[ Adrian nods his own thanks as the drinks are delivered before turning his attention back to G'raha. ]
It's primarily for rituals and cantrips — that is, spells that can be cast any number of times without requiring me to rest. Everything else is specific to the spell; most will require some combination of verbal, somatic, and material components. Oh! And if an injury causes damage to the tattoos I can no longer use the effected spells until I've taken care to restore them. [ Adrian exhales when he's finished speaking. It's all so fiddly when he tries to lay it out, but perhaps is lack of understanding about G'raha's abilities is what makes them seem so wondrous in comparison.
Just getting a smile out of G'raha is enough to make Adrian sit up a bit straighter, pleased with himself... Though he must agree, it is a terrible thing to wonder at how much knowledge has been lost for lack of ability to preserve it. Big sad face, indeed.
Adrian drops his gaze briefly and busies himself taking a sip of his mocha, though his tone is light. ] To balance both obligation and interest so gracefully, I am envious, I must admit. I've only ever been interested in the magics used for healing, and those magics are usually granted by the gods... Gods who do not favor me any more than I favor them. I was content to do without, rather than pledge myself.
[ He runs his thumb across the rim of his cup, wiping away the smudge of chocolate. ] Like many warlocks, my desire for magic came from greed and desperation. It's only in the intervening years that I've come to learn about and appreciate it for the gift that it is.
[ Adrian has G'raha's rapt attention. Which is doubly impressive when one considers that he has two different delicious smelling drinks right in front of him. The one thing that can stem G'raha's newfound love of food—as far as "new" means returning to his body on the Source—is knowledge. And this is some juicy, juicy knowledge. ]
I see, I see...
[ And he does, for the most part. ]
I'm unfamiliar with the term "cantrip"? Would you be able to enlighten me further?
[ G'raha does take a pause in his inquiries to finally taste the drink and, oh! Is it lovely! He makes an audible "mmmm" sound before taking an even bigger drink before needing to stop so he doesn't choke and burn himself. Ahem.
He wipes some of the creamy foam from the corner of his mouth and sets the drink down. Back to business (mostly). ]
Granted by the gods...would that be a special type of magic or ability?
[ Would that be similar to the Echo? The Blessing of Light? The Twelve themselves have devotees, but his experience thus far as been that they do not bestow very specific powers to their worshipers. They seem to love all.
As for Adrian's reasons to turn towards magic... ]
I would say you would be hard-pressed to find someone whose desire to learn and master magic is wholly altruistic.
[ G'raha may have some lofty ideals he wishes to see realized, but he is also a historical adept—again and again, even the best intentions can lead down a darker path. Practitioners of White Magicks are not inherently good any more than those that wield more arcane arts are inherently evil. ]
Not to speak ill of those who dedicate themselves to the healing arts, of course.
Oh, do be careful— [ Adrian's expression goes from briefly worried to bemused as G'raha seems to settle down again after his choking fit. ] Good?
[ He's a big fan of the surprise drinks, himself. They aren't always to his taste, but they're usually fairly interesting. ]
A cantrip is a spell that requires such trivial control that it doesn't truly tax one's more finite resources. I imagine it would be tiresome to continuously recast them over a period of time, but you wouldn't usually use them that way.
[ As for being granted by the gods... Adrian considers it momentarily before shaking his head. ] You can learn many different kinds of magic from many different sources, so I suppose it's only special the way that any magic is special. Even the more well-documented magics can require years of intense study and dedication.
[ His brows draw together at G'raha's assertion, but Adrian offers a smile regardless. He can appreciate what G'raha is trying to say. ] Perhaps you are right. But how does one come to learn magic in your world, generally? Must they be of a particular bloodline, like yourself?
Yes— [ He says, a little strained. But he will be fine! His...eyes are just betraying, you know, the lining of his throat. He's eager. ]
Ah, yes yes, I see. An effective way to categorize things.
[ He's curious about the etymology of the term, but he knows there is so much that he wants to dig Adrian's brain about. It's best not delve into EVERYTHING. At least at once.
As such, the where one is able to draw their powers from. G'raha is used to having most people have some sort of innate magical prowess, with the Garleans being the main exception. It feels rather mundane to say as much in comparison. ]
Most people possess some manner of aptitude for magic, however minute. But there are those who are otherwise blessed with greater prowess at birth, or gain it through study and practice. There are different schools of magic one can apply themselves too, but there are people who innovate their own paths forward. I have a particular interest in the integration of magic and technology. It is both a new field and a lost art.
Well. Mostly. Adrian will be kind enough to pretend that he's none the wiser. ]
You would think so. But then there's spell levels and innate magic and... I'm sure you can relate.
[ The perils of trying to categorize something as wild and natural as magic... Adrian is hardly a scholar on the subject, but he understands what a headache it is to try to explain the details.
As G'raha continues, Adrian finds himself quite enraptured. The first part isn't unlike his own world, and he nods along to show that he understands. It's the last part that gets his attention most of all. ] Technology and magic? G'raha, are you an Artificer?
[ He's never met an artificer himself. It's quite a futuristic trade, as far as he knows, requiring discipline in multiple specialties. ] How does it work? Can you blend your magic with the technology of this place?
[ Thank you, Adrian. Some of his pride will remain intact. ]
I can, yes, though it is always interesting to see where the differences as well as the similarities are.
[ Because more information is good. What if they end up discovering an even more effective system through collaboration? How neat would THAT be? (Alphinaud would appreciate it, at least.) ]
An Artificer?
[ He tilts his head slightly as he tries to place the term in his own lexicon. Would that be akin to someone who crafts...artifact armor? Weapons? He can see the logic. ]
I'm not sure I would use that term since I'm not exactly a Disciple of the Hand. But the knowledge I've gathered previously has helped considerably with understanding the technology of this world. The sources of power are not the same, but I'm sure there are ways to implement magicks in with, say, our phones. It is largely based on applying aether of different alignments to what you want to accomplish. And while aether is ambient in all things, there is a substantial lack here of what I would call concentrated aether reserves that would make an easy power source.
That being said, I am confident there are enhancements that could be made. [ A beat. ] Is that something you would be interested in exploring?
[ It's definitely interesting. While G'raha seems to recognize the word Artificer, it sounds as if his interpretation of it is slightly different from Adrian's, or perhaps he's simply being modest about his vast array of skills. ]
I'm not certain that I would be of much help to you in this. I still scarcely understand how the technology here works. [ He feels as if he ought to preface it all with that, just so that he's setting expectations appropriately low. Still, he presses on, since he has been invited: ] I have wondered if it would be possible to use magic to enhance the technology present here for the purposes of healing, either to increase its effectiveness or ensure that it isn't entirely dependent on electricity.
But I must admit, I am also curious about aether for my own purposes. It would be very useful to be able to restore my own abilities in dire circumstances without resorting to... other methods. I wonder how compatible our magics are..?
[ Oh Adrian, one needn't be an expert to experiment! Though that is mayhap a very brash stance to take. In his younger years, G'raha wouldn't have let it stop him. And though the impulse still exists, he does know how to exert a sense of caution. Especially for the safety of others.
That being said, the more Adrian speaks, the more G'raha's interest is visibly piqued. He takes a sip of his second drink with a growing smile and nods. ]
I have been wondering much the same. Since we met, actually.
[ Yeah, he thought Adrian was NEAT from day one. ]
This sounds as if this could be a long-term collaborative venture for us...if that would be of interest to you?
[ Anything that Adrian doesn't excel at is something he's failed at, as far as Adrian is concerned. He hates to think that he's giving G'raha a false impression of what to expect, but it's clear that such caution is overridden by intense curiosity.
Adrian takes a sip of his drink, which does nothing to calm his growing excitement. ] Really? I didn't wish to overstep any boundaries but... Oh, we could have begun so much sooner.
[ Surely sharing power with another spellcaster is much safer than pacts with otherworldly entities. Even if nothing comes of it, they might learn some fascinating information. Adrian nods eagerly. ] Yes, yes of course it would be of interest.
[ G'raha could certainly understand that feeling, especially early on in his career. But after so many failures, he can only begin to see them as learning opportunities. (So much spaghetti at those walls in the Crystal Tower when he was trying to pull the Warrior of Light. So much.)
But he can only find himself laughing with no small amount of joy at Adrian's response. ]
It seems we were both trying to be on our best behavior.
[ But there is no longer need for that! It's all out in the open, and they now both know...they are complete fucking nerds. ]
Then let me share my latest effort! Here, I do have some notes...
[ Which means there is potentially another round of drinks and several more hours in this little cafe to be had. Hopefully their patronage will be enough. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
It's primarily for rituals and cantrips — that is, spells that can be cast any number of times without requiring me to rest. Everything else is specific to the spell; most will require some combination of verbal, somatic, and material components. Oh! And if an injury causes damage to the tattoos I can no longer use the effected spells until I've taken care to restore them. [ Adrian exhales when he's finished speaking. It's all so fiddly when he tries to lay it out, but perhaps is lack of understanding about G'raha's abilities is what makes them seem so wondrous in comparison.
Just getting a smile out of G'raha is enough to make Adrian sit up a bit straighter, pleased with himself... Though he must agree, it is a terrible thing to wonder at how much knowledge has been lost for lack of ability to preserve it. Big sad face, indeed.
Adrian drops his gaze briefly and busies himself taking a sip of his mocha, though his tone is light. ] To balance both obligation and interest so gracefully, I am envious, I must admit. I've only ever been interested in the magics used for healing, and those magics are usually granted by the gods... Gods who do not favor me any more than I favor them. I was content to do without, rather than pledge myself.
[ He runs his thumb across the rim of his cup, wiping away the smudge of chocolate. ] Like many warlocks, my desire for magic came from greed and desperation. It's only in the intervening years that I've come to learn about and appreciate it for the gift that it is.
no subject
I see, I see...
[ And he does, for the most part. ]
I'm unfamiliar with the term "cantrip"? Would you be able to enlighten me further?
[ G'raha does take a pause in his inquiries to finally taste the drink and, oh! Is it lovely! He makes an audible "mmmm" sound before taking an even bigger drink before needing to stop so he doesn't choke and burn himself. Ahem.
He wipes some of the creamy foam from the corner of his mouth and sets the drink down. Back to business (mostly). ]
Granted by the gods...would that be a special type of magic or ability?
[ Would that be similar to the Echo? The Blessing of Light? The Twelve themselves have devotees, but his experience thus far as been that they do not bestow very specific powers to their worshipers. They seem to love all.
As for Adrian's reasons to turn towards magic... ]
I would say you would be hard-pressed to find someone whose desire to learn and master magic is wholly altruistic.
[ G'raha may have some lofty ideals he wishes to see realized, but he is also a historical adept—again and again, even the best intentions can lead down a darker path. Practitioners of White Magicks are not inherently good any more than those that wield more arcane arts are inherently evil. ]
Not to speak ill of those who dedicate themselves to the healing arts, of course.
no subject
[ He's a big fan of the surprise drinks, himself. They aren't always to his taste, but they're usually fairly interesting. ]
A cantrip is a spell that requires such trivial control that it doesn't truly tax one's more finite resources. I imagine it would be tiresome to continuously recast them over a period of time, but you wouldn't usually use them that way.
[ As for being granted by the gods... Adrian considers it momentarily before shaking his head. ] You can learn many different kinds of magic from many different sources, so I suppose it's only special the way that any magic is special. Even the more well-documented magics can require years of intense study and dedication.
[ His brows draw together at G'raha's assertion, but Adrian offers a smile regardless. He can appreciate what G'raha is trying to say. ] Perhaps you are right. But how does one come to learn magic in your world, generally? Must they be of a particular bloodline, like yourself?
no subject
Ah, yes yes, I see. An effective way to categorize things.
[ He's curious about the etymology of the term, but he knows there is so much that he wants to dig Adrian's brain about. It's best not delve into EVERYTHING. At least at once.
As such, the where one is able to draw their powers from. G'raha is used to having most people have some sort of innate magical prowess, with the Garleans being the main exception. It feels rather mundane to say as much in comparison. ]
Most people possess some manner of aptitude for magic, however minute. But there are those who are otherwise blessed with greater prowess at birth, or gain it through study and practice. There are different schools of magic one can apply themselves too, but there are people who innovate their own paths forward. I have a particular interest in the integration of magic and technology. It is both a new field and a lost art.
no subject
Well. Mostly. Adrian will be kind enough to pretend that he's none the wiser. ]
You would think so. But then there's spell levels and innate magic and... I'm sure you can relate.
[ The perils of trying to categorize something as wild and natural as magic... Adrian is hardly a scholar on the subject, but he understands what a headache it is to try to explain the details.
As G'raha continues, Adrian finds himself quite enraptured. The first part isn't unlike his own world, and he nods along to show that he understands. It's the last part that gets his attention most of all. ] Technology and magic? G'raha, are you an Artificer?
[ He's never met an artificer himself. It's quite a futuristic trade, as far as he knows, requiring discipline in multiple specialties. ] How does it work? Can you blend your magic with the technology of this place?
[ Tell him everything. ]
no subject
I can, yes, though it is always interesting to see where the differences as well as the similarities are.
[ Because more information is good. What if they end up discovering an even more effective system through collaboration? How neat would THAT be? (Alphinaud would appreciate it, at least.) ]
An Artificer?
[ He tilts his head slightly as he tries to place the term in his own lexicon. Would that be akin to someone who crafts...artifact armor? Weapons? He can see the logic. ]
I'm not sure I would use that term since I'm not exactly a Disciple of the Hand. But the knowledge I've gathered previously has helped considerably with understanding the technology of this world. The sources of power are not the same, but I'm sure there are ways to implement magicks in with, say, our phones. It is largely based on applying aether of different alignments to what you want to accomplish. And while aether is ambient in all things, there is a substantial lack here of what I would call concentrated aether reserves that would make an easy power source.
That being said, I am confident there are enhancements that could be made. [ A beat. ] Is that something you would be interested in exploring?
no subject
I'm not certain that I would be of much help to you in this. I still scarcely understand how the technology here works. [ He feels as if he ought to preface it all with that, just so that he's setting expectations appropriately low. Still, he presses on, since he has been invited: ] I have wondered if it would be possible to use magic to enhance the technology present here for the purposes of healing, either to increase its effectiveness or ensure that it isn't entirely dependent on electricity.
But I must admit, I am also curious about aether for my own purposes. It would be very useful to be able to restore my own abilities in dire circumstances without resorting to... other methods. I wonder how compatible our magics are..?
no subject
That being said, the more Adrian speaks, the more G'raha's interest is visibly piqued. He takes a sip of his second drink with a growing smile and nods. ]
I have been wondering much the same. Since we met, actually.
[ Yeah, he thought Adrian was NEAT from day one. ]
This sounds as if this could be a long-term collaborative venture for us...if that would be of interest to you?
starting to wrap? 🎀
Adrian takes a sip of his drink, which does nothing to calm his growing excitement. ] Really? I didn't wish to overstep any boundaries but... Oh, we could have begun so much sooner.
[ Surely sharing power with another spellcaster is much safer than pacts with otherworldly entities. Even if nothing comes of it, they might learn some fascinating information. Adrian nods eagerly. ] Yes, yes of course it would be of interest.
🎀!
But he can only find himself laughing with no small amount of joy at Adrian's response. ]
It seems we were both trying to be on our best behavior.
[ But there is no longer need for that! It's all out in the open, and they now both know...they are complete fucking nerds. ]
Then let me share my latest effort! Here, I do have some notes...
[ Which means there is potentially another round of drinks and several more hours in this little cafe to be had. Hopefully their patronage will be enough. ]