[Quest] Lost Knowledge - II - Printable Version

She thought over Tahi's words for a bit. "We should decide after enchanting it, so we know which gembound the enchantment would be most useful for. And it should be given to someone that everyone agrees that they can trust with it." Giving it away by randomly guessing a number did not seem the best way to go about this to Comet.

"Yes, enchanting the rock would be the best choice." Comet agreed. The blacksmith had been waiting for some time, and it would be best to decide sooner so as to not waste his time. It seemed to be very hard for all these gembound to think of a good spell they should pick together. "How about everyone says one spell they want, and we can let the blacksmith choose one randomly to enchant the stone with?"

"We should choose a healing spell for the enchantment. I know a spell that can do that, and it will be helpful in many situations instead of just one." she turned to the blacksmith. "I can cast a spell that will help heal others, that can be one of the ones that you choose from."

James pinned his ears at Levi and nudged him, "Be polite. Some things are better to be kept quiet about unless told not to."

He exhaled and sighed, "Levi's right, though. I know that the dragons- apologies, I don't know your names- and Comet all have healing spells. Such a thing could certainly prove useful in case of injury."

He himself only had bauble and a few mental spells, and such things didn't seem very useful to be set into a gem. It was practical as spells, but enchanting an item with them could cause more harm, like his mindscream, or just inconvenience, like his translocate.

"I don't think I'd want such an item," he sighed, "Unless it's free of nasty drawbacks."

So they had decided on a gem that they wanted to enchant, alright. It looked like at this point, they only needed some magic to bring forward. Ashtoreth had plenty of spells-- from useful, to amusing, to just about useless... But hell, she supposed she might as well offer up what she had on her plate.

"Hi, yeah, hi, I'm here too," the air began to speak, something more of a murmured mix of their voices that fluctuated in volume clumsily (ever since her Transcendence, her magical voice has been on the fritz). The sound floated around her as she raised her head and puffed up her fur, spreading her wings dramatically. "I could make your stone and the wearer levitate, which is a fun little party trick. Ooooor, I could make it play a little melody, or-- hey, here's a fun one, a constant breeze that blows pony's pretty little mane dramatically all the time." Party tricks, yep. She gave James a toothy grin.

But that wasn't all she had on offer, her nose twitching with humor as she stepped forward, pulling herself upright and waving with her paws. "But if you want something cool, I have magic that can make our necklace wearer silent, able to sneak up on anything. Or, magic that could help sustain life without needing to eat at all." She had learned that when she had almost starved to death herself. "I mean, I guess you could go with a boring healing rock.."

No offense to the wolf or anyone else, of course. But they were thinking too small! They could enchant anything with magic, and they were all talking about what would be useful, rather than what would be SICK AS FUCK. Healing was good and fine and all, but only if you were planning on getting injured-- it would only be practical after a fuck up. At least her options would have a more interesting set of uses.

"Whatever you guys want to do." She glanced up at the Blacksmith, lips drawing back in a playful sneer as her tail tip flicked back and forth. "Why don't we leave it up to you to pick the best magic of the bunch? You're the expert."

Oh my, lots of things were happening now. Everyone was offering magic to this puzzle, something Kaimana knew very very little about. The little deer seemed to dislike all the chatter, they moved even further away. Kaimana couldn't blame them. Her own attention drifted until Levi spoke, cranky. She knew the child much preferred being and staying in the waters of Fornax... perhaps, after this, if Levi simply couldn't stand it anymore, they could take some time cooling off in the Fornax-esque beach above this place. Or maybe Levi would just want to go straight home. Or maybe that wasn't it at all -- the indecisiveness of this group was honestly a marvel, and new ideas kept getting added in. Kaimana might have also gotten impatient, if she had Levi's temperament.

The jaguar really had no expertise on any of these subjects, so she decided to abstain and watch from beside the heat. It made her drowsy. Yet another reason to remain silent for now, at least until she could think of something to say.

Well, now that she was thinking about it actually... James had a good point about the probability of a cursed item. Kaimana wished to refute it -- I mean, she had a bit more evidence to prove that the Blacksmith was a kinder soul! In the mace's memory of the Blacksmith, if she could trust that it was the Blacksmith at all, they seemed to create things to help those in need. As opposed to the Collector, who explicitly did not want to be known as a helper. So perhaps... "Let's try not to force the decision on the Blacksmith. They were kind enough to offer this opportunity to us, we shouldn't give them more to do. Instead, let's make a decision based on what is most helpful, and who is it most helpful for. A healing stone is more likely to be helpful in general. Something that can repel disease is good for someone prone to such a thing. A party trick would be good for someone planning a party, a silencing necklace might be good for someone with something to hide, and an item that can feed you without having to eat is good for someone who has trouble eating." 'Personally, for this group, it might be nice to have a magical item that helps you decide.' A private joke.

Kaimana would face the crowd. "I don't know many of you, but from what I do know of certain members of this crowd, I can make a decision: Make a healing stone and give it to Comet, since she is prone to accidents." Kaimana giggled. Would it be funny to anyone else? Maybe not. Did it matter? Maybe not! Another idea: "If that idea doesn't suit you and you can't think of a better one, come up with the coolest combination you can think of and give the item to me. I collect things to sell and trade, and I can dispense it to the most deserving Gembound I come across. I have more interest in trade than I do in magic, to be honest, so there would be no reason for me to keep it all to myself. Does that sound fair?"

Text. "Speech." Thoughts.

He lets out a deep sigh and shifts to lean against Haven even more, his face folding to something more frustrated than anything as everyone putzes around, and then finally focuses as people seem to come to a decision- the necklace was the most popular idea, and the crystal that he and Haven had collected being the most popular choice. No one's going to agree on anything- unless its me agreeing with Haven, or this little... feathered noodle, or the jaguar for at least making a stand and choice.

"Who is Comet?" he wonders aloud, and then looks about as if to see who it was. "While I agree that giving a healing item would be the best idea, here, why only give it to a clumsy person? Why not to a parent, or to someone who goes out of their way to defend others?"

Now, he's not trying to be contrary, not in the slightest. He's just trying to make a point. Electrum actually fully agrees with Kaimana, especially with utility being in the gift. So.

"Unless someone else shows need for it, I agree that it should go to whoever this Comet is- I'll also say I distrust anyone who would claim an item like this for themselves. Especially after what we've seen and learned today." The lapis dragon isn't looking at Kaimana, but that may feel like it's directed at her- and it... sort of is.

Never said I wasn't a hypocrite, he sighs, and then looks around the group, then at the Blacksmith, almost expectantly.

"I apologize that I won't offer my magic, but mine is destructive, painful, and can effect someone's inner workings in a way that I'm not sure of, and don't wish to risk on a stranger. Party tricks and games and... wealth, can be acquired later. This may be a one time chance to help someone."

He listened with quiet attentiveness, taking note of each offer, each magic described. Slender hands took up the crystal offered him, and he examined it closely. "Ahh," he said softly, "I remember these. They grant magicka when broken--they store it, you see," he explained.

Then his head came back up, the crystal tucked to his waist, and he listened.

When Ashtoreth 'spoke,' he studied her thoughtfully--and it was to her, after some thought (when all had at last gone silent) to whom he nodded. "You mention... singing. The song of stone--a gift. It is easy to learn, and so we will use that--as this is... to teach you. Come--gather 'round."

He then turned, and carried the crystal to his anvil. He spared Himmel a brief, not unfriendly glance, as if surprised to see him tucked away back there, and then slipped to the other side of the anvil, facing the rest of the group over its work-pocked black surface. He laid the crystal on its metal, and gestured for the others to approach. "Closely, now... closely. Pay very close attention to this magic--sense it as best you can." His words were soft, gentle, barely-heard, but he waited for them to be close enough before taking the next step.

"Enchantment is the act... of laying your power into a thing. A weapon... armor... or simply a trinket, a... hm, a toy. First, the item must be... prepared. Magic granted to it, a great deal--it is taxing!--and then the way paved for the spell to be cast upon it."

His hand pressed down over the crystal, fingers spreading so that it was visible. A brief pulse of magic was felt to all present: the faintest flicker of something that might soon be understood, the sense and surge of new knowledge just at the edge of comprehension. It was something of imbuing: as if the Blacksmith had taken magic, laid it across this crystal, and opened a gate in waiting.

"Now," he told Ashtoreth, gesturing for her to approach, "cast your song into the stone." All the rest could watch.

James stood next to Tahi with his ears raised, eyes focused on the crystal in interest. He peered at Ashtoreth and craned his neck up, his crests flicking upwards in interest.

"I'd love to enchant," he mumbled, "Though I don't think I'd have time with the wee one on the way. Maybe after they've moved out."

The stallion did want the necklace to go to Comet, should it be one that could protect (and not threaten to drown her). If not, then someone else could have it, like Ashtoreth, or the dragon couple. Haven and Electrum, he remembered.

But he was too distracted, focused on the Blacksmith's work, to think about that too deeply.