open. castle thorne

[ushiri]

Who: Kyle & anyone in Thorne (+ a meeting with an NPC)
When: Post-Epulum. Bicycle shenanigans start before the storms hit Thorne. Ambrose chat occurs after.
Where: Castle Thorne courtyard, and town streets
What: Thorne is introduced to bicycles
Warnings: None yet!



[ Although the dust from the murder mystery at the Epulum has barely settled and is still fresh on Kahlil's mind, it just so happens to coincide with the completion of a small project he started pushing forward on two months ago.



The castle courtyard is now home to (2) bicycles. Though their use is primarily for Summoned couriers, others who may want to try them out aren't strictly discouraged. One model is a step-through design, the other a step-over. For anyone familiar with modern bicycles, you might be surprised (or alarmed) to see that while the frame is metal, the wheels are a combination of wood and leather. Further inspection will reveal they've been spelled with enchantments similar to the carriage wheels seen in Thorne, allowing the ride to be more smooth than it naturally ought to be. It's easy enough to find out that Istredd was responsible for this part, although the plans and at least one bicycle were allegedly assembled by a Summoned in the Free Cities.

There are attachments available, the step-through model has pegs on the back wheel for a second rider to stand, both have baskets on the front for packages, and a luggage rack behind the seat. They have little bells for alerting unexpecting pedestrians.

There's even a pair of training wheels that can be attached for anyone that thinks they might need them...

Please don't run anyone over, and try not to scare the horses too badly.

If you're looking for a lesson, Kahlil can be approached at the end of the day as he's checking them over. ]

( OOC: The bikes are officially available to couriers, but y'all are free to assume Kyle will give pretty much anyone permission to ride them around the courtyard as long as you don't plan on damaging or destroying them. These are the only bicycles in Thorne so assume some confusion and attention to be gained when riding in town. Horses are not particularly fond of them yet and may spook. )

Comments

[stations]

( Huh. Go figure. He gives Rita an approving little scratch behind the ear — he doesn't really know Geralt, but Lucifer getting goo'd? Totally worth a scritch.

Rita immediately snatches the cup from Kyle and, with the fervor known only to ambitious raccoons, promptly stuffs the entire cup over her head in a desperate attempt to get her tongue to the very bottom so she can lick it clean. )

Hey- speaking of which, do you think could teach me... whatever it was you guys did? That stuff tasted exactly like Baja Blast jello, I'd totally love to make some more of that sometime. The only jello I can conjure right now is Hospital Red flavor.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Yes, good work, Rita. I appreciate the assistance.

[ It was worth it. Geralt just left right away, which made sense, but he did get the satisfaction of Lucifer standing there in it. Naturally his significant other found it very funny, Lucifer loves when Istredd is petty and annoyed at him, but that didn't take away from it. He watches the little creature shove its face into the cup. Strange. ]

I don't think it's a good idea. We'd be calling on whatever that god was to come here.

[ Unwise! Istredd may be interested in learning more about the gods, but he's not so foolish as to invite one here when they know nothing about how to handle them. ]

I suppose it tasted ... fine.

[ It tasted good but he's stubborn. Himeka ate too much of it! It could have been toxic! ]

[ushiri]

[ Kahlil laughs again, this time at Rita - then raises an eyebrow at Istredd. He will NOT bring up that time Istredd's partner thought about constructing little god shrines all around Castle Thorne. Or the more much or recent attempt by Lucifer to get in contact with that specific god again. To Jack, he says: ]

It can't be that hard to make. Go make friends with someone in the kitchen.

[ Even he knows there's not so many ingredients to Jello. But he adds, again to Jack: ]

This god speaks in internet symbols. Smiley faces.

[ Or an angry face. ]

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ Istredd gives Kyle a look back saying I know! He's aware Lucifer does whatever he wants. ]

[stations]

( It can't be that hard to make — Jack shoots him a look that reads Kyle, oh dumb sweet foolish Kyle, you know nothing. Baja Blast is the most secretly guarded perfect recipe known to mankind. It cannot be replicated by anyone who is not a trained Taco Bell chef.

Or so he assumes, having done no research and having no interest in taking on the project himself. That would be a Jerry thing.

Internet symbols is pretty distracting, thankfully, and so all Baja Contemplations are set aside momentarily. )

Emojis? It's an emoji god? Weird. That seems like the kind of thing that's probably significant somehow, I'm just not smart enough to connect the dots.

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ Istredd murmurs a spell which is a subtle kind of sound spell. There is no one around to eavesdrop but he can be a little extra paranoid on this matter. And it's subtle enough not to set off any warnings. ]

If the theory Kyle originally offered about the New Gods being former Summoned, it would make some sense. Whatever these emojis are, it could imply knowledge from a future world like yours. It also had an arcana sign it shared with Lucifer.

[ Istredd has been speculating about Kyle's theory since he shared it, given that he himself worshpped a god who came from another world than his. It syncs up too well with the history of this world and the original Summons happening with the founder of Solvunn, the place known for worshipping gods. This is all known by Kyle, he's uncertain how much Jack has talked about this. Welcome to the paranoid theories gang.]

It said we are awaited. Ominous.

[ushiri]

I believe in your ability to connect many dots.

[ Kahlil only shrugs at Jack for the look. There's many gaps in his knowledge of Nayeshi and its food customs, clearly. He catches Istredd setting up his spell, though, and raises an eyebrow. ]

Could you teach me that one? [ If he's able to learn it himself, he'd like to do so, for the times when Istredd isn't around. Kahlil talks to many people, and while he's careful when and where he has his conversations, an extra layer of protection is always useful.

Then there's the theory. While it came from Kahlil, he has gone back and forth on its likelihood as he's uncovered more information on the past Summoning, what allegedly happened to those people brought here during the Ninth Mage's time. It's possible these New Gods could be those past Summoned in a changed form. It's just as likely possible that these New Gods brought forth the madness those Summoned eventually succumbed to - the invitation makes him wary for all these reasons. Easier to deal with an entity that is outright hostile than whatever it happening right now. ]

[stations]

That makes one of us.

( He comments, just a touch wry under all that dry delivery. He's said it before: he'd make a terrible detective. It's truly a miracle he survived his unsanctioned research trip to that meth lab that one time. He tends to actively avoid getting roped into mysteries when he can — and he stumbles his way begrudgingly through them when he can't. It's more that the universe engineers Jack into solving things, rather than any real talent on Jack's part.

But maybe that in and of itself is a talent, or a magic, or a power. Weird protag reality-rearranging plot powers. If he spent any real time actively considering this possibility, this might be where Jack's hero arc began.

But he doesn't, and it fizzles, and he'll never look any deeper into it, the end.

He is a little curious though: )

Yeah, what was the arcana sign?

[magicalarchaeologist]

Yes, I can. It's specifically designed to carry so small a ripple it's overlooked.

[ Istredd is a subtle mage and he finds that a gentle touch can get many spells under the radar. He only uses this particular one when there is no one even around to see him speak the words. Showing Kyle, showing most people, is probably a good idea as they keep dealing with their own levels of discretion. ]

The Fool. When the heralds came into our lives, I was stuck in a labyrinth in the Horizon, like a few of us were. Lucifer dragged me out, but the thing is, it had the same arcana sign.

[ Istredd shrugs, crossing his arms. ]

Those may very well be god domains, of Summoned from before. Who have arcanas.

[ushiri]

[ What's meth

He gives a small nod of thanks to Istredd - whenever he's free Kahlil will make time to learn the spell from him, and make time for himself to practice. He hasn't been resistant to learning magic, not for a long while, but the list of spells he knows and can perform well is still small: personal wards, some basics of larger wards meant for the castle that he's assisted with, a spell to conjure light, and now soon this one. ]

I told Lucifer - [ which means he just assumes Istredd already knows ] - there's a domain in Horizon that has recreations of those places. A Summoned named Julie created it.

[ RIP bicycles, they are getting distracted. ]

[stations]

( The fool — did Lucifer mention that when they talked before? Probably, but Jack's forgotten. It all got kind of back-burnered in favor of telling Lucifer about the God Whale, and his memory's notoriously unreliable. He tries very hard to commit it into his brain now — probably with more success, because he's hard-wired into trying to memorize everything Istredd teaches him at this point.

Julie, he says, and Jack's brain instantly says Carrie Underwood. )

Oh yeah, I guess that makes sense, considering-- ( He starts, then stops abruptly. Shit, he's not supposed to bring up her connection to the Singularity. He doesn't know how much Kyle and Istredd already know, and so he pivots with an awkward- ) -nothing in particular. Hey, weren't we supposed to be riding these somewhere?

( Bikes! Bikes, and not potentially exploiting secrets! )

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ Istredd and Lucifer usually share everything, especially on this topic, because two minds are sharper than one and they share the same theories. Albeit sometimes they disagree on the way to approach them. He nods his head to Kyle.]

I may have to go look at them. I don't often go outside of my own.

[ His library is all he needs but also Istredd has this problem where he's on a psychic plane of existence, and he's a psionic mage, which means he feels strange about walking into other people's brains without being invited. Which is funny given he is very welcoming of everyone doing that to his, but he was trained too well to keep out of minds. But this sounds like something that was willingly shared, and so he'll take it.

He arches an eyebrow at Jack. It's clear he was about to say something and is trying to divert attention from it. Istredd is kind enough to just let it slide. ]

But if the gods have domains, they're not in the same place ours are. Those were much larger than ours ever could be. [ They are limited by actual space in the Horizon. ] So ... where are they?