Idran1701: Hey, Brian. You free?
Arch mage144: Yeah, I am.
Idran1701: *nod* Well, I'm ready for that RP if you are. :O
Arch mage144: OK. Give me a sec to take care of something.
Idran1701: Sure.
Arch mage144: I suppose that in retrospect that means I'm not 100% free.
Idran1701: Heh.
Idran1701 signed on at 9:24:44 PM.
Arch mage144: Were you looking for anyone else to be in this RP?
Arch mage144: Ashley's all like "you're going to RP without me!?" *laughs*
Idran1701: Sure, that's fine with me. Who'd she play?
Arch mage144: Ah, apparently the only person would be Holly, and she doesn't want to play her right now after all.
Arch mage144: So we're good.
Idran1701: Well, there would be a pre-Gunnir part in Doma if she'd want to play Tassi.
Idran1701: It wouldn't be long, though.
Idran1701: But I can imagine Darin wanting to speak with Idran.
Arch mage144: It's possible, but I imagine that if she's going to get involved that she'd want to be involved throughout.
Idran1701: *nod* True enough.
Idran1701: Anyway, just want to handle it here in IM?
Arch mage144: That works for me.
Idran1701: All right. Setting'll be in Doma Castle to start, something like three or four days after Ishmas. Shini and I were behind a bit over our RPing, so we're not caught up to present day.
Arch mage144: OK.
Idran1701: (I'll intro Idran here.)
Arch mage144: (OK.)
Idran1701: *It's a calm winter day, as Idran and Annie arrive in Doma. They arrive at the castle, where Idran talks his way to the guards, quickly arranging an audience with Hakaril.*
Arch mage144: *Hakaril, meanwhile, is in his office, preparing his things so that he can depart for Gunnir Academy. The archmage has a lot of packing to do, all things considered, though it isn't as though he'll be unable to return if he forgot something. Nevertheless, a two-year "vacation" requires adequate preparation.*
Idran1701: *The two soon show up at the door, Idran knocking at the door* Hakaril? You here?
Arch mage144: *the door swings open--Hakaril is standing at the other end of the room, trying to shove an impossible amount of clothing into a suitcase*
Arch mage144: Damnit! >.o Er...oh, Idran, it's you.
Idran1701: *starts a bit, smirking* ...I take it you're busy?
Arch mage144: I'm actually almost done. *he gestures to a large pile of crates, boxes, and bags stacked up in the corner by the wardrobe* I sent Vixxy on ahead with James...believe it or not, she finished packing before I did.
Idran1701: *chuckles* I see. Looks like you've built up quite the collection while you've been here. Doubt I've got a fifth of this at home myself.
Arch mage144: About half of it is clothing. The rest are...things I don't want to leave behind.
Idran1701: *nods* Good timing on our part, then. We stopped by for that meeting with your professor over at Gunnir?

Oh, I almost forgot. Hakaril, this is my fiance, Annie Armstrong. Annie, Hakaril Silvar. *She's a human woman, looking about the same age as Idran. A little shorter than average height with black hair, wearing a pair of dark, nearly-opaque goggles*
Arch mage144: *Hakaril salutes--it's clearly an excessively formal gesture.* Hey there.
Arch mage144: And yes. That was the plan. I need to take you to see my mentor...he might be able to get a better idea of what your "problem" is and how it can be rectified.
Idran1701: *she nods, smiling, though she seems a bit uncomfortable in the surroundings*
Idran1701: All right.
Idran1701: Ah, and what about the other situation, with the prisoners? I believe Griff spoke with you about them?
Idran1701: Is everything arranged with them?
Arch mage144: Yeah, I arranged for their pardon. That's what you wanted, right?
Idran1701: Well, I was hoping for a commutation to community service, actually, but that works just as well.
Arch mage144: Heh. I don't think it's been approved by a "higher authority" yet, so to speak. I do have to go through the proper channels. I can make sure the writ gets amended.
Idran1701: *he nods, chuckling a bit and smiling* I appreciate it, Hakaril.
Arch mage144: *shrugs* I can't say I have the same history with you that I do with a lot of the vigilantes and mercenary adventurers in this town, but you were there for my wife back when she needed help the most. The least I can do is put in a pardon for a few criminals who never caused me personal offense.
Idran1701: *he nods again, glancing around the office* What sort of transportation were we looking at, anyway?
Arch mage144: *knocks on the wardrobe* I've got someone on the end to stabilize it, so it's guaranteed. Normally there's a bit more risk involved.
Idran1701: Aha. Faster than I was expecting, then.
Arch mage144: Much faster. Otherwise, I would have to take a lot more of my things with me...
Arch mage144: ...I will be able to come back periodically to check in on things, much to Charles' chagrin. The man can't stand my methods, but he can't fire me because he knows better. *laughs*
Idran1701: *chuckles himself* Right.
Arch mage144: That's neither here nor Gunnir, though.
Arch mage144: (Hold on a second. My network is being weird)
Idran1701: Indeed. Well, then, lead the way?
Idran1701: (Kay.)
Arch mage144: *opens the wardrobe and fiddles with a brass hook, causing a blue light to emanate from the wardrobe and solidify before the interior of the wardrobe becomes a shimmering, reflective surface*
Arch mage144: *The image in the surface quickly changes from a mirror image of the room to an image of a circular chamber with ornate marble floors and a domed ceiling.*
Idran1701: ...You know, that might be less energy intensive without that light.
Idran1701: (brb)
Arch mage144: That's right, you are a portal mage, aren't you. I'm a novice at this. Besides, I didn't set it up myself. I had some Gunnir experts who owed me a favor take care of it for me. Tremendous timesaver, as I'm sure you know.
Idran1701: (Back.)
Idran1701: *smirks* Portals among other things. And it really is, yes.
Idran1701: Anyway, wouldn't mind speaking with them once I'm done speaking with your mentor. What did you say his name was?
Arch mage144: Archmagus Wray. He's one of the most talented astralists on the continent, or at least, the most talented one that I know. There might be someone better out there, but if so, they're sadly unavailable.
Idran1701: Well, sounds like this might pan out, then.
Arch mage144: As long as you don't ask Archmagus Bailey. He can't produce pans to save his life, unless you want them to look like they've been glazed with a mixture of prismatic sand...or worse.
Idran1701: *chuckles*
Idran1701: Well, then, after you? *gestures to the portal*
Arch mage144: Sure. I can prove it's safe if that's what you want. *smirks and starts shoving bags and boxes through the portal before leaping through himself*
Idran1701: Oh, I trust you. I just think Annie might be more comfortable seeing you head through first.
Arch mage144: *An interesting detail about this portal is that while it shows the destination, it doesn't seem to show any of the people on the other side; however, Hakaril's luggage appears in the shimmering image.*
Idran1701: Hmm. Now that's a neat trick. What's that for?
Idran1701: Privacy filter?
Arch mage144: *Being on the other side of the portal, which does not carry sound, Hakaril fails to hear Idran.*
Idran1701: (Ah, I missed that part of the action, heh.)
Idran1701: (Just saw the luggage transit.)
Arch mage144: (Heh, no problem.)
Idran1701: *Idran steps through alongside Annie, an arm around her to help keep her calm, before he says that stuff he said before*
Arch mage144: Ah, yeah. I mean, no one does anything in this room that's worth watching...at least, not worth spying on...*he gestures around him to the grandiose domed room--the marble on the floor is clearly intended to be a pattern, forest green on pearl, in the shape of a dragon's face*
Arch mage144: This is just kind of an atrium of sorts. Most of the main offices, including Wray's, are up that way. *points to a hallway and stairwell* They're in the main tower. Gunnir's grounds are pretty big...have you ever been here before?
Idran1701: *looks around, obviously a bit impressed by the design* Ah...nope. My parents didn't have the money, and I wasn't exactly eager to spend 6 years away from the coast.
Idran1701: After Dragan left, I was mostly self-taught.
Arch mage144: Makes sense to me. You can learn quite a bit on your own if you're willing to occasionally injure yourself by accident. Risk-taking means a lot in magic.
Idran1701: ...Oh, no, I've never been hurt.
Idran1701: I keep my spells designed to prevent the most likely failure cases before I even begin to test them.
Arch mage144: Yeah, but...hm. Maybe that was just my friend Zack. Come to think of which, I didn't hurt myself much either, except for that one time...
Arch mage144: ...nevermind that. Anyway, you'll probably be here for at least a little while, so I might as well give you a brief overview.
Idran1701: *nods* Wouldn't mind stepping in for some of the cosmic classes here, if any of them are in session.
Arch mage144: The grounds are walled on four sides. There's actually only one exit gate, a large portcullis to the south. The courtyard takes up a fair bit of space in the middle...it never ceases to amaze me how much trouble they went to to carve out the existing mountain to make room for a school.
Arch mage144: Off to the west are dormitories. The library is to the north, and most of the classrooms and side rooms are either to the north or west.
Idran1701: *nods*
Arch mage144: The middle of the courtyard has a large building that we're inside now. As I said, this is the atrium. Up the various stairs hallways attached to this room are the meeting rooms and offices used by the archmagi that actually manage the school.
Arch mage144: *eyebrow* Aren't you from Riva originally? Or am I wrong about that?
Idran1701: Riva? Oh, no, I've always lived in Kohlingen.
Idran1701: _Dragan_ was from Riva, I think.
Arch mage144: *smacks self in the face* Oh, right. It amazes me the things I can forget about people that I've never asked specifically before. Yes, yes, he was Rivan.
Idran1701: Heh. Well, it's understandable.
Arch mage144: Anyway, I was going to mention the dragoons. No need to panic if you see dragoons walking around. They're Gunnir's standing peacekeeping force. Probably a hundred or so of them on the grounds. It's not like Gunnir actually gets into many military disputes, and "discipline" is generally handled on a common-sense basis by instructors instead of the "military," but Wray and the others have decided to keep them around for various reasons.
Arch mage144: Personally, I think the Academy could handle itself if anything actually threatened us, but it's good to diversify and keep a few knights around just in case.
Idran1701: *nods* Sensible precaution.
Arch mage144: Some extremely magic-resiliant threats crop up now and again, after all.
Arch mage144: (BRB.)
Idran1701: Indeed.
Arch mage144: I might caution you. If you decide to tour the grounds yourself later...stay out of the basement. Or anything that looks even remotely like a basement.
Idran1701: ...All right. *looks a bit curious* Why's that?
Arch mage144: *headshake* Most of the basement is a goddamned semi-animate labyrinth that's actually got morphic properties. It changes itself over time, and some evidence suggests it's actually expanded into areas far beyond its original construction.
Arch mage144: It's entirely possible to get lost down there for several days and then find an exit that leads out into a dune in the Barren Desert.
Idran1701: ...Why did they think that would be a good idea?
Arch mage144: It wasn't intentional.
Idran1701: ...What?
Arch mage144: A student several years before my time attempted to animate the entire building as a graduation prank.
Idran1701: ...I see.
Arch mage144: It failed spectacularly. The resulting backlash killed him, animated the basement, and turned his entire graduating class into rabbits.
Arch mage144: "Animated" isn't quite the right word.
Idran1701: Suddenly I'm glad I never attended here.
Arch mage144: It can be a crazy place to get an education.
Arch mage144: And the parts of the basement that don't change are full of idiot kids trying to summon demons.
Arch mage144: So there's really nothing down there worth seeing.
Idran1701: *frowns* I can imagine. I've never been much for that sort of craziness, myself.
Idran1701: *nods*
Arch mage144: Anyway. I can put my stuff away later. No one's going to mess with it. Let's go knock on Wray's office and see if he's in. *heads toward one of the halls and adjoining stairwells*
Idran1701: *nods, following*
Arch mage144: *the spiral staircase leads to a small landing outside an oaken door--the General frowns a moment and looks at it with an air of great scrutiny*
Arch mage144: *he reaches up and grabs a brass knocker mounted on the door, banging it against the wood*
Arch mage144: *A low humming noise comes from the door*
Arch mage144: ...er...
Arch mage144: *as the General raps at the door again, the knocker and doorknob are seemingly swallowed by the wood*
Arch mage144: Well, damn. I must've done it incorrectly.
Idran1701: ...Done what?
Arch mage144: Hard to say, really. Archmagus Wray, despite being fairly approachable, tends not to like to be bothered when he's in his office, so he constructed a very fickle door.
Idran1701: What about his window?
Arch mage144: Sometimes it wants you to knock, other times you're just supposed to turn the knob and barge in. I actually had to tickle it once.
Arch mage144: His window is a little high off the ground, unless you have a way to fly or want to scale a wizard's ivory tower. *chuckles*
Idran1701: *hovering off the floor briefly, he looks to Hakaril* Which way's the window?
Arch mage144: Clever. *heads downstairs, out the atrium, and into the courtyard; presuming Idran follows, he'll move around the hedges outside the building to a large tower-structure attached to the domed building*
Arch mage144: Up there.
Idran1701: I'm guessing there's teleportation wards around here, then?
Arch mage144: Yeah. But you can certainly fly up there. The use of permanent antimagic fields and other limitations are strictly limited on Gunnir's grounds...the general opinion is that altering the way magic works or prohibiting it selectively outside of certain secure areas quashes student creativity.
Arch mage144: They want you to learn to teleport into your professor's office to harass him with your questions if he won't let you in otherwise. *chuckles*
Idran1701: *chuckles back* Honestly, I wouldn't mind a bit of quashing in exchange for safety, myself, but it's your school.

I'll meet you and Annie at his door?
Arch mage144: Works for me.
Idran1701: *and he floats up, giving the two time to move back around before giving it a wrap*
Arch mage144: *Sitting at a desk in the middle of a large office filled with bookshelves, most of which is clearly made of what appears to be ivory or white marble accented with huge sheets of silver (his office is very shiny), is a dark-haired man wearing silver robes. There seems to be a theme, here.*
Arch mage144: *He's clearly busily writing with a quill pen large enough to have been plucked from an adult chocobo.*
Idran1701: *he knocks again, looking to Wray*
Arch mage144: *The archmage looks up, cocks his head at the man hovering near his window, and sets his quill down before walking over*
Arch mage144: Wray: Hello. *blinks* I have reason to believe that we haven't met before. Are you trying to get my attention?
Idran1701: *crosses his arms, smirking a bit* I am. I'm a friend of Hakaril's, and apparantly your door's being troublesome at the moment.
Arch mage144: W: One of these days, Archmagus Silvar is going to realize that my door's not as unpredictable as he thinks it is, it's just that he hasn't figured out the riddle yet. I suppose I can let him in, and you, as well, though since you're already here...*unlatches the window and opens it*
Idran1701: *floats in, stepping onto the floor*
Idran1701: Not interrupting something important, am I?
Arch mage144: *flicking his wrist, the wizard drags a chair from the side of the room to the opposite side of his desk* W: Feel free to sit down while I retrieve Archmagus Silvar. No, not too much. I imagine Archmagus Silvar wants me to discuss his teaching stint with him...
Idran1701: *he does so* There's that, I assume, but another issue as well.
Idran1701: Ah, I almost forgot myself. Idran Casmosis, by the way.
Arch mage144: *Wray walks off to go handle the door; the first thing Idran notices in this room aside from the desks and library shelves (which are made of cherry, and are not white or silver) is a huge, freely-rotating model of interlocking discs, cogs, and stained-glass panes off by the back wall*
Arch mage144: *that is, after he nods to Idran, because he's not a prick*
Arch mage144: *as he comes back up the stairs* Archmagus Alistair Wray.
Arch mage144: *Hakaril pulls up a chair and seats himself casually, legs crossed* Archmagus Wray, I brought Idran here because he's got something unusual about his aura. I'm going to guess you've noticed by now.
Arch mage144: W: *scratching his head* Hmm...
Idran1701: ...Ah, before we start, would you mind if we had something to eat?
Idran1701: We didn't eat before leaving, heh.
Idran1701: *we meaning Idran and Annie, that is*
Arch mage144: W: Oh, not a problem. What would you like?
Idran1701: Just a salad for the two of us.
Arch mage144: W: Hmm. I can manage that. Croutons? Any other relevant toppings? Perhaps a dressing preference?
Idran1701: *he glances to Annie, and the two shake their heads*
Arch mage144: H: You're not going to call Bailey to take care of this?
Arch mage144: W: Archmagus Silvar, you know perfectly well that I am capable of conjuring a salad.
Arch mage144: H: *smirk*
Arch mage144: *Wray appears to be channeling a bit of energy, and a pair of white figures form on his desk, vaguely shifting until they're more or less bowl-shaped; shortly thereafter, they become solid and opaque, and full of leafy green lettuce*
Arch mage144: H: Salad a la Wray. Fantastic.
Idran1701: *the two take theirs, Annie starting to eat and smiling to him as Idran speaks* Thanks.
Arch mage144: W: Certainly.
Arch mage144: W: Perhaps it would be best if you explain the situation in your own words.
Idran1701: *and Idran starts eating his own, starting to speak before a strange "ping" comes from his fork...giving a strange look to the bowl, he pulls out...what looks like a bare steak bone* ...Well, this can't be normal.
Arch mage144: W: ...not...in the least. How did that get there?
Idran1701: *glancing to Annie, she seems to be a bit ill* ...Archmagus, are you sure that was a salad?
Arch mage144: W: Dear. *frowning* I would like to think so.
Idran1701: ...Honey, I think you should...Hakaril, could you take Annie to the healer? *looks to Wray* Her system can't handle meat...I think you might have had a twist in your spell.
Arch mage144: W: It could be. I'm not sure what I did wrong.
Arch mage144: H: Yeah, no problem. *quirks an eyebrow* Salad a la botch, Archmagus.
Arch mage144: W: Archmagus Silvar, mind your tongue, or you'll suddenly find it quite a bit longer and much more useful for catching flies than for speaking. *slight grin*
Arch mage144: H: You haven't changed much, Archmagus Wray. I wouldn't be a very good instructor if you polymorphed me, though, would I?
Idran1701: *chuckling a bit himself, though he seems a bit uncomfortable at the discussion*
Arch mage144: W: Just take the girl to the medical wing, if you would, so I can speak with Mr...is it mister, or have you some other, more formal title?
Idran1701: Oh, no, no title. And Idran's fine.
Arch mage144: W: Idran, then.
Idran1701: *nods* Anyway, I've just had some aura oddness recently. Well, relatively recently.
Idran1701: Transitory spell immunity's the main part of it.
Arch mage144: H: Sure. This way, Annie. I assure you that there's not much Gunnir's healers can't do something about...except for that one guy...oh, and that girl with the bizarre misfired malediction that turned her skeletal structure into a gelatinous mass...*walks off, leading the girl*
Arch mage144: W: Transitory immunity? *blinks* From the look of it, you have an aura unlike any I've ever seen before.
Idran1701: ...*tossing a shocked expression towards the door, he pauses a bit before continuing*...right...
Idran1701: ...that's what Hakaril said...anyway, it seems a lack of capability with spells outside space and time is part of it too.
Idran1701: Hakaril thinks my blackouts might be part of it as well, but I'm not certain about that.
Idran1701: So, just how unique is it?
Arch mage144: W: As I said, I've never seen anyone with an aura like yours before, and I have had quite a few students.
Idran1701: From what I hear, it's something like cheesecloth?
Arch mage144: W: Hmm. *makes a fist, which causes a large fist of translucent force to materialize above him--he opens his hand, and the force hand mimics his motions* I promise this shouldn't be painful.
Idran1701: ...All right. *keeps an eye on it*
Arch mage144: *The hand pokes gently at Idran with an outstretched finger*
Idran1701: *with Idran being fairly calm, his body reacts as would be expected* ...Do you want me to trigger the immunity?
Idran1701: It's...it seems to be emotion-keyed, from what I can tell.
Idran1701: Linked to stress. But I've had some success at triggering it on command.
Arch mage144: W: If you can, I'd like you to try.
Arch mage144: *It feels like a physical finger, really; it's just an astral finger instead, so if Idran's aura isn't intact it should go right through him, as it would any inanimate object.*
Idran1701: *he nods, and focuses for a bit...and his aura seems to fade a bit to Wray's sight, though experience tells him it's simply being more permeable even to the magic used for scanning*
Arch mage144: W: Very strange. *pokes Idran with the finger again, and the hand passes through him as though he were a ghost; an odd twist, an incorporeal hand failing to touch a corporeal instead of the other way around.*
Arch mage144: W: ...wait a minute.
Arch mage144: W: I have an idea. But I'm going to need some time to locate the specific writing. I believe a wizard named Dragan Rahl published a piece on a case like this...
Idran1701: ...Dragan? You're sure?
Idran1701: He was my teacher, actually. Well, for a few months, at least.
Arch mage144: W: Yes, I think that was his name. What a coincidence that is! But that paper was written ages ago, maybe ten or twenty years, possibly more. Could it describe you?
Idran1701: ...I suppose, but he never mentioned a paper to me.
Arch mage144: W: You don't look old enough for that to be the case.
Idran1701: Oh, he started instructing me at 13.
Arch mage144: W: Hmm.
Arch mage144: W: *pokes Idran with the astral finger again, and he seems to be concentrating intensely on something*
Idran1701: IM: That's definitely disconcerting.
Arch mage144: *the wizard's eyes close for a second...then snap open in shock as the hand is dispelled and he nearly falls to the ground*
Arch mage144: *He brings his hand to the side of his face, clearly overwhelmed by...something*
Arch mage144: W: ...oh, dear. >.o
Idran1701: ...I'm not liking the look of that expression, Archmagus. *smirking, sounding a bit light-hearted*
Arch mage144: W: *headshake* It's...it's not that I saw something bad, so much as I saw something beyond what my senses could handle.
Idran1701: Eh?
Arch mage144: W: When I create an astral effect, many of the projections I conjure are actually detached extensions of my own aura. I've devised a way to "see" through them to know where they are at a given time, which allows me to do things like create near-invisible astral scouts.
Idran1701: *nods*
Arch mage144: W: I decided to see if my astral hand was doing anything unusual when it pierced your aura.
Arch mage144: W: ...as it turns out, it was in entirely too many places at once for my mind to comprehend.
Idran1701: ...Hmm. Yes, that would seem to follow from what Dragan described to me.
Arch mage144: W: I am inclined to think that your aura is quite literally filled with an incredibly large number of tiny dimensional gates.
Idran1701: *nods* Seems right. I suffer these blackouts every so often, you see. We weren't sure what was causing them, my parents and I, but from what he could tell, it was a regularly occuring uncontrolled astral scan on my part, into...shifted astrals.
Idran1701: Alternate astrals, or ones in different spaces or times.
Arch mage144: W: It's possible, and it fits with the evidence.
Idran1701: *nod* From what he could tell, the blackouts and migraines and all are caused by those forced astral scans.
Arch mage144: W: Yes, you said something about blackouts earlier. I presume that's the reason this has become a problem for you.
Idran1701: *nods* Pretty much, yeah. Back when I was a kid, they were once every few months. Now, they're closer to once a week.
Idran1701: They weren't happening for the last year while I was offworld, strangely enough, but they started again when I came back to Gaera.
Idran1701: It's partially that, and partially just curiosity about my aura.
Arch mage144: W: *frowns* So, the "side-effects" of your unusual aura have become progressively worse over time...which means that it may continue to degrade.
Idran1701: ...Degrade? Oh, it's never been lasting for me.
Idran1701: A migraine for maybe 15 minutes, but that's it.
Idran1701: Really more of aninconvienance than anything.
Arch mage144: W: No, no. Your aura may degrade, if that's what's happening. Whatever is happening may also become worse.
Arch mage144: W: I...don't know enough about this to hypothesize at this point.
Idran1701: ...Well, what would you need to do?
Arch mage144: W: This could take time to study, but I imagine you don't fancy becoming a research subject.
Idran1701: Not especially, no.
Idran1701: Besides, I have a daughter back home that's waiting for me to come back in the next couple of days.
Arch mage144: W: At your request, I will try to locate all the information I can find on the subject, including Dragan's writings.
Arch mage144: W: I believe I can stay in contact with you through Archmagus Silvar, yes?
Idran1701: *nods* Sure. And if you need to do any more scans of me while I'm here, that would be fine too.
Idran1701: That might be a bit tough, I'm not exactly a regular visitor of his. But I can give you my address in Kohlingen.
Arch mage144: W: Presumably, we can arrange some means of future communciation.
Idran1701: *nod* Indeed.
Arch mage144: W: At present, I have no reason to assume that your unusual aura is actually a problem unless you think it is.
Arch mage144: W: And you seem to think that at the present time it is inconvenient, but not dangerous.
Idran1701: Not personally, no. Been more useful than anything, really.
Arch mage144: W: Yes, it is not without its benefits, at least in the event that you need to defend yourself from a wide variety of magical effects. I know that there are a number of mages who would like to be able to command that ability at will. *chuckles*
Idran1701: Heh. Indeed.
Arch mage144: W: That said, I see no reason to attempt the only logical "fix" that I can imagine...especially considering that it is an incredibly risky and highly theoretical way to "correct" your astral form.
Idran1701: What would that be?
Arch mage144: W: It would involve breaking down your aura and restructuring an artifical replacement. I would recommend that only if the problems associated with your aura become unbearable, as it is...not guaranteed, and any error would more than likely cost you your life.
Idran1701: ...I see. Wouldn't that replace my consciousness as well, though?
Arch mage144: W: Not necessarily. Most of the prevalent theories about astral magic suggest that the aura is separate from the consciousness that harbors the "soul." If the two were irreparably linked, it would be impossible to resurrect a person killed by astral magic, but it isn't.
Idran1701: (Huh, I thought it was.)
Arch mage144: (Wait, irreparably is totally the wrong word there.)
Idran1701: (Irrevocably)
Arch mage144: (Also, no, it isn't. Just harder.)
Arch mage144: (If you speak of the resurrection bit.)
Idran1701: (Ah. Well, that ruins future angst I was planning. :O)
Arch mage144: (*laughs*)
Arch mage144: (Well, it being harder means that you could rule it didn't work this time around.)
Idran1701: (Oh, no, that's not it. He wouldn't be able to be resurrected anyway wiithout near-instantly redying.)
Arch mage144: (Heh.)
Idran1701: (It was that since he'd end up dying of astral burn, I figured that meant his spirit would be annihilated too, meaning he'd cease to exist rather than head on to the afterlife.)
Arch mage144: (Well, you could always decide that his spirit was widely dissiminated throughout alternate, parallel astral realms.)
Idran1701: (Oh, no, he wouldn't end up getting to that point anyway. It's the fact that he'd worry about it happening.)
Arch mage144: (Not as a general rule, but that it happened if he died; and oh, so I see.)
Idran1701: (Anyway! That works too. :D)
Idran1701: *nods* Well, even so, it's not something I'd be eager to try.
Arch mage144: W: And I wouldn't be eager to do it, to be honest.
Arch mage144: W: It certainly wouldn't be something I could do myself, and would likely require a more complicated ritual than even a typical resurrection.
Idran1701: *nods* Almost certainly, I'd think.
Arch mage144: W: Yes, seeing as how you would have to be kept alive with no aura for a time while a replacement was being grafted to your body. It would likely be incredibly unpleasant, as well as risky.
Idran1701: If it would even work if successful.
Idran1701: If it's something about my aural composition, then making a new aura of the same composition might have the same problem, yes?
Arch mage144: W: Yes, if.
Arch mage144: W: It might. The process is so complex and theoretical that I'm not comfortable even conjecturing about it at the present time.
Idran1701: *nods*
Idran1701: Is there anything you can tell me while I'm here?
Arch mage144: W: *sighs* At this rate, it seems you know nearly everything I might be able to tell you about. However, I will try to learn more, if there is anything written. And I should hope you will keep an eye on your condition, should it continue to worsen.
Arch mage144: W: If it does become a serious problem, you may be forced to take drastic measures to try to "cure" yourself.
Idran1701: I'll do what I can, but it'll have to be wholly physical. Never been able to scan, myself.
Idran1701: ...*frowns, but nods* All right, but I doubt it'll come to that.
Arch mage144: W: I surely hope not. *extends a hand to Idran*
Idran1701: *and Idran returns the shake* I'll keep in touch with you.
Arch mage144: W: Please, do. Feel free to spend a few days here. Perhaps there is some tome untouched by my hands in the library that might further elucidate the details of your condition, or there is some other soul who has taken it upon himself to write a more thorough description than you have at the time.
Arch mage144: W: I can have a room prepared for you and your companion in the dormitory wing to the west.
Idran1701: Maybe one night, but I can't spend much more than that here. Obligations at home and all.
Arch mage144: W: Understandable. Gunnir is open to all who seek knowledge. Feel free to inform me if you would like to arrange another visit in the future.
Idran1701: *nods* Ah, I wouldn't mind taking a look at any spacial or temporal classes you've got in session over the next couple of days. Probably not much I could pick up, honestly, but it couldn't hurt.
Arch mage144: W: Of course, feel free.
Idran1701: I appreciate the offer, Archmagus. And thanks again for the lookover.
Idran1701: (End of RP, or was there anything else you wanted to cover?)
Arch mage144: (That's good for me.)
Idran1701: (*nod*)
Arch mage144: (Unless you've got something else to do.)
Idran1701: (Nope!)
Arch mage144: (OK!)
Idran1701: (So how much time were you thinking having passed before Wray finds out?)
Idran1701: (So I know how long to timeskip my and Shini's RP tonight.)
Arch mage144: That depends what we're talking about him finding out.
Arch mage144: You mean about the potential for Idran's demise?
Idran1701: Not exactly; I mean the likely potential for his demise.
Idran1701: The fact that it's more than likely going to happen without (and maybe even with) intervention.
Arch mage144: I'm going to say that since it's a rare phenomenon and that the only resource he's aware of off-hand is Dragan's paper that he's going to need time to cross-reference things, since he obviously has to devote time to doing things other than researching Idran's condition; we'll say a month.
Idran1701: *nod*
Idran1701: Which is convienant, since this RP was a month and a half in the past. :D
Idran1701: Was worried it'd move into the future.
Idran1701: Actually, that works even better than I was expecting.
Idran1701: Since I was worried Idran's talk with those prisoners would have to happen after the revelation, which would make things awkward.
Arch mage144: Heh.
Arch mage144: Good times.
Idran1701: Indeed.
Idran1701: Thanks again for this, by the way.
Arch mage144: Idran never asked about the huge apparatus in Wray's office. D:
Arch mage144: No problem, I enjoyed it.
Idran1701: Heh.
Idran1701: Annie might pull him aside and ask about it later, though, after she's feeling better.
Arch mage144: Heh.
Idran1701: Probably, actually. But Idran's not much for engineering stuff.
Arch mage144: It's an attempt at modelling the planes in three dimensions.
Arch mage144: Not a machine at all, more of a map.
Idran1701: Ah. That would peak his interest, yes.
Idran1701: Actually, if he knows anything about cartography, Wray would probably recognize Idran's last name.
Arch mage144: The moving parts are to simulate planar drift and occasional orbit.
Idran1701: His father, Orion, created one of the more aesthetically pleasing maps of Igala.
Arch mage144: He presumably would. Ah, indeed.
Idran1701: Not exactly common, but definitely attractive.