Open log + video

[droptheious]

WHO: Varian and you!
WHERE: His labyrinth then outside the Zodiac apartments
WHEN: 1 May
WHAT: Alchemy boy arrives
WARNINGS: Some PTSD in the arrival log.



Varian doesn't recognise the alchemy lab he's wound up in - he's not even sure how he got here. He remembers that weird, uneasy being watched feeling the night before, but that's nothing new. People watch him plenty. Then he went to sleep and found himself...here. The one good thing is that Ruddiger is here too, the raccoon perched on top of his shoulder and chittering anxiously. He wanders around the space, finding upturned flasks of strange, green liquid or broken automaton parts and the realisation that something is deeply wrong starts to settle in his chest.

"H-hello? Um- anyone there?"

He stills for a moment, chewing his bottom lip, waiting for an answer. When one doesn't come, he starts walking again and recognises more and more of the discarded experiments around him. It's like someone put together the worst museum in the world and it consisted only of his failures. Varian's...pretty used to having nightmares about the darker sides of his past, but it's never been like this before.

His anxiety has already been slowly rising, but the second he walks into a man encased in some sort of crystal, it spikes up exponentially. His breath catches in his throat, his eyes wide. He's DEFINITELY experienced this in his nightmares before and it hurts every single time. He backs away from it, into the opposite wall, where he slides down onto the floor, squeezing his eyes shut and covering his face with his hands. Ruddiger slips down to sit in his lap, trying to pat his arm reassuringly, but to little avail.

"Nonononono, not again!" he tries to even out his breathing, but he's not doing a good job of it. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!!"



VIDEO - UN:NOT SET

[Once he's free from his labyrinth and has been shown the way to his new apartment (which is a wild concept, a little house inside a building???) Varian has decided to check out the strange pocket communication device. Ruddiger is behind him, rummaging through the garbage as he stands outside the Zodiac apartment building. Not that anyone can see this, because Varian has his thumb over the camera. So there's just audio and the occasional flicker of light as his hand shifts. ]

Okay, so, apparently I fell through some sort of trans-dimensional rift and now I'm here. I've got some questions I really need answering and apparently, this little device allows me to talk to other people who are similarly trapped in this world. Right? Right. SO!

One - Can someone explain what this electricity thing is? How does it work? How does it generate light? Power? If you can't explain it, can you point me in the direction of a library where I can learn this for myself?

Two - Bouncing off from one, what's with the horseless carriages? I've built automatons in the past, so I'm assuming they run on some sort of internal device, but I've never seen anything like it before in my life. What fuels them?

Three - Where can I get alchemical supplies? My backpack usually has plenty in but I've got nothing for some reason. Is there an apothecary around here somewhere? Equally, does anyone know a good lab space I can use? I have my kitchen in my...home? But I really do need a better space for my future projects.

Four - Speaking of, I have experience in building trans-dimensional portals. I'm going to try and get the supplies needed to figure a way out of here. This is a very different world to what I'm used to, but I'm sure I can figure it out.

Five- Who is Denny? Does-does he own the brightly coloured tavern? They won't accept silver or gold coins there and I need to feed my raccoon. I guess I need to speak to this Denny for that? How do I get in touch with him?

Okay, that should be it for now. I'd appreciate any help you can give me...assuming this thing even works.

Comments

[cardinalrule]

Okay, that doesn't matter. I can handle the magic aspects, if you can't. I'm skilled in it.

[And luckily, one gremlin of a human who is also familiar with interdimensional portal magic has also showed up. Enlisting Luz isn't his first choice, but he'd rather be safe than sorry.]

It's good to hear someone else understands the importance of this. What kinds of supplies do you need?

[droptheious]

I'd rather avoid it, but sometimes you've just gotta live with it, I guess. It has some very small uses.

[He'll even take a wildcard like Luz at this point, anything to get out of here.]

Of course. I have no intentions of sticking around in this place. Timber, metals, precious stones - those would be the base materials. I can move further from that once I have the shell built.

[cardinalrule]

Small uses? Magic is the furthest thing from that, you can use it for nearly anything.

[What is this wrong opinion about magic, sir???]

That's all? [Those materials do indeed sound very... basic.] Alright, they shouldn't be a problem.

[droptheious]

Uhhhh, hard disagree on that one. It's more trouble than it's worth.

[Excuse you, it's the correct opinion!!]

For now. The actual inner workings are a lot more complicated, but I have to have a basic set-up first. Walk before we run and all.

[cardinalrule]

Then you obviously aren't using it correctly.

[Just stating a fact here.]

Of course. But the raw materials should be easy to get ahold of, Zodiac recently stabilized a gate to a realm that has an open mine and plenty of forest.

[droptheious]

I'm not using it at all, because it's stupid.

[Ugh, why would he want to use magic? ]

It did? That's great! I can definitely use that! A mine is really useful.

[cardinalrule]

[WHAT.]

It isn't stupid. You don't know what you're talking about.

It is. [And he's feeling a little more smarmy.] You're lucky I know about it.

[droptheious]

I know exactly what I'm talking about. I've experienced a lot of dangerous, ridiculous magic and it doesn't follow rules or logic like science does. Ergo, it's stupid.

[So!! There!!!! He doesn't like that tone either.]

I mean, I could have found it myself eventually.

[cardinalrule]

No wonder. If it doesn't follow rules then your experience has only been with wild magic. Proper magic does.

[He's keeping up that snotty tone.]

'Eventually.' This was more efficient.

[droptheious]

There's a difference? Because I can't see how wild magic can be any different than...what? Tame magic?

[He'll raise that snotty tone with an incredulous one! DOUBT!!]

I- WELL!!!! I guess?!!!

[cardinalrule]

What? No, that's ridiculous. Coven magic is the term you're looking for.

[It's so much better. And he snorts in amusement.]

You're welcome.

[droptheious]

I don't see how magic can be any different if it's done in a coven rather than just how it naturally exists. How can the nature of the magic change just by learning about it?

[Just the stinkiest face at the screen.]

Whatever.

[cardinalrule]

The fact that you have to ask that means you don't understand how magic works at all. That doesn't surprise me.

[He' sounding so arrogant about that.]

[droptheious]

[B i n c h]

Uhhhh, excuse you, I've dealt with plenty of magic and nothing you've said makes any sense. Maybe you don't understand it. Or maybe you're just in denial about it.

[cardinalrule]

Hardly. You happen to be speaking to the Head of the Emperor's Coven, the most prestigious coven in the Boiling Isles. Only the witches with the most skill in magic are recruited into the Emperor's Coven.

[Take that!]

[droptheious]

I don't believe you. But fine, if you know so much about magic, explain to me how it works. Funadmetally.

[Take THAT!!!!]

[cardinalrule]

Or you could do your own research and pick up a book or two. I'm sure you can manage that.

[Only a true nerd could make reading a book sound so insulting.]

[droptheious]

[How VERY DARE!! He makes a flustered squawking noise.]

I'm fully capable of reading a book thanks. I guess I'll have to do that if your knowledge isn't good enough to explain it yourself.

[cardinalrule]

[Oh what! Who is this rude nerd.]

I would, but I've got more important things to do than explain the basics any child knows.

[droptheious]

[RUDE!]

Oh, okay, more important things to do in this completely different world. Uh-huh. If you say so. Sounds like you're dodging the question if you ask me.

[cardinalrule]

You must not know very much if you think I'm dodging the question. I just don't like coddling people.

[droptheious]

It's not coddling if you can't even explain the most basic thing. That's avoidance.

[cardinalrule]

It isn't avoidance, it's you trying to come up with excuses as to why you can't do your own research.

[droptheious]

I can do my own research! I can do so much of my own research!!

[cardinalrule]

Then do it.