[ the corner of famine's mouth quirks upward a bit meanly. no one said their sense of humor was good ]
I hate all of you asking questions about me. But I am not opposed to learning about you if you insist on dragging me out here for conversation, is what I mean to say.
Like the fact that you seem to be implying that you eat magical items?
Fair enough, I too would tire of constant interrogation, so I can't say that I blame or fault you.
[ honestly! it's fine. there's probably a thousand people coming in here and asking their favorite color and what soup they like. he sort of clears his throat. ]
Erm. In a sense. It isn't so literal as those that hear it would believe, but ... yes. I have a condition, one that consumes magic. It feeds on mine first, and then when it has finished with that meal, it begins to consume me. For a time, I was forced to feed it magical items both to keep it stable within me, and to allow myself to use magic at hand without its interference or continuing to [ making a face. ] turn my insides to necromantic offal.
As of this moment, my goddess has seen fit to grant me a blessing. It has kept it stable for the time being. However, as I'm sure you understand, there are some complications about access to outside magical forces. Please understand that once it has consumed all that it can, it will begin to destabilize, which is an outcome we should avoid at all costs.
Not exactly. It is more that both myself and the Orb draw from the same source: The Weave. Magic. I do not draw power from the Orb, it only consumes.
[ but yeah i mean. his blood is Real Bad! ]
Quite. It will ... [ he searches for the right word.] Erupt. It would level a city the size of Waterdeep. If not larger.
[ ... ]
If I die, you must either revive me or dispose of my body a very, very large distance away within a few days at most. I understand the claim is you do not have our items, but if you are lying and you have access to my possessions anywhere, I have a Scroll of True Resurrection.
I spent a great deal of time researching, testing and attempting to cure myself of it. I am fairly certainly of its capabilities. If anything I am underestimating its power.
[ a long pause. ]
But yes, in a more practical sense, I have experienced the eruption. Though through the very nature of it, please understand I was not exactly aware of its outcome, as I was in the process of becoming unmade from the fabric of reality itself. violently. [ just saying. ] As for others, with any luck yes. Though it was my very greatest intention that it be aimed at who it needed to be aimed at, and would not harm innocents. ... though I cannot guarantee that to be the case that no one was caught in it.
I'm really quite a gentleman for the most part and tend to wait for the third date or thereabouts, but here we are.
[ he can match tease for tease, that's good with him. anyway possibly traumatic? possibly? ]
I do like to think morally it was in the clear so to speak. It was almost imperative, you see. It was a threat to the entire continent and I stopped them in their tracks. As for the ... reticence I really only brought it up to make you and your lot aware of the possibility upon my potential death. That is what seemed important. Not the who's and why's of the past. And it is quite a long story.
[ that's really fine, this is. everyone's reaction. he's used to it. ]
Though I suppose it is worth noting that I would not consider gods to be all-powerful, they rarely are. Certainly not omnipresent and omniscient, but powerful far beyond the reach of any mortal. Perhaps more along the lines of representatives of their domain in the natural structure of the universe and conduits of faith.
[ wow ......................... what happened to the yap. ]
It was her command that I detonate the orb. That in doing so I would earn a chance at her forgiveness. Or, I suppose as Elminster so eloquently put it: she would consider what she considers to be forgiveness.
Ah, yes, it is a distinction to be made on account of what happens to my remains and any ability normally found within our world to, say, reconstitute my corporeal form. In some cases, death through misadventure can be remedied by a quick enough cleric, or a slower but more talented one. Death in this way renders me beyond such aide.
I dislike that when I ask a question, I receive an answer that would normally be worth an entire conversation on its own. It makes it more difficult to discern which conversation thread to follow.
You are certainly not reassuring me you do not plan to make rather awful commentary on what I am about to tell you, but I suppose you have asked for it.
[ maybe i feel bad giving you ALL HUGE WALLS OF TEXT. but famine did specifically ask for it so perhaps i am not sorry at all. ]
Mystra. The mother of all magic. [ the goddess' name. if they care. they probably do not. ] We met when I was quite young - I began my study of magic almost as soon as I could speak. I was a prodigy, adept at the Weave far beyond most from an early age. And it began to draw notice, for you see, Mystra is aware of every plucked strand from her domain. She was a teacher. A mentor. A muse. Eventually, a lover. She named me Chosen One. A mortal emissary, a sign of her adoration. Or at least, what would pass for a god's love. Perhaps it is not quite the same thing as what a mortal might feel. But ... I was very young, and very in love. It was close enough to me.
Mystra is the arbiter of all magic. She enforces the boundaries that wizards dare not cross, and only a handful have ever scratched more than the surface of the Weave. But I was greedy. Selfish. Every time I was with her, I looked beyond the precipice and dreamed of the creation that could be made if only I was allowed to step over that line. To follow in the path of the great Netheril mages, of her Chosen of ages past. To wield the Silver Fire. To cast a Mythal. I pleaded and pouted and begged. I told her that my ambition would only be to serve her better, to work in her name, to prove my love for her and her craft. She only ever smiled, and told me to be contented with what I had.
Over time her interest waned. Perhaps my constant pushing at her boundaries had tired her. Or what I was doing with her magic was simply not enough. I came up with a plan. I would draw her attention, her respect, back to myself with a gesture. I've never been one for flowers and chocolates, so I set to research. I found that after all this time, a small piece of her and her Weave remained locked away. Ancient magic from the most powerful mages that ever lived that they had sealed within a tome. I spent a great amount of time and expense tracking it down and when I finally obtained it, I was certain. I would retrieve this one tiny diamond, and restore her crown to perfection.
It was not to be so. When I opened the tome, instead it was ... this. [ he gestures to his chest. ] I should have died. I hesitate to call myself lucky I survived, but at any rate it was a strange twist of fate.
For more than a year, I locked myself in my tower and begged for her aide, her advice, anything at all and received nothing but silence.
[ puts this wall of text in my mouth and eats it whole
famine listens thoughtfully, not emoting too obviously behind the mask, aside from a thought 'huh' here and there. not to interrupt, but the brief verbal tones to indicate that one is still listening. ]
So your goddess claimed to love you, told you to rein back your enthusiasm without explanation, and then neglected you when you needed her most?
[ well. they don't sound impressed, but they don't seem to be judgmental of gale in this case. ]
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I hate all of you asking questions about me. But I am not opposed to learning about you if you insist on dragging me out here for conversation, is what I mean to say.
Like the fact that you seem to be implying that you eat magical items?
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[ honestly! it's fine. there's probably a thousand people coming in here and asking their favorite color and what soup they like. he sort of clears his throat. ]
Erm. In a sense. It isn't so literal as those that hear it would believe, but ... yes. I have a condition, one that consumes magic. It feeds on mine first, and then when it has finished with that meal, it begins to consume me. For a time, I was forced to feed it magical items both to keep it stable within me, and to allow myself to use magic at hand without its interference or continuing to [ making a face. ] turn my insides to necromantic offal.
As of this moment, my goddess has seen fit to grant me a blessing. It has kept it stable for the time being. However, as I'm sure you understand, there are some complications about access to outside magical forces. Please understand that once it has consumed all that it can, it will begin to destabilize, which is an outcome we should avoid at all costs.
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but they will listen ]
The same power you wield is eating you from the inside?
[ they sound uncomfortably interested sorry i'm sorry ]
The destabalization—from what you're saying, it sounds destructive.
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[ but yeah i mean. his blood is Real Bad! ]
Quite. It will ... [ he searches for the right word.] Erupt. It would level a city the size of Waterdeep. If not larger.
[ ... ]
If I die, you must either revive me or dispose of my body a very, very large distance away within a few days at most. I understand the claim is you do not have our items, but if you are lying and you have access to my possessions anywhere, I have a Scroll of True Resurrection.
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We are not lying. We don't have your items.
Do you know of how destructive it can be from experience? Have others died to your Orb?
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[ a long pause. ]
But yes, in a more practical sense, I have experienced the eruption. Though through the very nature of it, please understand I was not exactly aware of its outcome, as I was in the process of becoming unmade from the fabric of reality itself. violently. [ just saying. ] As for others, with any luck yes. Though it was my very greatest intention that it be aimed at who it needed to be aimed at, and would not harm innocents. ... though I cannot guarantee that to be the case that no one was caught in it.
I did as I was commanded to do.
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Do you share your morally gray and possibly traumatic experiences with everyone on the first conversation, or am I special?
[ teasing. obviously teasing, but their expression will even out afterward ]
Who commanded you? Who do you serve? Why did this happen? You are normally so verbose, what makes you so reticent now?
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[ he can match tease for tease, that's good with him. anyway possibly traumatic? possibly? ]
I do like to think morally it was in the clear so to speak. It was almost imperative, you see. It was a threat to the entire continent and I stopped them in their tracks. As for the ... reticence I really only brought it up to make you and your lot aware of the possibility upon my potential death. That is what seemed important. Not the who's and why's of the past. And it is quite a long story.
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I am willing to endure a long story. I would not invite it otherwise. But if you find yourself unwilling to share, then so be it.
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I ...
[ wow. shockingly quiet for like a full beat. ]
How familiar are you? With magic and gods and the like?
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Magic, not at all. Gods... As familiar as once can be while also being an atheist.
But you'll find I catch on quick.
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Oh, the gods do so love an atheist. Something to aim at.
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In my home, I'm afraid that the only all-powerful existence I've ever known is myself. So if they truly exist, they'll have to try harder.
I would say I'm open to being surprised. It'd almost be exciting.
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Ah. Well. I was the lover of one for quite a few years, so I would be personally rather disoriented to find she did not exist after all of this time.
[ okay well he has the self-awareness to at least immediately shake his head a little like he's embarrassed after he says it that way ]
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because famine just starts laughing ]
Oh?
[ the heaviest a syllable has ever been uttered ]
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[ that's really fine, this is. everyone's reaction. he's used to it. ]
Though I suppose it is worth noting that I would not consider gods to be all-powerful, they rarely are. Certainly not omnipresent and omniscient, but powerful far beyond the reach of any mortal. Perhaps more along the lines of representatives of their domain in the natural structure of the universe and conduits of faith.
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That is helpful context within the scope of their place in your own world, then. I maintain that no true deities exist within mine.
[ anyway ]
So? Bad breakup?
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[ wow ......................... what happened to the yap. ]
It was her command that I detonate the orb. That in doing so I would earn a chance at her forgiveness. Or, I suppose as Elminster so eloquently put it: she would consider what she considers to be forgiveness.
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So your breakup is part of—what did you call it? What unmade you?
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[ he got distracted talking about being dead ]
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I dislike that when I ask a question, I receive an answer that would normally be worth an entire conversation on its own. It makes it more difficult to discern which conversation thread to follow.
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Famine
TOPICS TO REVISIT: Resurrection. ]
Yes?
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No, I don't care about resurrection. I care about your probably tortured thoughts surrounding your own death.
[ okay maybe don't just say that to someone ]
But I think I was asking about your bad breakup with a goddess.
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You are certainly not reassuring me you do not plan to make rather awful commentary on what I am about to tell you, but I suppose you have asked for it.
[ maybe i feel bad giving you ALL HUGE WALLS OF TEXT. but famine did specifically ask for it so perhaps i am not sorry at all. ]
Mystra. The mother of all magic. [ the goddess' name. if they care. they probably do not. ] We met when I was quite young - I began my study of magic almost as soon as I could speak. I was a prodigy, adept at the Weave far beyond most from an early age. And it began to draw notice, for you see, Mystra is aware of every plucked strand from her domain. She was a teacher. A mentor. A muse. Eventually, a lover. She named me Chosen One. A mortal emissary, a sign of her adoration. Or at least, what would pass for a god's love. Perhaps it is not quite the same thing as what a mortal might feel. But ... I was very young, and very in love. It was close enough to me.
Mystra is the arbiter of all magic. She enforces the boundaries that wizards dare not cross, and only a handful have ever scratched more than the surface of the Weave. But I was greedy. Selfish. Every time I was with her, I looked beyond the precipice and dreamed of the creation that could be made if only I was allowed to step over that line. To follow in the path of the great Netheril mages, of her Chosen of ages past. To wield the Silver Fire. To cast a Mythal. I pleaded and pouted and begged. I told her that my ambition would only be to serve her better, to work in her name, to prove my love for her and her craft. She only ever smiled, and told me to be contented with what I had.
Over time her interest waned. Perhaps my constant pushing at her boundaries had tired her. Or what I was doing with her magic was simply not enough. I came up with a plan. I would draw her attention, her respect, back to myself with a gesture. I've never been one for flowers and chocolates, so I set to research. I found that after all this time, a small piece of her and her Weave remained locked away. Ancient magic from the most powerful mages that ever lived that they had sealed within a tome. I spent a great amount of time and expense tracking it down and when I finally obtained it, I was certain. I would retrieve this one tiny diamond, and restore her crown to perfection.
It was not to be so. When I opened the tome, instead it was ... this. [ he gestures to his chest. ] I should have died. I hesitate to call myself lucky I survived, but at any rate it was a strange twist of fate.
For more than a year, I locked myself in my tower and begged for her aide, her advice, anything at all and received nothing but silence.
no subject
famine listens thoughtfully, not emoting too obviously behind the mask, aside from a thought 'huh' here and there. not to interrupt, but the brief verbal tones to indicate that one is still listening. ]
So your goddess claimed to love you, told you to rein back your enthusiasm without explanation, and then neglected you when you needed her most?
[ well. they don't sound impressed, but they don't seem to be judgmental of gale in this case. ]
Cruel of her.
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