This post's authors have general content warnings that might apply to the current post.
View Flat HTML
View Metadata
Search Post
Two girls are moving their hands through the air and speaking together in perfect parallel.
Two girls are looking expectantly at a circle of red chalk on their floor.
Two girls have done something exceptionally stupid.
Isabella in Elcenia
kaolinandbone
That would tend to get you your own encyclopedia entry, yes. Isabella is even more grateful than before that her hosts seem to be decent people.
Now then, most of these sound like things that mages from her world might do in one way or another... Confusingly, the local mages are most like her world's shamans, at least from the top-level overview. She examines them in more detail.
Now then, most of these sound like things that mages from her world might do in one way or another... Confusingly, the local mages are most like her world's shamans, at least from the top-level overview. She examines them in more detail.
There are fire, earth, air, and water mages. The procedure to almost die and become an air mage is the least unpleasant because you don't have to actually hit the ground when falling from your designated height. Mages have near absolute control over their element, to the point of ignoring some standard wards. Fire mages are a core part of most Elcenian firefighting arrangements. Air mages can fly. Water mages can breathe underwater. Earth mages can breathe underground.
kaolinandbone
... And it appears that all these various powers and abilities are inherent. Not only that, but the locals' blood tastes like water.
Isabella is starting to form the tentative hypothesis that spirits don't exist here. Let's see what the encyclopedia has to say on the subject.
Isabella is starting to form the tentative hypothesis that spirits don't exist here. Let's see what the encyclopedia has to say on the subject.
The index is pretty hard to navigate, actually, because it's in alphabetical order in the local language and the translation spell doesn't rearrange it. What she finds seems to be sections on religion.
kaolinandbone
Well, that makes some sense. Many of the larger spirits on her world have religions and customs built around them. What can the local priests do?
They don't seem to have any listed powers beyond the ceremonial, whatever they are unrelatedly born with or trained at, and things that the encyclopedia does not seem to believe are real.
kaolinandbone
So either shamanism is very underground on this world or there are no spirits. Isabella makes a mental note to try walking through the door of a private residence without an invitation.
Actually, there's a thought. This building is probably owned by Keo, right? The room is her child's, at least, so by the regular rules...
Keo, mind telling me to leave the room I'm in? I promise the worst thing that's likely to happen as a result is I feel a bit uncomfortable.
Actually, there's a thought. This building is probably owned by Keo, right? The room is her child's, at least, so by the regular rules...
Keo, mind telling me to leave the room I'm in? I promise the worst thing that's likely to happen as a result is I feel a bit uncomfortable.
kaolinandbone
I'm testing to see if thresholds exist on your world. If you revoke my status as a guest and they exist, I ought to feel that as the local spirits metaphysically 'weighing me down.'
kaolinandbone
Feels exactly the same. My tentative hypothesis at this point is that spirits don't exist here, which ought to be impossible, but you people live on a cube and have only half a moon, so...
kaolinandbone
It's close enough that it doesn't make much of a difference. Hm. If thresholds don't exist here, then... It might be possible for me to be out in real sunlight.
Isabella's thought-voice drops out for almost a degree.
Would you care to drop in and manipulate the curtain on my window for me so I can see if your sun hates me as much as my local one?
Isabella's thought-voice drops out for almost a degree.
Would you care to drop in and manipulate the curtain on my window for me so I can see if your sun hates me as much as my local one?
Saasnil will come by and do that for you in a moment.
A bit later, the door opens and the younger summoner tiptoes sheepishly in.
A bit later, the door opens and the younger summoner tiptoes sheepishly in.
kaolinandbone
Isabella waves. "Hello there." She takes a moment to fix in her mind that Sassnil is apparently this particular young woman, rather than the other one. "Would you mind getting the curtains for me?" She slings her parasol over her shoulder, opening it with the same motion, then twirls it, the pink petals dappled on the paper swirling prettily.
kaolinandbone
Isabella looks at Saasnil and bites her lip. "If this goes badly, I could be on fire soon. Would you arrange to have a bucket of water ready to send?"
kaolinandbone
Isabella nods. "Don't worry, I wouldn't do this if I thought I was likely to really seriously harm myself. I've gotten used to being on fire."
She tilts her head. "That is really a sad truth to have to say out loud. Anyway, feel free to look away: I am about to stick the back of my hand in this beam of sunlight and see if I start to spontaneously combust. Whenever you have water ready, of course. Just in case."
She waits for Keo's relay. Massively powerful telepathic dragons are also rather convenient when they're not being unsettling and intimidating.
She tilts her head. "That is really a sad truth to have to say out loud. Anyway, feel free to look away: I am about to stick the back of my hand in this beam of sunlight and see if I start to spontaneously combust. Whenever you have water ready, of course. Just in case."
She waits for Keo's relay. Massively powerful telepathic dragons are also rather convenient when they're not being unsettling and intimidating.
kaolinandbone
Isabella winches in anticipation, and thrusts her hand into the beam of sunlight.
Absolutely nothing happens.
Isabella keeps her hand there for a long moment, just to make sure.
More nothing happens.
"... It would appear that your local sunlight does not burn me."
Isabella sits down in her chair. She looks a bit overwhelmed.
Absolutely nothing happens.
Isabella keeps her hand there for a long moment, just to make sure.
More nothing happens.
"... It would appear that your local sunlight does not burn me."
Isabella sits down in her chair. She looks a bit overwhelmed.
kaolinandbone
"Well, apparently the reason I get set on fire is different from the reason your local vampires get set on fire."
Isabella's eyes are rather far away at the moment.
Isabella's eyes are rather far away at the moment.
kaolinandbone
"I need your scary dragon lady of a mother to Geas me as soon as possible so I can get out of this circle and be in the sun, did you realize I have never been out on a really properly sunny day for decades?