Philip (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
radiopalkiller) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
entrancelogs2016-04-21 07:56 pm
radiopalkiller) wrote in entrancelogs2016-04-21 07:56 pm
[OPEN] I'm a wizard, and there's magic in the air ♫
Who: Philip the Magnificent (radiopalkiller) & YOU
Where: The Library & The Network
When: Friday, April 22
Rating: PG-13 for demon deals and raw lizard hearts?
Summary: A physicist and a dark grimoire walk into a bar, aka. "never too late to learn a new hobby, right?"
The Story:
I [ THE LIBRARY ]
Philip sits in his favourite library corner, surrounded by piles and piles of books. Some dark and aged and atmospherically adorned with ominous symbols denoting some more or less profound connection to the arcane arts. Others, not so much. It takes some heavy combing through the shelves, if you're not entirely sure where to start, see. Because him and his own world? About as lacking in any magic touches as you can get.
But it's been years, and he can't say that he hasn't thought about it here and there. Especially can't say that it hasn't been on his mind a lot more, lately. Because there's parts of Wonderland he needs to understand and stat, and he's not sure how far science alone is going to get him. Besides, never too late to learn a new hobby, right?
He flips the last pages of a leather-bound book, and closes it with a sigh. Someone approaching, so he scribbles a few lines into his own notebook, and arches an eyebrow at the visitor. His voice is-- There is no voice per se, only unmoving lips, and the sound of his words in their head.
"Do you realise how many of these rely on verbal incantations? Whatever happened to gesturing emphatically towards the dark forces? It's bloody inconvenient, if you ask me."
II [ THE LIBRARY, A LITTE LATER ]
Practice makes perfect, but somehow he's thinking that he's a long way from perfection to even attempt the exercise, but- hey. Start somewhere, right? Start small. Aim for not burning the library down. And with luck he'll get to feel impressive, and conjure up "a bright green flame, as if conjured directly from the beyond". Uh. All righty then.
...Why bright green flames from the beyond require three lizard hearts and a whole satchel full of herbal weirdness is admittedly entirely beyond him, but that's probably why he's the novice here. He tosses the bleeding little things (thanks, closet) into the bowl with the rest of the stuff, and tries to look more dignified and less like a sous chef frustrated with a particularly odd custom order.
(It doesn't work.)
He cleans his hands, and sprinkles "a handful of red soil" over the bowl, and lights the-- Why conjure up any sort of flame if you've got to light three candles to do it in the first place. Come on, Philip, don't think about it, just do it. He shakes his head, and lights up once, twice, three--
The bowl sizzles, smokes, and goes still with the pop of charred lizard hearts.
The library now vaguely smells of thyme and old gym socks. No blue fire is in sight.
Philip doesn't know what he expected.
III [ NETWORK TEXT, IN THE MEANTIME ]
Reading material wanted: Looking for worlds with magic in books rather than your genes. And I don't mean the metaphorical sort of magic that comes with a good story, I'm aiming for literal fireballs here.
PS.: Not sure my soul's in any marketable condition, but if we've still got any demons around to teach that sort of thing, I'll owe you a beer.
[[ OOC: Both prose and tag spam is welcome, will match format! Philip is a mute telepath, so have a quick look at his info post if you're like 'help why aren't you making words and why is there a voice in my head' ]]
radiopalkiller) & YOUWhere: The Library & The Network
When: Friday, April 22
Rating: PG-13 for demon deals and raw lizard hearts?
Summary: A physicist and a dark grimoire walk into a bar, aka. "never too late to learn a new hobby, right?"
The Story:
I [ THE LIBRARY ]
Philip sits in his favourite library corner, surrounded by piles and piles of books. Some dark and aged and atmospherically adorned with ominous symbols denoting some more or less profound connection to the arcane arts. Others, not so much. It takes some heavy combing through the shelves, if you're not entirely sure where to start, see. Because him and his own world? About as lacking in any magic touches as you can get.
But it's been years, and he can't say that he hasn't thought about it here and there. Especially can't say that it hasn't been on his mind a lot more, lately. Because there's parts of Wonderland he needs to understand and stat, and he's not sure how far science alone is going to get him. Besides, never too late to learn a new hobby, right?
He flips the last pages of a leather-bound book, and closes it with a sigh. Someone approaching, so he scribbles a few lines into his own notebook, and arches an eyebrow at the visitor. His voice is-- There is no voice per se, only unmoving lips, and the sound of his words in their head.
"Do you realise how many of these rely on verbal incantations? Whatever happened to gesturing emphatically towards the dark forces? It's bloody inconvenient, if you ask me."
II [ THE LIBRARY, A LITTE LATER ]
Practice makes perfect, but somehow he's thinking that he's a long way from perfection to even attempt the exercise, but- hey. Start somewhere, right? Start small. Aim for not burning the library down. And with luck he'll get to feel impressive, and conjure up "a bright green flame, as if conjured directly from the beyond". Uh. All righty then.
...Why bright green flames from the beyond require three lizard hearts and a whole satchel full of herbal weirdness is admittedly entirely beyond him, but that's probably why he's the novice here. He tosses the bleeding little things (thanks, closet) into the bowl with the rest of the stuff, and tries to look more dignified and less like a sous chef frustrated with a particularly odd custom order.
(It doesn't work.)
He cleans his hands, and sprinkles "a handful of red soil" over the bowl, and lights the-- Why conjure up any sort of flame if you've got to light three candles to do it in the first place. Come on, Philip, don't think about it, just do it. He shakes his head, and lights up once, twice, three--
The bowl sizzles, smokes, and goes still with the pop of charred lizard hearts.
The library now vaguely smells of thyme and old gym socks. No blue fire is in sight.
Philip doesn't know what he expected.
III [ NETWORK TEXT, IN THE MEANTIME ]
Reading material wanted: Looking for worlds with magic in books rather than your genes. And I don't mean the metaphorical sort of magic that comes with a good story, I'm aiming for literal fireballs here.
PS.: Not sure my soul's in any marketable condition, but if we've still got any demons around to teach that sort of thing, I'll owe you a beer.
[[ OOC: Both prose and tag spam is welcome, will match format! Philip is a mute telepath, so have a quick look at his info post if you're like 'help why aren't you making words and why is there a voice in my head' ]]
voice // gdi
I hate you.
[Not OK at all. But at least they're back to being 'impersonal' and therefore he feels slightly less uncomfortable - slightly because Philip is still able to get in his head from another floor and he makes a point to try and think extra loud and angry in case the man can pick up on that somehow.
But. But, back to what they were talking about and the further proof that Philip is actually crazy.]
You're actually thinking of learning to summon monsters to fight for you? As well as making deals with demons? Because I thought that's what you did once now you're going to go and do it? Really? That's like... like deciding to go murder someone because you got accused of it once. It's a terrible idea. [How many times does he need to say it?] Really, really, really terrible. And you're going to get yourself and a lot of other people killed if you try it.
[Maybe he's starting to regret not running the man through when he had the chance now.]
text;
Look, I've been here for over five years, I really need a new hobby. The monsters and demons are optional though. I'm thinking of learning magic, and - give me some credit here - I can probably figure out a use for it that doesn't actually get anybody killed.
[ Incredible, he knows. ]
voice
[He needs to come up with another insult for Philip. But that one suits him so well.]
You have a weird taste in hobbies. If you don't already have magic then good luck learning it. [Unless there are places where what they call magic is more like templar skills. Something that can be learned. He's not sure he likes that idea. As handy as it would be for everyone to know a bit of healing magic it sounds a little too simple for him to trust. No matter who is promising not to get anyone killed.]
Just promise me if you do start summoning anything you'll warn people. Or tell me and I'll come stand guard.
[Not that he expects that last offer to be accepted. Even though he's never once actually harmed Philip. But he's really hoping there won't actually be any attempts to summon anything and he's just being wound up. Better that than the alternative.]
text;
[ Philip marks Alistair's world down as another one in the nature column of magic acquisition, and sighs at the frustratingly short nurture list to its right. Might be worth figuring out if he belongs with any of the other ren faire people he's met lately, just to narrow that pool down. Maybe another time, because-- ]
More to the point, are you actually offering to HELP, or is that just the polite way of saying you'll cut me down before I can get started?
voice
[Really? And why? There's not exactly much reason to go for fresh honey in Wonderland. No. He's not asking.]
I'm not offering to help summon anything! But if you're going to try I want to be there so that I can stop it from getting loose and going on a rampage.
[Prooobably without any cutting down of anything that's not a monster. Because he does prefer not to kill people given the choice. So unless Philip is very bad at keeping his secret evil blood mage plan to release demons and monsters into Wonderland secret then that shouldn't be needed.]
And... stop it killing you too.
[Since he does sort of owe the man. A little bit.]
text
[ What can he say? They were a really weird gift, from a really weird woman. He'll hang on to the story, for the next time he wants to earn a really weird look from Alistair.
Alistair, who really should've quite while he was ahead, because-- Help, yes, that's about how Philip would've pictured it in that situation, that's- nice, well, no, not quite the right word. Good? Comforting? --There we go, reassuring. Cut down what needs to be cut down, Philip's halfway to some genuine words of appreciation there, but--
Alistair really should've quite while he was ahead. ]
You'd do all that. For me. Wow. I'm even more speechless than usual. You know, I actually think I changed my mind about all of this. Who needs magic when I've got your friendship to count on?
voice
[And maybe he should push it, just in case they end up with demons running around but what are the chances Philip - who has professed to not having been born with magic - will even be able to summon anything? Anything worse than what Wonderland is already wont to throw at them?]
But fine, summon whatever you like. If it chews your face off I'm going to say I told you so.