Splitting spells - RPLOG
Participants
Date
19/7/477
Log
"I appreciate the offer, Anya, but you have a lecture to host. You aren't going to be missing anything you'd be too interested in." A wolfess's voice rings out in the halls of the academy, followed by the jingle of some keys and the sound of tumblers unlocking, Selena then moving a large canvas bag - much like the sort one would use to transport a frame into the room.
"Fine, fine. You've got people coming in today as well, Selena. I'll let the receptionist know what's going on." The Salamander woman replies with a mirthful tone, looking back down the hall. "You dirty liar."
Apparently, the arrival of Selena in the academy on the day was unprecedented, leaving the unfortunate receptionists little time to react to her beyond placing notices up around the building for students or other lecturers - especially those interested in the recent developments in spellcrafting and willing to give a more physical hand to make their way to Selena's lecture theatre, the woman briefly visible moving some weights between rooms as she waits for beings to arrive.
As requested by Selena, Sveta arrives at the lecture hall ten minutes early, calmly taking a seat while she watches the demonstration being set up. Dressed semi-formally for the situation in a light red down, she gives a nod to Selena by way of greeting - never one for many words - and waits for the proceedings to start.
Cedric travels through the halls of the academy, looking for the right area upon having spotted one of the notices during his daily business. It was only by a fortunate coincidence that he had been made aware of the demonstration. The badger, at last, finds his way to the proper lecture hall and steps inside, making his way quietly to a free seat, so as not to disturb anyone.
Jera had been reading in the library when he had heard of the lecture going on. Never one to not support a friend, the kit fox brings the book he had been reading and borrows it before making his way to the lecture theatre, sitting up in front.
Natska wanders out from the back section of the library, stretching and rubbing at her eyes. She blinks as she sees Jera, giving him a little wave, and then her attention is drawn to the notices as well; after a little thought, she smooths down her skrit and makes her way to the lecture hall to sit in and listen.
Selena looks around the collection of beings present, waiting for a few minutes for interested beings to fill in the hall - a predominantly adult crowd from the looks of the others and nodding to the familiar faces present in the audience.
After a few moments, the woman clears her throat. "Before we start, I'd like to make it abundantly clear that I have asked you to come here to test something, not for my usual lectures on spellcrafting theory. If you have been misinformed, my apologies."
With that, the large sack is removed from a sheet of creator steel inscribed with complex kevinscopes, one obviously damaged section standing out from the rest. "If you are not familiar with the theories proposed for creator spells, then I will recap: Given the nature of working copies produced from creator spells, we have inferred that magic may be inscribed in three dimensions on some creator spells as well. We have not been able to test that theory due to the creator church's protective stance on relevant materials."
"However, this particular spell has already been damaged, and the metal along its corner has split slightly. I've brought the kevinscope here to be studied, and to attempt to break apart the spell to determine if the theory is supported or disproven. If there are any questions about this spell or what we are expecting, now would be the time to ask them."
Sveta shakes her head. "I've read what you've put forth about your discussion with Sinclair, although details were lacking, both in the nature and subject of the discussion. I take it that this is related somehow?
"Still, I'm quite surprised that you got authorisation to use the Academy facilities for such a...controversial activity, to put it mildly. Do you mind if I record down all that happens for the High Lady?"
The badger retrieves a sheaf of his own notes and the pen he'd received as a gift, setting them out before himself after nodding quietly in response to Selena. "No questions here." he answers, waiting for Sveta to finish speaking before doing so himself. He's familiar with the concept, of course, and rather interested in seeing what comes of the experiment.
"Sounds interesting enough. I'll see to it that house Solacious and Wirefur both is informed in absence. You don't mind that, right?" Jera asks. "They might just help pull strings or provide funding for further research." He waves back to Natska, adjusting so he sits beside her!
Natska gives Jera a friendly smile and a nod as the fox sits next to her, although as Selena starts in her ears fold back, her eyes widen, and she shrinks back into her chair, quite in over her head already. She shoots a couple glances past Jera, at the door to the lecture hall, as her tail flicks nervously... but, no, too late to bolt now. "You may have to help me with this," she whispers in understatement to Jera, as her attention moves back to Selena.
A slight murmur runs through the group at the mention of the spell at all, and a cursory one runs through the group following Sveta's comment.
The wolfess sighs slightly and rubs her forehead. "No, Sveta. This is slightly different to the subject of my discussion with Dr. Sinclair. You likely know all relevant information if you know that much."
One particularly disgruntled student speaks aloud following her statement; "What about the spell? You've told us enough times to respect our work. I will inform the church about thi-"
"I would like to remind you all that my use of personal resources is no concern of the church or the academy and that my views are not representative of the academy's." Selena replies sharply. "You are neglecting the difference between a textbook and the unknown. If you cannot make that distinction, I would refrain from making comments like that in class."
The wolfess shakes her head slightly, planting the spell firmly into the open ground constituting the majority of the theatre, placing a wedge of steel into the crack along the top of the spell.
"Jera, there is no need to inform house Wirefur; I have seen to delivery of my research to the relevant academicians in Cliffside." She responds. "I do not give anything that could be weaponized to warmongers, whether the Wirefur's public stance is for or against their actions." Another murmur runs through the theatre, some students shaking their heads and others seeming complicit with her comments.
"Is this going to be safe?" A middle-aged anole asks - perhaps a lecturer or an honors student - "We've discussed creator spells several times, and you mentioned that some store their spells until used, after all."
The wolfess smiles somewhat at the comment and stands back up to address the class. "There is some risk, as with all creator spells. But this is an agricultural one - I published my paper on what this spell does; there is no risk of it exploding as such. However, it IS a creator spell. There's no way to know for certain at this stage. Now." THe wolfess places a large plank atop the wedge and flashes the group a smile. "If anyone would like to give me some help with this, I would appreciate it. I don't think I'd be able to put enough pressure on this myself, after all."
Sveta nods and sits back. "Very well. I'll keep an open mind and simply observe. At any rate, this should be interesting. If nothing is gleaned from this exercise - well, that is something to be learned, too."
"I might be able to assist, though I'm not sure that'll be enough." Cedric answers, rising from his seat and glancing around at the others in the hall to see if anyone else is up to helping as well. He sidles out from the seating area to approach, if allowed to do so.
Jera leans in, distracted with whispering to Natska. "That's Selena's life work. She's one of the best spellcrafters about, and she discovered a three dimensional magic spell. Quite magical." He's frowning a little at Selena's refusal to cooperate with foreign nobility, but doesn't bother her further.
Natska's ear twitches as people voice their concerns and complaints, and she makes herself relax. She nods at Jera's whisper and then, as there seem to be few volunteers leaping to their feet to help the wolf, the stakes a breath and rises to her feet. She makes her way to the central area, fingers clenching a moment at the fabric of her skirt, then gives Selena a small smile and a quick nod. "I will help."
Selena gives a simple nod to the Goshawk. "An apt observation. One that I wish more of my students made." The wolfess ushers in the badger as he moves from his seat. "I'll need more than one being, he's certainly right. I don't bite, despite what some beings may have told you." she chuckles, drumming a hand against the top of the plank as she waits for any others to come forward. "Ah, you as well. Thank you, please come forward."
"Now, there's a few ways we can go about this. pushing on the plank, putting large objects on it... And so forth. At the very least, if the wedge moves farther in we should be able to take it to the stone floor and break it apart there. If there will be no other volunteers, I would like to hear what you both think the best option would be. Remember that we are dealing with a creator spell, and damaging them has been known to have unpredictable and dangerous results. There is no incorrect answer."
Natska considers the problem before them, tail slowly swishing back and forth as she contemplates the best way to dismantle a priceless relic. "We want it to break, and not bend, to preserve whatever might be inside without stretching it," she muses. "Perhaps turn it over, so that it is sitting on the wedge. I can steady it, and you and Cedric can use the plank to apply weight to the top?"
Cedric takes a careful look at the creator spell as he approaches, nodding quietly and considering how best to break it down. "Seems like the better course of action would be to carefully apply weight to it little by little. It might take a little more time than simply pushing the plank down manually..." he says, scratching his cheek before adding. "Though, possibly less risk of danger. More carefully controlled."
Selena nods back to the Jaguar. "It would be ideal if we had a vise to steady the spell with for that method rather than a being. It can be dangerous to the being underneath if we opt to place objects on top. I'm glad neither of you suggested magical means, though - that would increase the chance of the spell doing something unprecedented." She replies, then nodding back to Cedric. "Another good point. The reason I've set the creator spell into the ground here is for the proposed stability." The wolfess gestures to a large stack of stone bricks in the corner of the room. "And we have heavy objects."
The wolfess moves over to the bricks, manually - imagine that - picking one up with a slight groan and moving it over to the area. "Well, this shouldn't take too long."
And surely enough, it doesn't. After the fourth brick is laid upon the plank and wedge, it visibly sinks into the spell with the sound of shearing metal. "All right, no more bricks." The wolfess says, crouching down at a safe distance to inspect. "...It's still splitting." She observes, shaking her head and moving back to the plank and giving it a firm press down.
With a sharp clang, the wedge finally separates with a somewhat anticlimactic lack of explosions or 'flashiness', only the tumble of one slightly unsteady brick to the ground with a loud thud, the remainder managing to balance atop the spell.
"All right, now that it's split I'd like to invite you all to take a close look at the surface once these are off to the side. Remember, we're expecting a Kevinscope on the center that would interact with the one on the original visible surface." She replies, taking the bricks off a lot faster than they were stacked on with some obvious magical intervention.
Should a being come forward to examine the spell, they would notice thin grooves on each side of the spell - the same sort as those on the surface that wind in strange ways and intersect in manners that one would never see on the surface of a common spell, mirrored on the other side of the spell with some very slight differences.
Cedric crouches down after the spell splits off unceremoniously, to study the revealed grooves and patterning carefully... though unable to really make too much sense of it at a glance. "Interesting... so far, it seems to support your research... though, of course... more study is definitely called for." he says, giving an appreciative whistle as he examines.
Natska helps clear the bricks out of the way, then takes a look at the spell. Although the jaguar isn't near skilled enough to start reading the complex patterns, she can appreciate the beauty of the workings and the sense that she was witnessing something important. She finishes her turn lookng, then steps back, letting others look.
With her brick-moving done and the students moving through the theatre to inspect the spell in their own right, Selena lingers a few moments to answer some questions towards the back of the room. "Well, I'm glad that's out of the way. If any of you wish to take rubbings of the spell for research, I would appreciate it if you do so now. Even if it is split in half now, I would rather not leave it in the academy for too long. If you miss your opportunity to acquire rubbings and are still interested, please see me later and I will provide some for you when time permits it."
"Sveta, I'm a little surprised you have nothing to say about this. But, then again - you did say enough at the start as well. Cedric, madam, thank you for your help." She nods to the pair of beings that had indeed provided their assistance, offering a hand out to the jaguar. "And I don't believe we've met. It's a pleasure to meet you; I'm Selena."
Sveta nods. "I'm merely here to observe and lend my support, Selena. It's too soon for me to pitch in, really - once the groundwork's done on your part, it's up to those like me to try and find a more practical purpose for such discoveries. Don't worry about it. Although I would like some rubbings, for posterity if nothing else." She stands from her seat, gathering her skirt, and proceeds to produce a pencil and paper from seemingly nowhere.
"Of course. Not a problem. It's been quite educational." Cedric says to Selena with a nod, taking his eyes away from the broken-down spell. Quickly, he passes Sveta on his way back to where he left his own sheaf of papers and bag, collecting them and returning with a length of what appears to be burnt wood, moving around to take a fair amount of rubbings of the patterns. In some cases, rather impolitely brushing off other beings aside... although he shows a bit more restraint and respect with other freeswords, such as the goshawk.
"That should be good..." the badger says, satisfied with the amount of rubbings collected, and carefully places them with his other notes and stows them away as he turns to face Selena once again. "It's been a pleasure. Thank you for allowing me to take part in your work, again." he says with a smile.
Natska gives Selena an easy smile and accepts the wolf's hand. "We have. It is fine, though, people seem inclined to forget me." She snickies and inclines her head towards Selena. "Natska." She watches the scholars and spellcrafters for a few moments longer, then decides she may as well take a rubbing of her own. Something to hang on her wall.
Selena accepts the handshake and coughs quietly as the Jaguar notes that they'd met previously. "Sorry, I've had a long last few weeks. It's a pleasure to meet you again, then. Cedric, it's always a pleasure to have you present." She notes, then turning back to Sveta and sighing quietly, watching the class filter back to their seats. "Well, thank you for coming nevertheless. Even if you don't have much to say about the matter, I do value your opinion. You're very good at what you do."
The wolfess allows several more minutes for the group to remain in the lecture room, answering questions or sharing opinions as she's approached before she finally calls out for silence. "Thank you all for coming. I hope that today has been informative. For those of you that are still studying, keep working! If you are here, I can tell that you have some interest in this; if you want to work with this kind of spell, you will need all the knowledge you can get. This goes for those of you working on your masters and doctorates as well. For those of you that were simply interested, I hope that you have gained something from this experience, though I have no idea what that may be." With that, she gestures to the door. "You are dismissed; have a good day."
