First Steps

[Andrea]

Strait from the Aediles office, Andrea hurried across the city to the Training district. For one of the first times in his life, Drea was a little giddy with anticipation. It was the first time that he didn't know what was going to come next. The first time with nobody looking over his shoulder and helping him when he messed up.

The giddiness showed through, to everybody that he passed on the way to the Academy, Serale!

In the heart of the city, rising tall over the wide streets of Nexus Prime, reside three towers of unmistakeable beauty. They are set on several acres of well tended lawns and gardens and rise high into the clouds, piercing them with their elegance and power.

Silvery strands connect each tower to the next, gossamer walkways that link each building as a whole. They span at great heights and thus cast no shadow upon the ground far below, so high and fragile they appear to be. The towers themselves, made from granite and layered in a crystal that sparkles with all the known colours of Alleria (and perhaps some that aren't), blaze beneath the midday sun, a myriad of ever-sparkling colors that lights up the sky itself.

These are the great Rainbow Towers where arcana is taught and studied, learned and mastered. Here, some of the greatest masters of their kind gather and teach those seeking the Gift, or Curse as some may call it. To nurture and develop their fields of study is their united goal, so that their power lives on in the knowledge of fine minds throughout the Empire long after their physical forms turn to dust.

Admittance to the ranks of the accepted was a stringent process, and receptionists were renowned for their uncanny (and even maddeningly frustrating) ability to weed out the prize few from the rest of the candidates that passed through the Tower halls. This was made all the more unnerving by the fact that the Towers went through receptionists faster then one could give money to a dwarf. One would disappear and another would simply take his or her place, and with each new face, a new set of requirements popped up, a new test of wills that was to be bested before one could gain entry.

The latest installment of clerks at the front desk was the youthful looking woman sitting behind the beautiful dark wood desk, her head buried in some obscure tome of knowledge. Stacks of paper were littered across the writing surface, along with a scattering of inkwells containing feathered quills.

Looking up hastily from her book, the ebon hair that had been dangling freely over shoulders fell into her face, obscuring her features and partially hiding her dark, wide eyes from view. Quickly adjusting her robes and pushing her hair back over slender shoulders, her thin pink lips broke out into a girlish smile at apparent embarrassment for being so unprofessional. Clearing her throat, she sat up straight and give a slight nod to the new entries. Her eyes seemed red around the edges, as if she had been crying lately.

"Serale. Is there a way I could be of assistance to you today? If you are an aspiring student we offer two fields of arcanic study: Mysticism, the art of the mind and Sorcery, control the very fabric of magic itself. So, then, what can we do for you?"

A small sign next to the desk read:
400 - Initiate, without room and board
700 - Initiate, with room and board

600 - Apprentice, without room and board
900 - Apprentice, with room and board

700 - Journeyman, without room and board
1000 - Journeyman, with room and board

OOC: Credit for the description go to Labyrinth and Darkmavrck, edited slightly by Grim.

As he walked onto the campus, all that Andrea could do was to look up and around at the entire place. He had seen the towers and the rest of campus before, but that was as somebody with no hope for life. The new Drea saw a world of possibility in everything around him. Granted, as life and studies hit him hard, his attitude would probably turn back a little pessemistic, but for now he was on top of the world.

Serale! cried Andrea as he met the young lady behind the desk, deep in a book. Andrea didn't notice it yet, but the academic type women were more attractive to him.

My name is Drea, Andrea rather, and I was wondering to whom must I speak to start down the path of a Mystic?

ooc: who do I need to talk to to get a GM?

[Skay Ravendi]

OOC: I will be moderating you, because GD Grim is busy

Susan Marie, the clerk who had been working in the Towers for several eras, was quite happy to see a new face. "Nice to meet you, A... Drea." She said with a shy smile, unsure how she should call the human. Humans were nice, they were not like those pesky gnomes that blew up her cake with a spark spell yesterday evening. Yes, humans were better. Then again, there was that Thomas Dones, who was always teasing her about her hair. What was wrong with her hair?! Nothing. And yet he dared to tease her. Every single morning...

"If you wish to learn mysticism, Basic Initiate as far as I understand, then I just need your visa and 400 crowns if you won't be staying in the Towers. After that you'd have your first lesson..." Her head darted into the ledger as she shuffled through a few pages. "Tomorrow at dawn." She said beaming with a huge smile, which made her look a bit prettier, but also a bit scary. For some... strange reason.

"Does that suit you? If so, room 101 in the Tower of Mind, tomorrow at dawn." She explained and flashed the scary smile again. There was just something about Susan Marie. Perhaps it was the amount of brooms that she kept in her room. Or the number of cats that she fed every evening, never in the morning mind. Or perhaps it was this grin. But there really was something

[Andrea]

OOC: Thanks

Drea's semi-grin that had been plastered to his face since he had left the Aediles office diminished slightly at the somehow off-putting smile. He was sure that it wasn't her, but the smile reminded him of the con-artist and crooked businessmen that had frequented his family's shop. They all had something going on deeper, behind the facade that they presented to the world. But the young lady wasn't like the businessmen, she couldn't be.


Actually Ma'am, I believe that I will be needing a room. You see it started a few years ago... Andrea faded off realizing that he was starting on another of his rants that lead to no where. This young lady obviously didn't want to hear his entire life's story.

ooc: please see the aediles office thread for more of the back story.

[Skay Ravendi]

Susan Marie stared at the man. Then blinked. Then blinked again. "Started a few years ago..?" She thought to herself and then her mind began to jump to conclusions. Dragons, knights, damsels in distress. Yes! Susan Marie in distress and a brave knight of noble blood... nono. She shook her head. Not the time to think about that. And it couldn't be polite to ask a man to tell his story if he did not want to tell it, right? Or maybe he even had amnesia which kicked in in the middle of the conversations!? Then she was better not to talk to him much more as not to catch such a horriblze disease.

"Right so. That will be 700 crowns and you'll get a room for as long as you'll study here." She said and waited for the money, the visa and a signature. She did not care either way if students applied to have a room or not, the extra money did not go to her anyway. And besides when there were more students, she had more pranks thrown at her. Maybe it was because of the number of cats she fed every morning. Hmm.

She wondered though if Andrea was a noble. It was usually the nobles who studied in the Towers, since they had the most money to spend on such things and the most time. Other people could rarely apply to have a room in the tower. Though the rooms were quite wonderful. Nothing spectacular, but the neighbourhood rooms were filled with other arcana students, so it turned out into an interesting community and a bad day for Susan Marie. Whichever way, Andrea would get a key to one such room if he paid the whole sum, or no key and the same date and room fpr his first lecture.

[Andrea]

700 crowns...

Luckily Drea had not stopped at the Bank since he came from the Aediles office, and if he kept spending like this, he might not need to. Digging through his pouch, Andrea picked out the largest denominations, so that this girl wouldn't have to waste too much time sorting through the coins. Giving the girl his thanks, Drea took his key and headed off to his room.

OOC: just running right into the next morning.

Room 101... Room 101, where is it? Either some mystic is playing a trick on me already, or I have gone completely insane, but I cannot, for the life of me, find room 101.

Finally after stopping to consult a hurried looking student, he was pointed in the right direction for his first day of training.

Finding the room, Drea staired, for only a little bit, at the impossing looking doorway leading to his future. Of course the door was not inpossing at all, but Drea was at one of those moments in life where you know its going to be different. (OOC: Just think about the first day of University)

It's all come to this. thought Drea as he opened the door into the room.

[Skay Ravendi]

OOC: Yeah, I remember my first day in Uni. Damn I loved that time ^_^ BTW you're suppose to remove 700crowns from your profile. Though I noticed that you have 500 and a room. You can switch the room into 1000 crowns. So if you remove the room, then after the transaction that leaves 800 crowns for you

The door was... made of wood. And that was all worth of noting about it. Oh and the handle, well it was made out of metal. There was also a tablet with an inscription "101" hanging upon it. As for finding the door. It was in fact impossible to find the door before the time for the lecture came. Every tower has something special about it. It was said that in the Tower of Mind, where mystics lived, one could get lost forever or climb the stairs and find no end to them, but just take a step down and he'd be back at the first floor.

And the door... well it was invisible mostly all the time, except for five minutes before the agreed time for the lecture. And it was so that it appeared when the first sun rays began to shine upon the rooftops. The inside of the teaching room was nice as well. Though things worth of noting were its size, it was at least four times larger than the rooms where the students lived. Then there was a window at the back, rather large too. A desk near the window with a human sitting in an extremely comfortable armchair, behind the desk.

There were lots of flowers all over the place, some going out of the walls, some in a more normal way planted in pots. There was also a bookshelf with various books and scrolls, mostly about arcana. A chair not too far from the table and a few pillows in one corner. And that was all about the room. As for the human, well that was the Master. Apparently. Thaddeus Dircombe. "Serale, Andrea." He greeted his student with a smile.

He was perhaps not the largest man. What he, in fact, was was a very, very short man. Though, if anyone were to call him a midget they'd miss the point. He wasn't that. He was just... short. Perhaps as if to make up for it he wore boots with large, wooden soles. There were other things about him that made him worthy of notice though. He did not wear the robe of one of the students here, he wore what appeared to be a set of rather muddy green clothes, with leather gloves running up all the way to his elbows, covered in what appeared to be some kind of green muck.

"Please, take a seat." He said pointing at the chair. "And tell my, why you chose to learn arcana, and why mysticism? Also, how do you intend to use these powers in the future? And lastly what do you know about arcana in general?" A tirade of questions perhaps. And they all needed an answer, while the human remained calm and smoked a pipe, which... gave a smell of chocolate to the air.

[Andrea]

OOC: Sorry its taken so long, RL

IC: Drea wasn't too suprised when the master, at least he supposed the man was a master, knew his name. Even if he did't use some Mystic trick, Andrea had signed his name in that girl's book yesterday when he signed up for these classes.

Andrea had a quick look around the room as he entered, the sun light filled the entire room and the plants, both on the walls and in the holders, seemed to be soaking up all the sun light that they could. When the curious and rather short master started asking his questions, Drea assumed that he could take a seat.

"Well, why I wish to learn arcana and why I wish to learn mysticism are all rolled into one. I find nothing more interesting than the mind, whether a human, elf, dwarf, dracon, or what have you. When I was younger, I used to watch the businessmen that frequented my father and wonder at what was really going on behind the facade that they presented to those they did business with. I guess that I also feel that Mysticism is purer and requires more mastery than the other spheres of arcana. While users of the other spheres are concerned with the needs of the present and the near future, I believe that mysticism is more for those who wish to better themselves through knowledge. ... I am also not a war loving person. I have seen others who have learned their craft to help on the field of battle. Mysticism seems to be more for those who specialize in diplomacy, those who use their intellect to prevent war."

There Drea went rambling again. His father once told him that people liked short answers, that they didn't like to hear somebody preach to them. Of course Andrea tried, but often failed in this lesson from his father.

"I guess that as far as what I want to do with Mysticism, it is still up in the air. I first wish to better myself, then use that knowledge out in the world. My knowledge of arcana is limited to what I've heard from those who frequented our family's shop. Mainly I know the main spheres of arcana and that it takes one many eras to become proficient in the art."

[Skay Ravendi]

Thaddeus nodded a few times, even frowned a few times, but let his student finish without interupting. When he did however, the master said his piece. "You are wrong to think that other spheres are better or more powerful for combat. While it is true that they can be used in combat, but a rare mage does that. Thoumaturgy is primary the art of healing. But mysticism has a lot of spells that can harm the mind and which brings me to the second point." He inhalled a bit of smoke from his cigar and puffed it out soon enough.

"You say you want to peek into the mind of others, to know what they were thinking. How do think you'll do it? By going into that merchant's mind with a spell huh? And don't you think that this is against the law, or if not then agaist morals? Or do you plan to ask people if you can peek into their minds?" The master said with a wink and it was obvious that he wanted to hear back Andrea's response. Debates always interested Thaddeus. Maybe even more than his garden.

After hearing the responses the master continued. "Tell me, have you heard about a technique called Unbinding? For it is how our true lecture is going to start." He said with a slight grin upon his face, though it was hard to notice through all that beard that decorated his face. Though he did seem kind even with such a huge beard and still, nothing like a dwarf.

[Andrea]

"You say you want to peek into the mind of others, to know what they were thinking. How do think you'll do it? By going into that merchant's mind with a spell huh? And don't you think that this is against the law, or if not then agaist morals? Or do you plan to ask people if you can peek into their minds?" The master said with a wink and it was obvious that he wanted to hear back Andrea's response. Debates always interested Thaddeus. Maybe even more than his garden.

Andrea didn't know what to say. He didn't want to disagree with the master, and get on his bad side already, but Drea thought that Thaddeus had missed his point.

"Well, I don't think I said that I wanted to peek in their minds, or know what there thoughts were explicitly. But as far as being against morals, I don't believe that anybody has ever mastered their particular craft without bending some moral rules. I've seen it many times in the mercentile districts, often times the only thing that seperates a master craftsman from those who wish to be, is the master's little secrets about how he came up with the dwarven or elven steel for the perfect ax, or that light peice of wood to make the best bow that one can. As for a mystic, how is he supposed to advance in his craft? I'm sure that there is only so much that one can learn from studying the minds of those who willingly participate."

After hearing the responses the master continued. "Tell me, have you heard about a technique called Unbinding? For it is how our true lecture is going to start." He said with a slight grin upon his face, though it was hard to notice through all that beard that decorated his face. Though he did seem kind even with such a huge beard and still, nothing like a dwarf.

"I've only heard that it is a necessary part of becoming a mage."

[Skay Ravendi]

"Well we'll see." Was all that the master replied to the human. He gave a faint smile and then rose from his chair. "Well, if you are preparied, I am going to unbind you. That means that from that moment you will be able to see and sense arcana. You'll be able to be a mage. Even after that, you shall have spells imparted in you, and you won't be able to choose another sphere basically. Unless if you shall wish to be of all level in them. So you'll be able to be only a great mystic, but never anymore a great sorcerer."

"Now would you please move over to the corner with the pillows and place yourself comfortably on them." The master asked beckoning his student to the room's location where a lot of pillows were placed on the ground. "I should warn you though, that it is possible that during the process of Unbinding, you might feel pain or other uncomfortable feelings. Just as well there is a chance that you will not be Unbound. There are people that just cannot be unbound. Though we do not know the reason why. Aaand... there's a small chance, a minimute chance that you might die. But that's not going to happen! Soooo, are we ready?" The mage said the last quickly and flashed a grin.

If Andrea agreed and was ready then Thaddeus would lean over his student and touch him with a finger onto the forehead. After that a new sensation overflowed the mind. It seemed that something was crushing the skull, trying to tear something out of it and it hurt. The vision blurred and Andrea could see the master just barely in just a few seconds and then he lost consciousness. The master watched his student fall down upon the pillows and went back to the desk to have another smoke and read a book. He knew that Andrea was unlike to wake up earlier than in a cnadlemark, maybe even five.

OOC: Last para applies only if you agreed to be Unbound of course If you did you are free to roleplay Andrea's Dream. It can be anything about anything. It's your Unbinding Dream Have fun!