Let The Games Begin

[magicademymods]

February Event and Intro Log Orientation Week/Magic Mayhem The campus of Diatu Magicademy stretches out before you, confused and chaotic and surging with energy. Where are you headed? To your dorm or suite, to get settled? Maybe you need some food now? Wherever you head off to as your first stop, you have to deal with the snow. Helpful or proud students are passing out various magical remedies to get you where you need to be -- umbrellas with a nasty tendency to dump snow directly onto other people nearby, an iron tube that projects fire but appears to have no off switch, snowshoes that keep you slightly too high off the snow and thus provide no friction for stopping... Familiar Follies Familiars do not harass or harm each other as a rule -- but that doesn't mean they have no pecking order, and the week of Orientation finds them all jockeying for status and position as suits them. This can take the form of pranks, displays, competitions, or simple physical assertiveness towards each other. The goal is simply to be seen as superior by the student body. New wizards especially may find themselves surprised at this behavior of their familiars... Research On the Sundered With the arrival of the Sundered come those wizards engaged in research on their presence here, now set to investigate what brought them here and how to get them home. All Sundered students are asked to meet with representatives of the research team, to introduce themselves and relate what they will of their homes. In addition, the team requests samples of blood, hair, and skin -- carefully magically collected, and the researchers will sign in the presence of the Sundered a Glyphed contract that forbids them from using the samples for a purpose they know will be harmful. (They quite understand your reasons to be suspicious of this collection! And they will not compel anyone who refuses even given these conditions.) Furthermore, they request to perform a few spells on you for testing purposes. It is, quite regrettably, possible that if you consent to this testing, you will come away with a temporary side effect -- a slight change of hair color, traveling two steps for every one you take, one hand moving about a second behind the arm it should be attached to, or being ridden by a penguin. No need to worry, these changes won't last more than a day! Wonders Await Diatu Magicademy is open to you in all its glory. Have fun!

Comments

Research

[logdates]

[The spells Peridot agreed to undergo in hopes of getting a way home figured out haven't started yet, so she's able to answer Eleven with ease.]

The whole reason we're here is to go home, right? Or something like that... So if it'll help with that, I don't see the harm.

[bearshermark]

[His stomach churns at the thought. If they could send them back now, he'd rather not go. Shoulders slumping, his fingers curl around his baldric. Erdrea's Luminary was weak.]

Will that be soon, do you think?

[logdates]

[Peridot is still working out how to read people - she can tell something's changed in Eleven's demeanor, and in a negative direction, but she's not sure what to make of it.]

I really don't know. It depends on how much effort everyone puts in - and on how capable they are, I guess.

[bearshermark]

[He nods and stands a bit straighter. He'll just have to work hard at his studies on the chance they figure it out quickly, but he selfishly hopes it takes at least a few months]

Are you looking forward to going home, then?

[logdates]

[She hesitates.]

That depends. If the magic gained here is something we'll retained, I want to learn more first.

[Also, she'd be going back to a probably-doomed Earth. So that's something to consider.]

[bearshermark]

Yes, I agree. [What would be the point, if not? This must be Yggdrasil's will, to grow stronger in this place.]

I think it will be interesting to learn. I've never been to school before.

[logdates]

[Peridot smiles lopsidedly. Steven may not attend school, but she's under the impression that most humans - and things like them - do at some point in their life. It's nice to have common ground with someone so seemingly different.]

Neither have I. I admit that being taught isn't - well, I don't like the idea that much. But sometimes it's not so bad. I'm hoping this will be such a time.

[bearshermark]

[Eleven returns her smile, feeling better for the conversation already]

I believe it will be. Are you interested in any sort of magic in particular? There seem to be different types.

[logdates]

Modification. [The answer came easily.] Intimation is the magic of the House I've been assigned, which also seems interesting - it's based around knowing things, after all - but Modification seems the most practical.

What do you think?

[bearshermark]

[He grimaces and fidgets with his bag and baldric]

Modification seems like it would be an exceptionally difficult magic to master. Intimation and Thaumaturgy are closer to what I'm accustomed to using.

[logdates]

That's part of the appeal, if you ask me. Not only does it seem very helpful, but mastering it will prove my competence with magic.

[She tilts her head... The grimace, unlike Eleven's earlier expression of discomfort, did catch her attention.]

What's wrong? If I had used magic before, I'd be happy. It'll make all of this easier. You should be happy.

[It's not said with judgement, just a great deal of confusion.]

[bearshermark]

[Eleven tips his head, equally confused]

No, I just mean I would have a hard time with it. I can count, but.. well, I'm not a scholar.

[He hasn't had any formal instruction, like he said. His mom taught him what he does know and mathematically speaking, it's down to counting coins well enough to trade]

If it's something you can do though, that's good.

[logdates]

Well... I guess we'll have to see if I can do it.

[Her confusion is overpowering her usual pride, which is a sensation she's come to loathe.]

Numbers are easy, though - I mean, once you learn them. It's all logic and rules. There are few factors that really change once you figure them out. Sometimes if you add science in, it's trickier, but strictly mathematical things? They're not hard.

[bearshermark]

Maybe it looks harder than it is.

[Certainly the last time he'd seen a book with formulas and explanations his head began to spin]

Perhaps you could show me sometime.

[logdates]

Oh!

[She smiled with pride at the idea of getting to instruct someone.]

Yes, of course I could! Absolutely!

[bearshermark]

[He grinned.]

Thank you. Maybe all I need is someone to explain it well.

[logdates]

Yes, well, I can do that. I can definitely do that.

[A beat.]

You told them your name is Eleven, right? Mine's Peridot.

[bearshermark]

[His smile blooms]

Yes. I'm glad to meet you, Peridot. I look forward to learning from you.

[logdates]

I'm glad to meet you, too! And to be teaching you. I think we'll get far.