A Mystic in training (Ledome please)

[Catalyst]

Timestamp: To be determined by Ledome

When Ledome arrived at her classroom, she found the door standing somewhat ajar. "Come in! Come in!" said a friendly and curiously faint woman's voice.

Looking inside, Ledome would see a potted ficus tree of good size standing by the window. A little house was built on a branch at a height of about 5 feet, and on the porch of this house was a tiny desk, behind which sat a pixie, shuffling papers about the size of the end of Ledome's thumb.

"Ah, you must be Ledome! Have a seat and let's have a little chat, shall we? Tell me something about yourself, and why you want to learn Mysticism."

[Ledome Balorenge]

7th of Ioannes
in the Longest Winter,
Era XVI pf
(afternoon)

Ledome came back in the afternoon, entering the impressive black and red building once more, but this time only greeting the receptionist and continuing towards the staircase. She figured out the system of the room numbers and found the room of her teacher rather quickly. There she paused at the doorstep, peaking in and wondering whether she should enter the classroom or wait for her teacher to appear.

She jumped a little upon the voice and placed a hand at her pounding heart for a few moments. Then she did as the voice told her and recognized the little house at the ficus. So a pixie was the teacher! Ledome stepped closer, adoring the petite desk and writing tools, and warmly smiled at the pixie. “I am, nice to meet you, Miss Morning Glory.”

Her dark hair fell into her face when she gave a small nod. She had hardly changed anything about her appearance since inquiring about lessons earlier on this brightening. Still she wore her sleeveless blouse and her red and violet skirt and walked barefoot. Her pockets were filled with objects that were invisible to others, but well-known to herself.

She followed the offer of Miss Morning Glory and sat down at the next chair, first burying her hands in her lap, then folding them and concentrating on telling something about herself. What would be worth mentioning? “I’m really not that interesting”, she started apologetically. “I was born somewhere at the countryside of Centripax and lived many years travelling with my kumpania.” Her expression told that she loved thinking and speaking about home, although Ledome’s home didn’t consist of certain places, but rather of certain people. But her story was all too short. “At the approach of my nineteenth birthday I decided that I wanted to visit cities, talk to gaje … different people and travel on my own to learn skills I like—which doesn’t mean that I don’t respect our culture any more, kek at all! First I stayed in Natura for some months, but then I continued. Because I wanted to experience how living on an island is like I eventually came to Demios. And I find that I like it here.” It was true, she hadn’t thought about moving on since she had arrived and settled down.

After a while she remembered that there had been another question, and shrugged. “Everybody talks about Arcana as being very fascinating and helpful, and I’m very curious about it. Also, isn’t Mysticism about the mind? I hope I’ll be able to better help people with problems when knowing what is going on in their minds.” She gave a careful smile and hoped that it was true what she had heard. Still she knew very little about Arcana.

[Catalyst]

Morning Glory laughed, a musical sound like tiny bells ringing far away. "Evverrryyyoonnee is interesting!" she said "It just doesn't always seem that way from an inside view. You get used to being you and so on. Mysticism is most definitly about the mind, and it is a fine thing that you wish to help people. However, I must urge you to caution on that score, and I will tell you why."

"In the first place, you must realize that a person's thoughts are their most primal and private thing, and you should not look through them lightly. It can be a much greater invasion to read someone's thoughts than to kick open the door when they are busy in the water closet, or enjoying an afternoon on the bed with their lover. Everything they are embarrassed about it in there."

"In the second place, it is easy to fall into the habit of thinking you know what's best for other people. How easy it is to want to push the drunkard away from his drink, for example. But if you trod that path too heavily you will find that you play all your fellow people as puppets, and no good comes from that."

"Lastly, you will find that people thing intensely personal things about you sometimes- how they imagine you would look naked, how the sound of your voice pleases them or irritates them (as the case may be), and it is best not to hear all that all the time. It will make you paranoid."

"OK, let's talk about Arcana. We begin the process with what is called an 'Unbinding.' I will attempt to loosen the bonds of your mind so that it can handle and process the essence we use to forumlate a spell. Most people cannot have this done to them, and as likely as not it will be a failure. For this reason, I don't usually bother talking much about technical aspects of Arcana unless the unbinding works- it turns out to be a waste of time. If you're ready I will gladly take a whack at it. It won't hurt at all, but if you are unbound you will fall instantly asleep for a time. You'll do best to lay on that fainting couch while I do my thing."

[Ledome Balorenge]

Ledome listened carefully to what Miss Morning Glory told her about the mind. She understood that it sometimes could be a curse to know what people thought. She would have observe her own actions if she really wanted to help and affect someone. So, she had to remember to be careful about firstly embarrassing or embarrassed thoughts, secondly manipulating people and thirdly foreign thoughts about herself. Ledome nodded to herself. She could keep these three points in mind. In fact a mental note should remind her to jot them down as soon as she was at home again.

However, Miss Morning Glory went on about something called ‘unbinding’. It sounded a bit confusing, but Ledome was willing to at least give it a try and lay down on said couch. She didn’t close her eyes, but rather asked with furrowed eyebrows: “Is it dangerous? And how do I know the difference once I’m unbound?” Her instructor had mentioned loosening some bonds—but what did that mean in particular? Ledome wanted to be informed about the process before she agreed to it.

[Catalyst]

Morning Glory had raised her hands to begin the unbinding procedure, but when Ledome asked her questions she lowered them again. "Is it dangerous? No, not really. Hardly at all in fact. I almost wish I could say that it was, as danger would keep the dabblers away. Nothing is ever completely safe- you could be trampled by a horse crossing the street, or some crazed clown could hit you in the face with a pie that was still hot from the oven. We've never had anyone hurt from the procedure at this college, it's mostly just a case of it working or not working."

"As far as how you'll know, well, the first sign will be that if it works you will fall asleep and have what we call an "unbinding dream." These dreams can be prophetic, or instructive, or just nonsense, but they are always very intense. The second sign will that that I'll tell you if it worked or not, which is pretty straight forward. Lastly, if it works you will be able to achieve a medatative state called "clara" in which you will be able to percieve the essence that makes up the world around you. It is in clara that we cast our spells. But if I unbind you and you never bother to learn how to go into a state of clara, you won't notice the difference. It isn't going to change your brain in a scary and fundamental way."

If Ledome wished to continue, Morning Glory would flutter near to her head, and touch her gently with her tiny hands. Ledome would be propelled instantly to sleep.

OOC: If you want to go through with it, you can do your unbinding dream in your next post. It can be anything that you want.

[Ledome Balorenge]

Ledome laughed at Miss Morning Glory’s examples of danger. She really was relieved to hear that the unbinding wasn’t dangerous, because she had also heard some scary stories about unskilled mages and numerous things they could do wrong. Usually they hurt themselves, some badly, some not so. Nevertheless stories existed, and Ledome remembered them.

But her instructor’s explanations really helped to set her at ease. Her body relaxed, releasing any subconscious tension it had held by then. Miss Morning Glory could see that she was ready, and then she felt the touch of her tiny fingers and quickly fell asleep …

“I don’t understand why magic is so interesting, kek? You don’t even know anything about it!”

Ledome found herself sitting in front of a boy she had used to play with and talk to when she had been young. Around 9 or 10 ordinations, perhaps. She thought about the question. “Just because I don’t have any knowledge about it, it’s interesting! New things need to be explored.”

“But it’s much more comfortable to just stay at home and live with our familiya. Nobody would ever harm you here. I promise!” The boy sounded serious, despite his apparent youth.

Ledome shifted uncomfortably. The conversation started bothering her. She had been asking herself the same questions again and again. She hadn’t come to an answer. Her instinct had decided in the end. “I know. Still I can’t stay”, she said softly.

The boy started to cry. “I don’t want you to go!”

She reached out to stroke his dark chocolate hair, but as her hand touched his head, he vanished. Everything vanished, the ground, the bushes, the trees. She was standing in the middle of nowhere, and there was only white light around her. This was all very strange … “Serale?!”, she called out.

As her voice echoed through the white nothingness, it changed. She was standing in the middle of a cobblestone street and many people were rushing past her. She was pushed around, could barely remain on her bare feet. They would trample on her, kill her with their hard boots! Finally she fell to the ground.

Voices of countless individuals were echoing inside her head, penetrating it until she thought it would explode. So many voices! So many different emotions, and all of them at the same time! There was joy and laughter and satisfaction, but also—and much more stronger—sadness, anger and even rage. All of those emotions flowed through her, affected and influenced her. She was torn between laughter and angry growls. Pain rushed through her brain. It would explode. She would explode. It was unbearable.

Was that really going to happen?

She hadn’t realized that she screamed until she found herself sitting at Miss Morning Glory’s couch and … screaming in shock and pain.

Trying to breath evenly and calm down she looked around. “It was just a dream, right?”

[Catalyst]

"Woah there." Morning Glory said in her best soothing voice. "Yes, it was just a dream, you're OK. And congratulations! You're unbound! Soon you will be a mystic."

Ledome felt a great tiredness, a weariness that soaked through to her bones. Morning Glory assured her that it was normal to feel that way, and in a minute a servant entered the room, carrying a tray of sandwiches and a pitcher of fruit juice.

"If you wish to tell me about your dream I will listen, although many people like to keep these things private. It is unlikely that I will have anything profound to say about it but you never know your luck."

"You should eat something now to help you regain your strength. I will lecture as you rest."

“Now, let us speak of the mechanics of Arcana. The process of spell casting is both simple and strange. Because your mind has been unbound, you will be able to enter a meditative state called ‘clara,’ in which you will perceive the essence of the universe in its fundamental nature. Essence is the term for the energy that makes up everything- you, me, trees, buck-toothed giraffes in top hats, everything. The pattern of essence that makes up a thing is called its ‘Vis.’ It's sort of like the recipe for a thing.“

“The process of casting a spell is done like this: First, you obtain pure essence of the sort associated with your school of magic. Second, you shape it into a spell. In order to do this, you have to combine it with your personal essence; your vis. Then you cast your spell…” Morning Glory struck a dramatic pose with fingers outthrust and a eyes bugging out “…and you are done.”

“The first problem is finding essence. When you have gone to clara you will see that there is quite a bit of free essence about, but it is impure and of the wrong sort of our purposes. What you need is the good stuff, which comes from the plane of mental energy. Your mind can find its way there from a state of clara, and send essence back to your body.”

“The how’s and wherefores of casting a spell are rather complicated, and at your level we largely bypass them. Instead, I have implanted spells in your mind, so that they will seem natural when you go to cast them.”

“So now then, we shall try for clara. Or rather you will, I’m rather good at getting there and do not require practice. You must let your mind be at peace, and be open to the perception of new things. Before I said that you would see the essence of the world, and this is usually the case, but there are some who sense it in other ways; hearing or touch or even taste. In any event, you will know when you get there.”

[Ledome Balorenge]

The soothing words and voice of her instructor calmed Ledome down a bit and she concentrated on her breathing for a while. Inhale … exhale … Soon she found her eyelids heavy, rubbed them and couldn’t suppress a yawn. Oh, apparently this process had been very tiring for her body. She wanted to sleep …

However, she caught the words ‘unbound’ and ‘mystic’ and instinctively smiled. So Miss Morning Glory had been successful! That was a good thing to hear! “Thank you for doing this to me”, she whispered and looked at the tiny fae.

Then juice and sandwiches were brought in, and Ledome eyed them with a bit of doubt. She wasn’t entirely sure whether she would be able to eat something after what had just happened. Still she didn’t know what had exactly happened! Nevertheless she swallowed a few mouthfuls of the fruity juice, then fidgeted with the glass in her hands. Should she tell Miss Morning Glory what she had experienced? Well, it wouldn’t hurt her, would it? And after all, the fae was the instructor during these lessons and could probably provide her with help or advice. It was even possible that she knew what the dream actually meant for Ledome had not the slightest clue. So she started to explain, very briefly: “I don’t really know what happened or why it happened … I was back at the kumpania and a friend talked to me. He didn’t want me to leave … and then I was at a crowded street, and all that people were so loud inside my mind … I couldn’t bear it, I really couldn’t stand it any more. They were just … loud, and they hurt my mind so badly … I don’t want that to happen.” Her eyes avoided the gaze of the fae, wandering aimlessly through the room. Confused.

When Miss Morning Glory started to tell her something about Arcana, Ledome tried to listen, to understand what she said. She sensed that it was important for her study. So there was clara, there were essences and vis that was a pattern of different essences … like a recipe? She smiled at that image.

And for casting a spell one had to do … “Obtain essence, mix it with my vis and shape it into a spell”, she mused to herself to remember it for later. She would have to write everything down when she was back at the vardo, so she didn’t forget any important detail.

For the first time she believed it would be best if she concentrated on reaching clara, right? “So that state of mind I have to enter is similar to meditation, isn’t it? Misto, should I try right now?” She already felt like having regained a lot of energy—at least enough to try to reach clara. That sounded very exciting to Ledome!

[Catalyst]

"Oh! You're welcome!" Morning Glory said. "I mean, you did pay me to do it so I feel selfish taking thanks, but I really am glad to be able to help. I believe you'll make a fine Mystic."

She listened to Ledome's dream with a look of casual concentration. "I wonder if the virulence of your dream had something to do with your magic tattoo, which by the way you should have told me about before I started. It's OK, it didn't really throw me off, I just wasn't expecting the voices. What does it do anyway? That is, if you don't mind telling me."

"Yes, let's try and get you into clara if you think you're ready. I always like to make sure to get that part overwith during the first class- otherwise you'll be sure to be experimenting when you go home and likely give yourself the willies. It is quite like mediation. You want to relax your mind and allow it to percieve the world around you in a new way, which it is now capable of. As I say, you will probably see the difference when you get there, although you might hear or taste it instead."

[Ledome Balorenge]

ooc noteI'm not sure how much you want me to describe. Hope that's okay though.

A fine Mystic? Ledome felt her cheeks turning red, but managed to produce a nod and a thankful smile. If her instructor believed in her, there had to be some grain of truth in such words.

Then she gasped in surprise. „Magic tattoo? My tattoo … I mean, I didn't …“ Instead of continuing she hugged herself, trying to suppress the pounding of her heart and gently touching the tattoo at her back. She had gotten it roughly a month ago, and had thought quite often about it, but rather considered it as some god's or goddess' gift rather than magical. But was there even a border between divinity and magic? And what special powers did her tattoo possess anyway? Ledome shrugged and shook her head. Too much doubts. „I'm afraid I don't know anything about it. I got it a month ago at Morty's Parlor. It's true that it felt a little strange when he painted it on my back, but … he couldn't explain it either. Can you? Do you see something when you look at it … through Clara?“ With hope in her pale eyes she looked at Miss Morning Glory.

After the tattoo conversation, she adjusted her posture, slipped into a tailor seat and placed her palms at her knees. She was determined to reach Clara during the first lesson as her instructor had said, because she felt that it was a very important step of her training. So she closed her eyes and tried not to think … not to think … and realized that she thought about not thinking. A little smile escaped her lips, but then she started a second try. This time she just let her thoughts go by, trying to give them no attention … and then she could hear her heartbeat and how blood rushed through every part of her body … Slowly her mind emptied itself more and more.

However, Ledome was a thoughtful and mind-driven person and had to wait a long time until her mind was perfectly cleared of everything. But when she had finally reached a state she had never felt before she opened her eyes—and heard the heartbeat of magic. It sounded like someone playing the drums in some way, yet it didn't it. There was more, an ancient power vibrating with every beat. The beat of magic …

And then it was gone. Ledome sighed, realizing that thoughts had kicked her out of Clara. However, the experience had been wonderful and she couldn't help but beam at Miss Morning Glory with excitement. „That was wonderful!“

[Catalyst]

Morning Glory laughed, a sound like tiny bells. "That is interesting, if I may say so without causing offense. You got a magic tattoo and didn't know it? I've never heard the like! Didn't know they did such things at Morty's, and it's a bad business putting a thing like that on someone without telling them. I can't tell you what I've seen in your tattoo exactly since I really haven't had a look at it directly yet. It was more what I felt when I unbound you. If you'd like me to have a look I'd be glad to."

OOC: Assuming you let her look-

Morning Glory studied the tattoo for a good long time, her finger pressed to her cheek in a gesture of serious thought. At last she said "OK, I'm beginning to see what's going on here. It's not a magic tattoo. You're the one who's magic, and the tattoo has somehow brought it to a focus. Magic, or course, is the wrong term. We use 'magic' to mean reshaping the essence of the universe to our convenience. You were born with this, so it's not really a reshaping, so it's not really magic. I wish I could tell what it is you do. Something about detecting something, or being in tune with something. It's not mind magic so I can't really say."

Morning Glory was pleased with Ledome's trip into Clara. "Isn't it wonderful though? I never get tired of it myself, and I've been playing this game for a long long time. Except you heard the essence, didn't you? I don't normally read minds and I wasn't really reading yours, more monitoring your progress really. Most people see essence, as I've said. I think that hearing it is a fine gift though. If a boogie man is sneaking up on you you'll hear it." She mimicked claws and a hunched posture.

"OK, are you ready to cast a spell? No doubt you're tired, but you can probably manage one today. What I've done is implant them in your mind so that they'll come naturally to you. But for starters, you'll need to send your mind to the plane of mental energy and bring some essence back to use. The way to do that is to go to clara and listen for the way to go. You'll hear a sound that invites you and in that direction is the plane of mind essence. When you get your mind there, direct essence back to your body. You will combine it with your Vis, then shape the spell as comes naturally. Try turning yourself invisible, that's always fun."

[Ledome Balorenge]

Ledome found it strange to laugh at such a serious topic, but then the cheerful sound made her feel a little better. The faerie knew how to cheer people up and lighten the situation, and Ledome was grateful that she had come to such a friendly and understanding teacher.

Although she wanted to further explain that Morty hadn't known about the magic, she nodded in silence and removed her shirt from her back. The tattoo curled around her body like a living being, timeless, ancient and of a long forgotten meaning.

The next words sounded very important to Ledome. Her brows furrowed even more as she looked down at the little woman, and her hands clasped together. She was confused and worried. „What do you mean, I am magic? Can magic be hereditary?“ So apparently she did something – what exactly? Did she possess extraordinary powers she wasn't even aware of? That sounded like epic stories from the campfire, and she knew that during the adventure the hero (or heroine) always suffered incredible violence. But she didn't want to be a hero! She was just Ledome, a Gypsy on a trip around Aelyria.

Nevertheless she wanted to know more about that magic she seemed to possess. „Do you know someone who can tell me more about … my magic?“ She sighed. So odd to describe herself as magical.

Indeed, Clara was an amazing experience, and Ledome already looked forward to the next time when she would manage to achieve it. She nodded at Miss Morning Glory, approving that she had watched her during the process. „Yes, I've heard it … like huge, powerful drums. Fantastic.“ And 'fantastic' wasn't even the right description, because the feeling couldn't be described – neither with Common nor with Aire words.

She laughed at Miss Morning Glory mimicking a boogie man, but soon got serious when she explained the process of shaping a spell. To her it sounded a bit complicated, but then she just had to try, right? Nodding once more, she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself until hearing the drums again.

After a while she had achieved Clara and just let her mind flow on a wave of music, of melody, to that certain place … Indeed it was full of Essences. Ledome tried to embrace some of it, wrap sound around it to bring it to the material world. Then she imagined it vibrating through her body with every beat, merging with her own Vis and affecting her body … until she was cloaked in a deep, vibrant sound that made her invisible. She opened her eyes and raised her hands to look at them.

[Catalyst]

To Ledome's question, Morning Glory said "Hmm...how should I put this. Do you know how Dracons can change their shape? That's sort of a magical ability they have. You're like that, only you're not a dracon and your ability is something else. I suppose it probably is hereditary in some way or another. Or perhaps one of more of the gods did it to you for some reason while you were still in your mother's womb."

"I'm not certain who you would see to learn more. You might try at the Paedia, they have all manner of experts there. If you were really desperate you could go to Incarri and visit the hall of the dead, it is said that the dead have knowledge that is beyond the living. I don't especially recommend that though, who knows what would happen? I imagine you will learn on your own in time."

***
Morning Glory was thrilled with Ledome's spell. "Yay!" she said. "That is just the thing, you are very invisible indeed. We're going to let that be the end of the class today, and give you time to recover. If you want to roam the streets invisible a bit I highly recommend it, it is an interesting experience."

The spell had taken quite a bit out of Ledome, and with the unbinding it was probably just as well that she had a chance to rest up. The walk home seemed longer and more arduous than it had coming in.

As she was almost home, suddenly everything changed. It was sudden, coinciding with her foot hitting the ground. Suddenly there were people all around her. After a moment when she got a chance to think, she could see that the people were illusions, or shades or somehow semi-transparent, and as she watched they acted out a story.

A woman waited on the corner for her lover, unsure if he was to come of foresake her over difficulties between their families. She stood lost in thought and emotion, and did not notice two men who stole up behind her. The trio struggled, and as the woman was being dragged into the alley, her lover arrived, and with a flashing sword drove the men off. Together the man and the woman mounted his horse and rode to the ferry to start a new life in Trysvale.

And as abruptly as it came, the vision ended, leaving Ledome alone on the street.

[Ledome Balorenge]

Ledome carefully listened to Miss Morning Glory's advice and took in every word. She wanted to remember. There were two possibilities of seeking help: either at the Paedia – a scientifical facility which she had briefly heard of before – or at Incarri, whatever that meant. Perhaps a water city … She would remember.

After some time her mind swirled with new information and experiences, and she was glad that her teacher ended that brightening's lesson. It had also been exhausting for both her body and mind. Ledome already thought about the comfortable softness of her bed and Almari curling up at her feet while she quickly walked through the streets in cold evening air.

Suddenly everything changed.

There were people, many people all around! When she had calmed down, realized that they were only shades and therefore not able to do her any harm, she spotted a woman waiting at a corner. Almost immediately, a situation rolled out before her and she watched it, like sitting in a theater, emotionless, thoughtless. After the woman and her lover were gone, leaving her alone once more, thoughts slowly returned.

Who were they? Where they real, did they live in Trysvale now, or were they of the past? She had heard of other Gypsies who were susceptible to some sort of visions … but she had no clue how to cope with them.

So she simply walked home and fell to sleep.

The next brightening she returned to the tower and decided to tell Miss Morning Glory about the happening. Probably it had something to do with her strange magic – or Mysticism. She peeked in and called out: „Serale!“

[Catalyst]

When Ledome arrived at class, she found Morning Glory lounging on the leaf of a potted plant that sat on the window sill. She was gazing out the window and humming a song to herself, the perfect image of contentment.

"Serale!" She said. "Are you ready for class? I hope so, because we're going to do some serious casting today. Or you know, maybe frivolous. Let's not tie ourselves down to anything this early in the schedule." She noticed the look on Ledome's face.

"Did something happen? Do you have juicy gossip to tell me?"