hadriel | video | forward dated to april 4th

[ thankfully, the partying has finally died down. ciri has actually been able to enjoy some restful sleep in silence without the sudden explosions of fireworks or the deep bass of constant music. she still looks tired but settles the device in a safe place, sitting back with her silver sword in hand and carefully beginning to clean the blade. ]

A lot of us here have powers. Magic, alchemy and other such skills but I find myself curious. Has anyone else suffered having their powers taken from them? I've only had a portion of mine fully removed while the rest has been... dampened, I suppose.

[ she's pretty sure she knows why she was stripped of a portion of her powers. after all, it wouldn't be good if she could just leave this world when they were clearly brought here for some reason. still, she is curious if it was this 'door' or those 'gods' that are the cause. ]

Also: there are those here that wish to learn how to wield a sword, yes? I can help with that if you're serious. I can also teach others how to make bombs and potions. We had many potions back home that proved useful against monsters and other beasts, I am hoping they can prove useful here as well.

[ there's a move to end it but she pauses just before— ] And my name is Ciri.

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Hi. You look as bad as I feel.

[ she hasn't even attempted to train or go hunting today. her arms feel too sluggish, swords heavier than normal and honestly? ciri would rather just sleep for another day or two. ]

No magical skills needed, thankfully or else I wouldn't be able to brew them myself. All you need is patience and a strong stomach.

[ Gansey manages to smile, but even that looks tired. Under ordinary circumstances he would be horrified to look like this in front of anyone. These are not ordinary circumstances. ]

Would you believe I spent most of yesterday asleep? I can't believe I'm still tired.

I definitely have patience. As for a strong stomach, I'll admit it's not particularly strong today - [ thank you, Delight ] - but I think I can cope with it. I'd love to learn.

[ she chuckles, nodding. ] I do not blame you. I am sure that most of my time yesterday was also spent sleeping. I have never been so happy for silence.

But it is good to hear. I would love to teach others these recipes, especially if it can help keep these monsters at bay and away from the city.

At least I'm not the only one.

[ She seems so nice. Gansey is not a fighter, and he knows it. He knows he wouldn't be particularly good at that, even if he tried.

But potions are a different matter. If they could help keep people safe, it would be very important to him. ]

What can these potions do? Are they a way of warding monsters off, like...garlic for vampires, for example?

Mm, I am sure my bed and I shall be good friends for at least a week.

[ thankfully, that's where she comes in. like back at kaer morhen when the wild hunt attacked, they all had a task and worked together. the same could be done here too. ]

Not quite, they're used in battle as a more effective means of fighting monsters. Coating weapons with them beforehand will give you the upper hand, causing more damage and hopefully ending the fight faster. For example, the ones we use when fighting vampires is made from ducal water and dog tallow. [ ah, right— ] There are more powerful versions of each too, of course but... I figure we start simple and see if they even work.

Oh.

[ Says Gansey, with a tone of mystification, because what on earth is ducal water? That doesn't exactly sound common. Maybe it's what she calls Holy Water.

He rubs the back of his neck. ]

I have to admit, I didn't think I was a beginner at this. I've been studying magic and ley lines for years, but I've never even heard of ducal water. Or dog tallow, for that matter.

It's quite alright. We must all start somewhere though I must admit that the term ley lines are not familiar to me.

[ she'll have to consider making a guide for alchemical items as well. ]

Ducal water is a very strong alchemical solvent and it can be easily made from all this alcohol we have laying around now. Tallow is simply rendered animal fat, typical made from suet which is... well, it's the harder fat like what is around the kidneys.

Edited 2016-04-05 04:52 (UTC)

Animal fat.

[ Gansey sounds thoughtful, and folds his arms. ]

Would the monsters themselves work for that? I must admit that this is all becoming very gory, but they're the closest things to animals we have.

Ley lines are concentrations of energy, is the easiest way to put it. They form in lines, connecting places across the earth. Are you aware of...places of magical significance? Places where that energy seems stronger than others, in your world.

Most definitely. Assuming they are related in some way to what we need then it shouldn't be a problem. I've gathered dog tallow from werewolves for example.

[ hmm. ciri raises her hand, settling it against her chin and pondering thoughtfully. ]

It sounds rather like our intersections. They are places where the power needed to harness magic is strongest and most accessible but we have places like what you speak of as well. Old places like the temple where I studied or the garden dedicated to Freya on Hindarsfjall.

Yes! Exactly like that. Intersections isn't such a strange term, anyway.

[ Gansey shrugs, definitely enthused. He'd made a habit of collecting names like that when he was younger. ]

They have other names where I'm from, too. Corpse Roads, for example, because ghosts are drawn to them, too. It makes sense that there'd be a temple there. And especially a place dedicated to Freya.

[ A pause. ]

If...it's the Freya I'm thinking of. Norse goddess?

Mm, they are hard to find for people who are not inclined to magic but if you know what to look for then it's a little easier. Trees that have dried up, gnarled plants or places avoided by all animals except for cats.

[ cats and dragons but details. ]

Norse? Another unfamiliar term, I'm afraid. She's worshiped primarily by those that live in Skellige if perhaps that's familiar to you?

[ Gansey thinks of Cabeswater, and the draining effect the ley line had had on the land while Kavinsky overused it. ]

Plants tend to be involved. I’ve seen it be good for them, though, unless there’s something…out of balance, I suppose you’d say. My friend Adam knows more about that than me.

[ Or more accurately, he understands it better, owing to his personal link with Cabeswater. Gansey stops short of talking about that; he keeps his friends’ secrets. At her question, Gansey’s tone turns skeptical. ]

There’s the Skellig Islands, near Ireland. They wouldn’t worship Freya there. I think…your world must be very different from mine.

Where are you from?