milliways, the lurking thereof

[andaisq]

A few years ago, Deekin would have been very cavalier about this weird demiplane that just inserted itself into the Underdark, much as he was about basically everything. Times have changed, though; now Tynan is a factor, so instead of skipping merrily towards the bar, Deekin keeps his crossbow high and his stance low, even as the baby pokes his head out of his rucksack and babbles merrily.

...This place doesn't seem to be dangerous in any way.

This is intensely suspicious.

But after a quick casting of See Invisibility, a nip of Barkskin potion for Tynan, and a nice loud Curse Song in case someone's still hiding somewhere, Deekin feels comfortable enough to sit at the very polite bar and get free drinks. (Tynan gets some kind of strange black milk, which he obviously enjoys. Deekin gets something he thinks might be apple cider with a shot of cow blood, which is very nice even if it does kind of remind him of Tymofarrar.)

Comments

[light_another_life]

"No, thank you. Give me a minute, I'll be fine."

She takes deep, steadying breaths, and carefully focuses on the crystals in her lightsaber. They are soothing, they are familiar, they are hers. She's done this sort of thing before, because - well, she's a sith. She has been angry before. A lot.

She systematically zaps her anger without repressing it. It is valid, it isn't incorrect, but it is inconvenient and unhelpful, and she won't solve anything by being angry, and if she demands nothing else of herself, she will demand that she be more than a mindless rage monster.

[andaisq]

(Enserric quietly notes that her weird life force thing is doing weird shit. And that cylinder thing is... some kind of focus?)

Tynan goes over and attempts to lick the hilt of her lightsaber. Tynan is a bastion of good life decisions.

[light_another_life]

She doesn't open her eyes to even look. She just moves her lightsaber out of Tynan's reach effortlessly and smoothly.

Her anger's just about zapped, the last bits of it will just have to fade with ordinary conversation.

"Hello there," she says to Tynan.

[andaisq]

Tynan burbles genially at her.

Enserric wonders aloud, "Do you fight? I would be fascinated to see that life-flow... thing... in action. I preemptively volunteer Deekin as a sparring partner."

Deekin shrugs. "If lady wants."

[light_another_life]

Callida looks faintly amused.

"... I do, but no. I would rather not."

[andaisq]

Enserric sets about pouting, quite a feat for a sword.

Deekin fiddles with the teeth on his necklace absently. "Deekin kind of wondering about human lady magic now. Not like Toril magic, but Enserric say interesting, plus sparks... Just sparks? Other stuff?"

[light_another_life]

"Other stuff as well. I'd prefer not to go into it."

Because, you know. Grievous privacy invasion.

[andaisq]

Deekin frowns thoughtfully. "Toril magic lots of stuff, but for some reason most of it for killing things. Deekin got three scrolls in bag for kill somebody with lightning but none for build a table? Deekin think that very strange, personally. And then song magic, not really magic but with songs Deekin make people strong and fast and good at things. And Enserric eat life force and Deekin got other weapons in bag with fire or ice power and stuff. Plus berries. Berries still for killing things though. Very strange."

[light_another_life]

"Berries that kill things. How very macabre. Did someone invent the magic?"

[andaisq]

"No, no, berries just help kill things. Look!"

Deekin pops a red berry into his mouth. His teeth and claws burst into flame, though heat doesn't radiate from them past a few inches. "Very helpful berries."

With an effort of will, the flames flicker out. Deekin continues, "Deekin think magic must be invented, at least wizard kinds. Sorcerers maybe just finding magic inside themselves or something, who know what bards doing, but Deekin know at least some spells for killing things named after wizard who made them, so."

[light_another_life]

Callida eyes the fire.

"And wizards don't - I don't know. Make spells for summoning ration bars?"

[andaisq]

"Oh, no, spell for that is very common. Deekin got bag of endless trail rations, taste like sawdust but very nutritious. But... one spell for food, six spells for killing with lightning. Deekin try to count how many ways to kill with lightning once, lose count after lots."

[light_another_life]

"What is it with it always being lightning," mutters Callida.

[andaisq]

Deekin shakes his head quickly. "Oh, definitely not always lightning. Fire much more common. Ice common also. Sometimes acid. Every once in a while sound or searing holy light or raw force or concentrated essence of un-life."

"I remember one spell that created water in the foe's lungs," reminisces Enserric. "Some druid came up with it, of course. Druids are bastards."

"Drowning spell sound better than evaporate all water in body spell," notes Deekin. "That being wizard stuff."

Enserric sniffs. "The distinction is subtle, and perhaps unsuited to the reptilian brain."

[light_another_life]

"Honestly, evaporation sounds better to me than drowning. It's faster. Drowning takes time."

[andaisq]

Deekin shrugs. "Hey, Deekin still use evaporate spell. Sometimes needing to kill lots of guys with swords at once. Just saying it not very nice."

[light_another_life]

"I think killing people is typically not considered very nice," says Callida, dry. "... How do you learn your magic?"

[andaisq]

Deekin shrugs. "Deekin not learn magic properly, really. Old Master say normal way take years, maybe decades, and kobold lifespan not great. But Deekin have natural talent, so Old Master teach channeling dragon-style, so Deekin got couple of spells and can cast others from scrolls and wands and stuff, instead of cast all the spells but be old and have to go to battle with cane so Deekin not break hip."

Enserric coughs delicately. "If you wanted to learn magic yourself, as I assume was the actual point of that question, you would probably either need to come back with us to our world and find a teacher, or get a lot of books and resign yourself to occasionally being on fire until you're learned properly."

[light_another_life]

"When you say occasionally being on fire... How bad of a fire are we talking?" she wonders, seriously. "If it's just being on fire, well - that's actually not bad, I can work near bodies of water or fire suppressors, but if that's a stand in for other horrible things that could happen..."

[andaisq]

"There are other horrible things, but they are for the most part less dramatically unpleasant than being on fire. The main problem is that if you do catch fire, something went wrong, and it's very difficult to actually figure out what when you're the one casting the spell, and further mistakes will generally set you on fire again. Or encase you in a thin layer of rock, or generate a cloud of butterflies, or turn your fingernails into wasps. Hence the reliance on apprenticeship."

[light_another_life]

"My fingernails into wasps. That sounds far more dramatically unpleasant than being on fire, being on fire can be quickly handled by various methods of dousing or smothering, wasps in place of fingernails is less so. Is there a guarantee I could get back to my, uh, world, after going with you?"

[andaisq]

"Transformations of that kind are easily dispelled," Enserric says dismissively. "...though of course, without a mentor you would be unlikely to have access to dispelling magic," he admits.

"Deekin could teach to use dispelling wand," Deekin suggests. "Or harp, or cup, or sword. Lots of dispelling items. Easy fix, and mostly just taking space in Deekin inventory."

"As to whether you could return... I'm not certain. Does the bar know anything about it?"

Doors to Milliways cannot exactly be depended upon, but if she ever finds one, she can return to her world by entering the bar and opening the door back out; it always leads to one's home universe. Without a door, however, return could not be guaranteed without the intervention of Fharlanghn or an entity of greater power with domain over travel, such as the Lady of Pain.

Enserric sucks in a breath. "Implausible, then."

[light_another_life]

"Charming. ... Also, um? Hello, bar?"

[andaisq]

Hello. Would you like your free drink?

[light_another_life]

"Not, at the moment, uh. ... What can you tell me about how -" she peers at the other napkin, "Milliways works?