guys in the Combat Classes, and that's just because we have bouts all the time..." he laughs ruefully. "Typical spooky thaumaturges, right? Ark's, you know, they look after you. And I heard a lot of those stories are just exaggerations anyway. Yeah, I was thinking of joining."

>>135799
"Hey, if you want I can introduce you to some of my friends. You don't have to rely on the Ark Fraternity. We can look out for you."

>>135799
Fraternities don't really offer you the sort of kinship you're looking for. They require you to change and alter yourself to fit in with their requirements and preferences. It's very easy to find that you've lost yourself in your quest to find where you belong. It isn't true companionship, and it isn't worth it.

Sounds like he needs some more friends. Tell him thaumaturges don't need to be creepy, just socialize a bit more.

I suggest not being too antagonistic toward the Ark Fraternity, or else he might feel that he has to choose between them or us.

>>135810
That's a bit long-winded. Let's shorten it to "Just don't change who you are, okay?"

>>135825
Make a good point, but I have a feeling if he joins he won't have much of a say in the matter...

>>135825
This.
We sound like a chick tract, a sure way to make someone try it out of spite.

>>135799

You heard all those stories were exaggerations, but you also heard all those stories. It's all stories really. All we know is you're about to hack off your ears for the purpose of joining with some people who want you to hack off your ears.

I mean there could be a reason for it. Feel free to convince me of it. But if all you got is that you kinda sorta heard someone say they take care of you, you better do some more research.

Just because you lost a bout doesn't mean you can't protect yourself, nor that you can't learn to protect yourself. If this Ark group can do that for you, it's your choice, but make sure you know what you're getting into.

So many people I've known went to their doom just because they figured the stories were just an exaggeration, and didn't look further...

>>135799
Offer him friendship in the form of an invitation to a party that you haven't planned yet. Just make it something a bit informal with people in your corridor.

Brom 2010/02/20(Sat)14:35 No. 136077 ID: f98e0b
File 126670530750.png - (67.35KB , 800x600 , 84.png )

"Just don't change who you are, okay?" says Jai. "Some people prefer you this way."

"I'll um," he coughs. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Hey. Listen." says Jai. "Me and some friends from my Common Room were going to hang out at this place off campus this weekend. You wanna come along? Maybe introduce yourself to some people who can still hear you okay? Unless you're feeling too Spooky."

"I'd like that," says Everett, smiling probably.

Okay so now Jai needs to plan something.

>>136077
Well get together a couple of friendly people then and make some plans.

>>136077

nice

Rent suggesters from VoL to plan the party.

Brom 2010/02/20(Sat)16:50 No. 136217 ID: f98e0b
File 126671343912.png - (138.62KB , 800x600 , 85.png )

As much as a room full of horny animals sounds, er, memorable, Jai is pretty sure she can handle this one.

She steps out of the arena into the night. There's a knife-sharp wind rolling in from the Amaranthine, taking with it the smell of the ocean. It's cold, but Jai stays out for a while, looking up at the glittering lights of the Arcanopolis, their reflections playing off the black eyepiece of her helmet, replacing the stars that linger behind the low heliotrope curtain of cloud. Then, humming tunelessly to herself, she turns for her common room and sleep.

>>136217
'night, Jai.