Most Likely A Refuge

[whatamithinking]

It was probably safe.

The bar was...unusually reticent, in the lower layers of her mind (and she hadn't pried further; she wasn't sure if she'd be noticed; she wasn't sure if offending would get her kicked out, and regardless of whether it was actually safe it was safer than anywhere else she'd been for the past...three years?) so she couldn't be sure this place wasn't really a trap of some kind, but the higher layers gave a plausible explanation that didn't involve being a trap, and whatever else it was warm and dry and had food. Her guard was probably a full 25% down. Positively trusting, these days.

Comments

[alicornucopia]

My perspective is somewhat limited but that does seem to be the case.

[ragexserenity]

"Oh, excellent. Well," he says, glancing at the girls. "At least one person here wants to become a sorcerer. What is there to make that not hurt horrifically unpleasant?"

[alicornucopia]

A spell, says the bar, producing a copy.

[ragexserenity]

"Beautiful," he breathes, looking it over. "No wonder no one has been able to figure this out--these concepts--" he shakes his head. "Amazing."

[onceandforall]

Bella peers at it.

[ragexserenity]

It's--jargon. And a lot of diagrams that make no sense whatsoever.

[onceandforall]

"How long until this makes sense?"

[ragexserenity]

"Well, the jargon needs to be taught, but the diagrams will make sense as soon as you're a sorcerer."

[onceandforall]

"Fun. Do I get a glossary?"

[ragexserenity]

"I hadn't planned beyond casting the two spells I promised when I walked into this room, but making you a sorcerer and not educating you in any way would be only a little better than useless."

[onceandforall]

"I have infinite time, what about you?"

[ragexserenity]

"Self-employed, and while I wouldn't describe my time as infinite I think indefinite would be accurate."

[onceandforall]

"Awesome. Magic lessons."

[ragexserenity]

"...It's possible that it would be best to outline a reasonable curriculum and have you learn from what the Ancients knew. They possessed feats of magic unmatched in the modern world. And I've never taught before, and--my own teacher did not set a good example."

[onceandforall]

"How was all this information lost?"

[ragexserenity]

"No one knows. People find ruins of the Ancients' civilization sometimes, and Artifacts, but very rarely any writing, and if anyone has translated any of it I haven't heard of it."

[onceandforall]

"So there was basically some kind of apocalypse?"

[mindovermagic]

"That's sure what it seems like."

[onceandforall]

"Hhhhow worried should I be about causing apocalypses with magic."

[mindovermagic]

"Good question! Bar, are there any available documents that could shed light on this subject."

[alicornucopia]

Records indicate a prolonged war before the ultimate collapse of the civilization.

[mindovermagic]

"...So maybe be careful who else you make a sorcerer, but besides that you're probably fine."

[onceandforall]

"Noted."

[mindovermagic]

"I'm vaguely curious what happens if you sorcerer somebody and then the loop resets them but I think that goes on the list of things that are a bad idea to test."

[onceandforall]

"Kinda, yeah. I'm not even positive I'll keep it, since it sounds like it applies to the body, but it's worth a go."