Harlan Halliday (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ghostlocked) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
hadriel2018-12-04 07:38 pm
ghostlocked) wrote in hadriel2018-12-04 07:38 pm
Entry tags:
♫ video
[Behold, a unicorn: Harlan making a public post that isn't text. What he's got in mind is more of a show don't tell thing, so it's necessary, although it's pretty clear he's not comfortable with this video thing. He's sitting on his couch with his phone propped up on the coffee table, and he's got a glass of water in his hands.]
Hey, good news, I have a spell that'll help everyone out while we're stuck here without gods. It's one of the first spells they teach you when you're a kid where I'm from. I'm thinking most of you should be able to pick it up pretty quick. It's called Prestidigitation.
[A beginner spell with like the most tongue-twistery name in the entire spell dictionary. He holds up the glass.]
It's your basic catch-all spell and you can do a ton of shit with it, but mainly, you're gonna be able to change the temperature of shit. Small shit, though. Your workable area is about a square foot, give or take, and it doesn't work on anything alive. Look.
[The water in the glass starts to boil. It doesn't look like he's done much to it—this spell is second nature to him anymore, so he doesn't need to put much effort into casting it. He sets the glass down on the table.]
Right, so... Go get your own thing of water, I guess? I don't fucking know. This is so much easier in person. Okay, uh, so magic is just another type of energy, like heat or electricity. The difference is that magic is malleable. You can control it. With a spell like this, it's all about visualization. You want hot water, so you're sort of willing the water to heat up by channeling the magic into it. It's not gonna work on the first try, but keep at it. It takes focus and confidence. If you're having trouble, scale it back, or try freezing the water instead of heating it.
[He belatedly realizes he's supposed to be demoing this, so he gestures to the glass and, ta da, there's a soft tinkling sound as the steam dissipates and the water freezes.]
Prestidigitation can clean stuff in a similar way too. If you're going insane because our showers are out of commission, this spell is gonna change your fucking life. Let's see, uh, you'll be able to start a fire, flavor your coffee, conjure hand-sized illusions... It all works on the same principle, though. Picture what you want to do and will the magic into doing it for you.
[He snaps his fingers and now there's a flame in his palm and he feels infinitely goofy for putting on a magic show on his couch. Hopefully it's helpful stuff, though.]
If you have questions, let me know. If you want to learn other shit, I'll link my spell list and we'll talk. Cool. Later.
[And he's shutting off the feed. Thank you for coming to his TED Talk. As promised, he does attach his spell list for anyone interested in further magical pursuits.]
Hey, good news, I have a spell that'll help everyone out while we're stuck here without gods. It's one of the first spells they teach you when you're a kid where I'm from. I'm thinking most of you should be able to pick it up pretty quick. It's called Prestidigitation.
[A beginner spell with like the most tongue-twistery name in the entire spell dictionary. He holds up the glass.]
It's your basic catch-all spell and you can do a ton of shit with it, but mainly, you're gonna be able to change the temperature of shit. Small shit, though. Your workable area is about a square foot, give or take, and it doesn't work on anything alive. Look.
[The water in the glass starts to boil. It doesn't look like he's done much to it—this spell is second nature to him anymore, so he doesn't need to put much effort into casting it. He sets the glass down on the table.]
Right, so... Go get your own thing of water, I guess? I don't fucking know. This is so much easier in person. Okay, uh, so magic is just another type of energy, like heat or electricity. The difference is that magic is malleable. You can control it. With a spell like this, it's all about visualization. You want hot water, so you're sort of willing the water to heat up by channeling the magic into it. It's not gonna work on the first try, but keep at it. It takes focus and confidence. If you're having trouble, scale it back, or try freezing the water instead of heating it.
[He belatedly realizes he's supposed to be demoing this, so he gestures to the glass and, ta da, there's a soft tinkling sound as the steam dissipates and the water freezes.]
Prestidigitation can clean stuff in a similar way too. If you're going insane because our showers are out of commission, this spell is gonna change your fucking life. Let's see, uh, you'll be able to start a fire, flavor your coffee, conjure hand-sized illusions... It all works on the same principle, though. Picture what you want to do and will the magic into doing it for you.
[He snaps his fingers and now there's a flame in his palm and he feels infinitely goofy for putting on a magic show on his couch. Hopefully it's helpful stuff, though.]
If you have questions, let me know. If you want to learn other shit, I'll link my spell list and we'll talk. Cool. Later.
[And he's shutting off the feed. Thank you for coming to his TED Talk. As promised, he does attach his spell list for anyone interested in further magical pursuits.]
no subject
Unless she was already in the Speakeasy while they were texting, Harlan beats her there. He's gotten even lazier with his teleporting around town since the city ended up in the tundra. Like hell he's going to fuck around in the cold if he has a better option.
He's secured them a little table off to the side. He's not drinking anything, but he has procured another glass of water. He's just messing around on his phone when she arrives, but he puts it away and waves to her when he spots her. He assumes it's her, anyway. He's never actually seen her.]
Hey.
no subject
You're here!! Hellloo!!
[ She places her hand forward with a high five motion. ]
Gimme a high five.
no subject
But it's just a hand, and it's a quick thing, and it's easier to oblige than to explain a refusal, so... He sort of awkwardly slaps her hand in return.
Phew, okay, it only spiked his heartrate like a little bit. Moving on.]
You gave me an excuse to hang out somewhere where the temp isn't below freezing. Of course I'm here. Nice to meet you in person, by the way.
no subject
[ Ruby's kind of short so she has to stand up straight to get a better view around here. ]
I feel you on that. No cold weather is good in my book. So, what's happening?
no subject
[So was the island, though. He's only happy at like one very specific temperature. Anything outside of that is bullshit.]
Teaching you magic is what's happening. You said you wanted an in-person demo.
no subject
[ Ruby folds her hands together and her eyes light up with excitement. magic!!!! ]
no subject
[He gestures to the glass of water he's got sitting on the table, and after a moment, steam starts to rise and bubbles form and then it's boiling. Ta daaa. It's the same thing he just did over the network, but it'll be easier to teach in person.]
You want to give it a shot?
no subject
[ She's not well trained or knowedagble. Is there going to be a problem? ]
no subject
[He pushes the water toward her.]
no subject
I'm...not supposed to do that, right?
[ nope. ]
no subject
It's not required, but you do you. Whatever helps you cast. Everyone's got different methods and shit.
[Sort of.]
no subject
[ She can stay cross eyed later. ]
What do you do then?
no subject
[More people should adopt ridiculous poses and shit when they cast, probably. BE A TRENDSETTER, RUBY.]
I don't really do anything. Sometimes a little wave or whatever will help to direct the spell. I don't know. It's not something I think about very often.
[But clearly he should, so he pauses to think about how he casts his own magic. These days, it's a lot of teleporting and texting without taking his phone out of his pocket, so nothing interesting to report there...]
Oh, uh, so I used to play baseball as a kid? I know a spell that conjures balls of ice or acid or whatever, and I guess sometimes I throw that like it's a baseball. It's fun.
[And slightly silly, now that he thinks about it.]
no subject
I just hope I can do it this time. Wanna see if it does any good? I'll give it one more shot buddy.
[ And she shoots him a thumbs up.]
no subject
[He hopes Ruby's style of magic catches on. Everyone around town doing anime poses and shit to heat up glasses of water sounds excellent. He wants to live in that world.]
You've got this.
no subject
[Ruby stands on one foot and holds her arms up awkwardly. She holds her breath for a moment and then somehow it works?? The water's changing into a warmer temperature. ]
Was that good? How did I do?
[She looks down feeling unsure.]