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Post by Mahrak on Jan 30, 2018 21:29:45 GMT 1
Now that was a mysterious statement if there ever was one. Mahrak raised an eyebrow at Flint, tilting his head in an inquisitive manner. "What other things? What did your lands hold?" He didn't know if he should be worried at this. Something that could make one choose to be separated from all other elves - what in the world could that be? And could it get here? Mahrak couldn't quite put a finger on why, but the way Flint and the cat-elf spoke of their homes seemed off in some way. That they'd all been taken here by magic was strange, but understandable - they were in one place and had been moved somewhere else. Mahrak was quite sure he'd heard of the High Ones having that power, once. It was fairly snowy here, it seemed, though not as cold as the Far White, so they had to be far away from his old holt, maybe as far as a moon of traveling. But to hear Flint and the cat-elf talk, it seemed they'd...gone farther than just traveled away from their birth places. How odd... Flint's description of war was horrifying. Endless fighting...no, that was too harsh to imagine. "I'm sorry to say it, but from the way you tell it, it almost sounds lucky you ended up here." He wanted to ask Flint about 'becoming part of the landscape' - maybe it was a more delicate way of describing the body returning to the ground after death - but was too intent on the questions Flint was asking the cat-elf (via translation) about the word 'slave'. Keleero's explanation had made things clear to a point, but Mahrak still couldn't make sense of it fully. The half-cat's name was close to impossible to pronounce. Also, it wasn't her name? It was something else? Maybe? "It will take me some practice to pronounce that, I fear!" There were several words after that which Mahrak couldn't put into context, despite Jaseio 's translation help. He decided to ignore it for the time being. They'd likely have the time to talk things through in more detail eventually. "So humans have no magic? But they are still dangerous?" Well, bears and avalanches were dangerous too without magic. "Could someone share what the humans look like with me? I wouldn't want to accidentally run into one while out hunting. " The others being elves, no matter how strange some of them might look, Mahrak just assumed they all knew how to send. On instinct he reached out toward the half-cat, sending here merely the feeling of curiosity, the wish for more knowledge, and the word "human". OOC: To simplify things for us all, I'd say that Sending transcend language. In other words, if SL2657F sends to anyone or receives a sending, she should be able to understand the thoughts being shared with her. I know her sending skill is weak right now, but it could be good for the future, and explain how SL2657F (re)learns Elvish fairly quickly (if that's your plan, Panda).
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Post by Keleero on Jan 30, 2018 21:33:12 GMT 1
If Keleero didn't feel the urge to learn all he could about the half-cat's people - how they'd fallen under the humans' full control, how far away they may be - he would have excused himself from the room. The thought of elfin children being made half-animal, raised to be under the five-fingers' command from birth...unspeakable!
He did his best not to show his discomfort, letting the newcomers speak among themselves with the aid of Jaseio, biding his time. At least the big cat monster Mahrak had brought with him looked pleased enough with sleeping.
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Post by SL2657F on Jan 31, 2018 4:40:33 GMT 1
OOC: Agreed, except that she doesn't know how to send. She blocked herself off from receiving at a very young age, and as I understand it, it's not something you have to consciously do. Correct me if I'm wrong...
SL2657F thought for a moment, before she began to describe humans. "<Taller than I am... bulkier... square features, round ears. Five fingers. They have five fingers on each hand. Their voices are rough sounding.>" She didn't realize that 'share' meant to send. Since she'd never sent before in her life and had blocked the ability to receive, she didn't even think to try. "<I do not know if I am... lucky... to be here. If they find I am missing and alive...>" Her hand went to the device on the back of her neck again. "<I best... sleep away from all of you. You do not want to see...>" The last execution she had witnessed was of a young boy. He couldn't have been half her height and only in his second or third year of training. He had shown a lot of promise but had a rebellious streak. One that had gone noticed.
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Post by Flint on Jan 31, 2018 20:24:26 GMT 1
Oh, how much he could tell about his strange home! It was hard to believe even for himself, all the more with a real safe and normal place to compare. He settled on a vague enough answer, fearing they wouldn't trust any of his stories to be real if confronted with the full distorted reality. “Crazy things, that won't follow known rules. Magic and remains of human technology, everything thriving and intermingling with nature and wildlife – changing things in the process. Making things new.” Whatever the other imagined probably didn't come close to the truth. “General advice was not to trust anything. Not even yourself.” Flint had more trouble with trust in magic, but he wouldn't vote to be unscathed himself. There just was no way to know until it was too late.
War sure was a terrible thing, but Mahrak hit a sensitive point there again – Sapling. “This...” he gestured vague to their surroundings. “...is the first place I've ever been to, that feels safe” It was hard, not to mention again that his brother was left behind, not to scream at them that it could as well be a death sentence, that the chance he'd see him again were slim – not their fault. And useless to act up, if it wouldn't change a thing. Somehow he was glad to be gone from that dying planet, but Flint would rather go back than leave his brother to a fate that might be worse than death.
The cat-like one explained further and it seemed that a slave wasn't the same concept as whatever happened at his home. Well, he had just wished for a word, he didn't get the whole thing about control and commands. Ivy had be rather lax with that, warning them and telling everything he knew, but leaving the decisions itself to them, even if it meant harm. She had stopped interventing and helping once they had experienced a thing – already preparing them to live alone. “Couldn't you've choose something... easier as a name?” he asked puzzled. Other people, other habits, but the young one barely knew how he should call her if the need given. Shouting it out in syllables? Shortening it? Go for gibberish with similar pronunciation?
He listened close to her description of humans, just in case. The next day could bring anything and the young one wouldn't be much surprised if the walls started talking tomorrow and the magic dropped of creatures that resembled humans, but had been plants to begin with – all happened before. Back on Oblivion thought, but better not taking any chances with that magic running rampage that got him here in first place. Yet he creased his brow at whatever SL-not-prononceable implied there. Not that he had fought humans before or had much intention to do so, but he wouldn't just let them take a fellow elf against its will. With his fire magic, he could give almost anything quite a hard time.
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Post by Mahrak on Feb 8, 2018 22:03:36 GMT 1
OOC: Agreed, except that she doesn't know how to send. She blocked herself off from receiving at a very young age, and as I understand it, it's not something you have to consciously do. Correct me if I'm wrong... OOC: That works perfectly fine! I just thought she could receive sendings since her CIS listed her Elf-Sending magic as "extremely weak...Currently could only send to someone probably in the same room" - but her not hearing sendings is of course okay too, just like the Sun Folk didn't know how to send but learned later IC:Mahrak tried to concentrate on the half-cat's description of humans, but was too shocked at what happened when he tried to send to fully take in what she was saying. It felt like he'd come up against a wall - like shouting in a cave, with only echos for answer. He tried again, reaching out only with a feeling, and met the same effect. Blinking in pure shock, Mahrak sat up straight and fixed his eyes on the half-cat (whose name he could barely remember, much less pronounce). Flint was talking about something - about how strange his homeland was, how this was the only place he'd felt safe, a comment on the half-cat's impossible name - but Mahrak couldn't quite make himself pay full attention. In a brief moment of silence, Mahrak took the chance to ask the half-cat: "You can't send?" On instinct he reached out to the other elves in the cave, a brief mental touch just to acknowledge their presence. To send was so purely elfin that he'd never in his wildest dreams imagined meeting elf, no matter what blood they shared, who couldn't touch minds with others. So strange!
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Post by Keleero on Feb 8, 2018 22:35:34 GMT 1
Already knowing far too well what humans were like, Keleero paid more attention to Flint's description of his homelands. They sounds...terrible, as vague as his words were. The Beacon was enough broken magic for a life time, though it wasn't the only magic gone bad that he'd come across in his long life. But whatever he'd been through, it sounded like Flint had seen far worse.
Keleero was almost tempted to ask Flint further questions, to start figuring out if there might be a kindred soul present, careful and cautious - but Mahrak's revelation about the half-cat cut that impulse short for the moment. Mahrak brushing against his mind almost made him start. Such a free touching of minds was becoming familiar to him, but to have a complete stranger reach out so suddenly was shaking.
Covering his unease with a blank mask, Keleero echoed Mahrak's question, with additions: "Elves where you come from cannot send? Flint, can you send?"
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Post by SL2657F on Feb 10, 2018 7:50:15 GMT 1
OOC: I apologize for the lack of clarity. Since sending is a forbidden thing where she's from, elves actively block it. She is able, once she learns how, but it is very weak as stated on the CIS. May improve down the line.
SL2657F didn't understand Mahrak's question and it took a few clarifying translations from Jaseio before she understood it was the mind-speech that was forbidden by the Empire. She shook her head and explained. "<It is forbidden in the Empire. We... would be executed if we were caught doing it. When we are very young, we are taught how to block it by the elders.>" She wasn't sure how else to explain it. "<It is one of the forbidden... magics? Is it magic?>" She had no understanding of sending, or even how to unblock herself from it. It was unconscious instinct at this point.
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Post by Flint on Feb 10, 2018 13:09:51 GMT 1
He was too concentrated on his explanation to notice that Mahrak did barely listen. Well, it was not meant for the redhead alone, but everyone here, if just to understand him better. But it irritated even him, that the cat-like one didn´t seemed to be able to send. Ivy had taught him, because it was the one way of communication nature couldn´t imitate and to be at least a bit prepared, if this Recognition, this forced relationship, should ever happen to them. Still he flinched upon the brief touch from Mahrak, unused to it.
Flint nodded slightly at Keleeros question, but figured it´d need some more explanation. “I... Mother taught us. But there wasn´t much use for it, with no one else around – I´ve got a headache from it half the time.” Which probably was just a result of no training on both sides and not an sign for incapacity. “It... it was different with Sapling, thought. More... closed?” He had no words to explain that certain feeling, just knew it was different than the ping from the redhead.
OOC: Just to avoid confusion – Flint can receive and send at an average level, but he doesn´t even know there are different kinds of sending, let alone what role Soulnames play in it.
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Post by Mahrak on Feb 12, 2018 21:12:51 GMT 1
OOC: I apologize for the lack of clarity. Since sending is a forbidden thing where she's from, elves actively block it. She is able, once she learns how, but it is very weak as stated on the CIS. May improve down the line. OOC: No worries! Just wanted to explain why I'd misunderstood IC:Mahrak breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't run in to the mental wall among the other elves. Keleero felt closed off, somehow, but he'd definitely received the sending. Seems I wasn't so wrong about what makes one an elf. The idea of not being allowed to send was too horrible to comprehend, so Mahrak brushed it aside, like he brushed aside Flint's apparent unease with being touched. "Closed?" Mahrak commented on what Flint voiced about his experiences with sending. It took him a moment to figure out a way to respond to that. ~**Oh, did you mean sending only to a certain person, unheard by others?**~ The sending was causal, not seeking deeper contact, making sure to signal that he wasn't seeking longer mental contact. A locked sending was his best guess at what Flint had meant with a sending feeling "closed", and he was curious if he'd guessed right. But he was a little distracted by Jaseio 's finished translation of what the half-cat had asked about sending. "I wouldn't say that sending is magic, no more than talking is." Mahrak shook his head. Sending was too every day, too natural to him to ever be thought of as magic. "No, this is magic." He uncapped his waterskin and, preening, made a string of water dance out of it, curling around his hand and arm like a snake.
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Post by Keleero on Feb 12, 2018 21:39:35 GMT 1
Keleero stood frozen by horror at the lives Flint and the half-cat were describing. The life their words hinted at made Steepside Mountain seem almost restful, which was chilling and nauseating both. Wherever in the world the newcomers had appeared from, Keleero hoped it was far, far away.
The first thing to take Keleero fully out of his stunned state was Mahrak's display of magic. Not that it calmed him down any - another rival magic user wasn't quite the added complication he'd hoped for. That said, he hadn't exactly hoped for more people to appear in the first place...
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Post by SL2657F on Feb 13, 2018 2:31:40 GMT 1
SL2657F was trying to keep up with the translations, but was clearly starting to fall behind, a confused look coming across her feline features. It was, however, when Mahrak began to shape the water from his skin that she actually reacted, jumping back as if she expected to be bitten by the water, as if it were a snake. On instinct, her hand went to the device on the back of her neck, her eyes glancing around. Was this a trick!? Were they watching!? She almost looked horrified.
OOC: Sorry it's short.
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Post by Flint on Feb 13, 2018 20:40:18 GMT 1
Flint didn't flinch again when the redhead simply demonstrated his understanding of a closed sending. ~**Yeah. That one.**~ he replied, mimicking how it felt to figure out how it was done. It still wasn't entirely the same as their special calls, but he put that aside. Probably it was just because he was used to Saplings presence and hadn't used this ability much at all. His frank attitude showed even more in sending, showing no hint of closure, the fear for his brother well-being, the flashing anger, all his worry and irritation. Not that he intended to show all this, it just happened.
That Mahrak used magic without any worry almost got him jumping too – at least, his magic feeling proved to be still working, warning him seconds ahead. Barely enough time to prepare, to stay calm. He didn't like it anyway, eyeing it warily, as if Mahrak played with some highly dangerous animal without knowing a thing about it. Water, of all things, was something the young one rather avoided, albeit he was somewhat glad to have someone here, who could counter his fire, should anything happen. “You should be careful with that” was his cautious suggestion to the redhead. “It might eat you” How could he be this light-hearted around magic? Didn't they teach about the dangers of it where he came from? About how it could change and consume anyone daring to touch it?
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Post by Mahrak on Mar 19, 2018 20:05:13 GMT 1
Startled by the strong reactions to his magic, Mahrak lost control of the water, sending it splashing down over his skirts and the furs. He bit back a curse and called the water back, draining it from his clothes and guiding it back into its waterskin. Putting the stopper back in, he looked up at his audience, feeling too confused to be hurt by this outright rejection of his magic.
"Careful?" Mahrak asked Flint, while eyeing the cat-elf's defensive position with suspicion. "It's just water! Water can't eat anyone." He gave a half-hearted laugh, the atmosphere in the cave outright oppressive at the moment. "You can drown in water, of course, but..." He wanted to explain how his gift lessened the risk of that, and wanted to assure everyone that he'd do nothing harmful with his magic, yet the moment very much didn't seem right. "Uhm...have you had bad encounters with other watershapers?"
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Post by Keleero on Mar 19, 2018 20:19:03 GMT 1
Keleero too was startled by the half-cat's extreme reaction to Mahrak's magic. He chose not to show any reaction, however, thinking it was best to stay neutral. It sounds like Flint might have a more healthy approach to magic, unlike so many other elves Keleero had met until now, outside of Steepside Mountain. However, he chose to say: "Magic can be dangerous, at times. You haven't experienced such things?"
Keeping an eye on the half-cat (he really needed to ask her name again, because it had fully escaped his memory) Keleero made sure to walk - not float - a little bit away from the other elves in the room and touched the wall. He was prepared to show his own gift, if that would calm things down, but he wasn't sure if this was the moment for that.
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Post by SL2657F on Mar 20, 2018 6:18:45 GMT 1
SL2657F looked between the others, unsure if she should mention what would happen to those who used magic and those who were unfortunate enough to be in their presence when it happened where she was from. They didn't seem to understand what it was like and for her, it was difficult to explain. How does one explain the way things... just... are? She slowly let her hand fall from the device on the back of her neck, eyes still flicking around nervously, she chose, for now, to remain silent.
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