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[evocation]

Hey. Uh... I've never posted to the network before, huh? I'm Kyna.

[Kyna helpfully wiggles her fingers in a little wave. She's very clearly some kind of elf, with pointy ears and all.]

So, my magic's back, which is good, since a lot of things want to fucking kill us here. Anyway, I'm offering lessons or whatever. I'm an evocation wizard, which means I know a lot of spells that blow shit up, but I know defensive magic too, if that's your bag. No healing spells, though. Find a cleric for that.

Oh, yeah, this probably goes without saying but, you know, bloodthirsty assholes need not apply. If I've heard sketchy shit about you I'm not teaching you.

[She pauses for a moment, head tilting as she thinks.]

Yep, that's it. Let me know.

Comments

[pellameno]

I'll be right over, then.

[ The feed switches off, and it's not long before there's a knock at Kyna's door. Pell's wearing his Kakkahaar-gifted cloak, a full length hooded garment the color of sand that's been enchanted against both heat and cold. Both suns are out right now and he might have been a desert boy but even for him this planet is a bit much. Still, he's tanner than he was when they first met. And more tired-looking. ]

[evocation]

[Kyna opens the door, and almost immediately, a large dog tries to wiggle past her, panting happily.]

Uh, hey. This is Lando.

[pellameno]

[ Oh my god this dog is as big as him. A year ago he might have been intimidated but now he's spent enough time looking after Winston that he can read this giant's body language to see that he's harmless. So he kneels down in the doorway, opening his arms with a bright smile. ]

Hey Lando. C'mere. [ There is a very real possibility the dog is gonna just knock him over. ] Someone's a happy boy, huh?

[evocation]

[This is a very good or very bad idea, depending on your perspective. Lando takes the invitation and rushes forward, licking Pell's face sloppily, tail wagging.]

Careful. He'll never leave you alone.

[pellameno]

[ He doesn't seem to mind, sinking his fingers into Lando's thick fur and scritching behind his collar. ]

There are far worse things. How's he handling the heat?

[evocation]

He hates it. I've been letting him swim in some of the pools, and that sort of helps. I've got a couple of ice spells, too, so sometimes I'll make a patch of ice for him to lay on or whatever.

[Lando pants happily, maybe in agreement or maybe because of the petting.]

[pellameno]

Poor baby.

[ Seems like they're managing, though, that's good. Lando gets a bit more love before Pell rises to his feet again, aiming to come inside properly. He definitely has a 'talking to the dog' voice like he's used to dealing with one. ]

There's more where that came from, don't worry. Back in, go on.

[evocation]

Come on, Lando.

[Lando does as he's told, and Kyna leads the way into the apartment.]

So what do you wanna do?

[pellameno]

[ Pell wipes the remnants of dog slobber off his face and comes in, shedding the cloak. What to do, hm? ]

Maybe you could explain how your magic works first? I've got limited experience with "spells."

[evocation]

Yeah, sure. It's not like... You know, chanting and cauldrons and stuff. Spells are just specific things you visualize, and usually they have the same effect, but if you get good enough, you can alter them or whatever.

[pellameno]

Maybe we aren't so different after all, then. What do you visualize, just what you want to do?

[evocation]

Yeah, basically. Is that what it's like for you?

[pellameno]

Pretty much. It's almost entirely willpower. In theory if we can imagine it we can do it, but everyone has different inclinations.

[evocation]

There are spells like that where I'm from, but they're really difficult and dangerous to cast.

[pellameno]

How are they any different?

[evocation]

Uh, I mean... It depends on what you're trying to make happen. Like, altering reality or whatever, you know?

[pellameno]

I've never encountered that sort of thing before... I don't think. If anyone could do it, it would probably be Thiede.

[evocation]

Who's Thiede?

[pellameno]

Thiede is... well, he's certainly the most powerful of our kind. I've heard that he's more than just that but don't really know what's true. If he's really the Aghama -- the first. What I do know is what he's capable of, and no one should have that kind of power. That sort of control.

He incepted me, and I'm grateful he can't reach me here. For awhile I was considering just not going home, ever, to get away.

[evocation]

Oh. But not anymore? Why not?

[pellameno]

[ That's a complicated answer, and Pell doesn't really know where to start explaining. But he does know what the deciding factor point was. Cal coming back from thirty years ahead of him, already having suffered all of what they were trying to avoid. ]

...Cal.

[evocation]

Uh... What?

[Sorry, Pell, she has some catching up to do.]

[pellameno]

[ In response he just shakes his head, looking sad. ]

My chesna. In humans terms a lover, but there's more to it than that. It's not a happy story, though, and he's gone home now.

[evocation]

Oh. Shit, I'm sorry. But at least you'll see them when you go back home, right?

[pellameno]

That's a complicated question. I guess the answer is yes.

[ He motions for Lando to come back over, then, and reaches to pet the big dog on the head. ]

Let's just say I had some very good reasons to not want to go home. They just don't matter anymore.