abraxaslogs | OPEN MINGLE: Welcome to Thorne

WHO: OPEN to all Summoned in Thorne
WHAT: A party, info dump, and magic study session all rolled into one! Eat, drink, mingle -- make some friends!
WHEN: a couple days after the newest Summoned start appearing
WHERE: a ballroom in Castle Thorne

NOTES: This is an open mingle log where everyone can tag one another!

Rhy will have sent a written invitation to all Thornean newcomers within a couple days of their arrival, inviting them to meet their fellow Summoned. Otherwise, there will be fliers posted in the dining area that anyone can see. If your character has CR with Rhy (or Kell), you can assume they were told and got an in-person invite -- and you can even assume your character helped with setup if desired (decorations, helping set out food, etc.), since he definitely needed the assistance. Up to you!

Istredd will also be hosting a group meditation to allow newcomers to access to the Horizon (and network). New Summoned who wish to learn how to step into the Horizon have an opportunity to have their connections to the Singularity activated. If preferred, they can also get one on one help from those who've been around for a bit.

Banquet.

The large ballroom is bathed in warm, golden light from dozens of chandeliers above, reflecting off the gleaming inlaid floors and brass light fixtures along the walls. It is at once neatly sectioned, yet naturally open, allowing the length of the room to flow from one potential activity to another with ease.

In the center, a circular area has been left clear, and every half hour or so during the first half of the evening, two native Thornean (apprentice) mages come up to offer magic demonstrations -- mostly flashy elemental magic, adding sparks and atmosphere. If any of the Summoned who've been around longer wish to show off as well, they are welcome to do so.

Along the walls stand narrow refreshment tables, where one can serve oneself with wine from large glass carafes. Hot tea is also available in a few flavors. (Though those who have been here a while may notice there are fewer carafes, and more expensive options for alcohol and refreshments are missing this time.) For those looking to eat, a large dining table has been set out toward the center of the room, with plates and utensils and large platters of food in the center -- nothing fancy, but perfectly serviceable, and arranged to look good even if the ingredients themselves aren't nearly as lavish as they have been in the past. Still, despite the impending war and tightened purse strings in the face of shortages, the kitchen has agreed to help welcome the newly Summoned as best as they can.

Both the handful of large tables and the smattering of small, taller tables for standing at are in full view of the demonstrations so the show can be enjoyed with food and drink, whatever your desire. Bright summer flowers garnish every table, freshening up the space.

Of course, there's plenty of space to stand and mingle, walk around and see what everyone else is up to. In the back of the room, the folding screens offer a quieter area, for more private conversation and meditation as desired.

Magic Studies.

Behind the folding screens made of tall, carved wood in intricate patters, there are a handful of low sofas and chaise lounges around a fireplace at the far side of the hall. This sectioned-off area has been enchanted to provide some insultation from the sound of the banquet beyond, and once you step inside, the quiet is like a gentle blanket settling over everyone who chooses to spend some time here.

This is the best place to ask questions in some semblance of privacy, to learn about your new home, and to receive guidance on entering the Horizon and using the so-called network of telepathic notes only the Summoned can send one another.

A mage named Istredd seems to be the one 'in charge' of this particular endeavor, but others who have been in Abraxas a while are likely also about, lending their assistance to those who are newly arrived and sharing thoughts on their experiences so far.

Just be careful -- even if the insulating enchantment is sturdy, there are still Thornean natives around, refilling refreshments outside and demonstrating their magic. You may want to be careful how candidly you discuss any displeasure toward Thorne or its crown, considering the Queen's notoriously explosive temper, and the rumors of the dungeons deep beneath the castle. It's hardly a secret, at this point: a conflict has been sparked, and the mood around the castle is a tense one, even amidst a celebration such as this.

(( ooc: Feel free to make your own top levels and tag around! This is meant to be an open mingle, with the above as mostly setting and flavor, so don't feel limited if you want your character to do their own magic demonstrations, for example, or even if your thread ends up moving outside the ballroom. Have fun!

If you have any questions, please PM this journal or catch me @ belleteyn on plurk! ))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ that is fascinating. worlds colliding with each other, allowing for this mixture of races. could such a thing ever come to pass on middle-earth? he doubtws the valar would ever allow it. they were strict enough as it is.

elrond listens attentively, making a mental note of this. ]

No, it would seem rather abrupt. We had a similar situation with Men, but they were merely created later. They are as much of Middle-Earth as Elves are.

[ if not more, considering the origins of the elves. ]

Frankly, considering how abrupt it was, it was probably a miracle it didn't go worse.

[ Not that the elves would consider it a miracle when they were the ones who paid the price for man's ambition, but it could have been a genocide for most of the Elder races. Istredd wishes he knew just about everything he could from that time in history, but that is impossible from a distance. He knows more than most. ]

Your magic should be working here, or it will if you're still very new.

[ elrond shakes his head slowly. ]

Of that, I had no fear. My — [ and here he can't quite help but pause uncertainly, wrapping his tongue around the word. ] — magic is in my lungs. In my very bones. My spirit lives it.

Yes, they say some elves feel the same about it in my sphere.

[ Istredd has no idea if that is because they literally interact with magic differently, being from that world in the first place and therefore closer to it, or that everyone simply uses different words for the same feeling. He also feels like magic is a part of him, he was born with the ability, but it isn't like his blood or his beating heart. ]

For us, we have the ability to channel the forces of Chaos and Order, it is in our blood, but it is not something you know naturally. It takes many years of training and discipline to be able to safely use our magic.

[ that is an interesting way to phrase it. ]

Chaos and Order?

You could say they're considered the mystical powers that create balance within our world. The living force of energy and power.

[ It's not a religion but more of a philosophy, or a spiritualism. A way of explaining how things exist, and the undeniable force that magic and life spring from separately than everything else. In truth he doesn't question it, it's as good an answer as anything. ]

Chaos traditionally is what we consider the source of magic.

Isn't chaos a rather dangerous force to tap into?

[ chaos itself seems to hold negative implications. ]

I think the word can mean different things to different spheres. Chaos can be substituted as a word for something else that means powerful energy that can be channeled into spells.

[ Istredd has come up against this before, and it is not that Chaos doesn't also mean the same thing in his world. It just is a little more complex than the easy definitions for a word. ]

It is dangerous, but harnessing anything that powerful can be. Mages do die, if they're not trained.

[ fair enough. even magic is throwing elrond for a loop. ]

How is it harnessed?

Different types of magic require verbal spells along with your willpower to cast. Some you can just do without thinking once you learn how.

[ Istredd pauses and considers, because that is the factual answer, but sometimes the explanation is more intangible. ]

They have spoken spells here, that's academic magic, but you still need to feel the magic within you and use it, like a muscle, like the effort that someone might use to breathe or feel or speak, but it is instinctive. It becomes clearer after the first time someone manages to cast, then they know what it feels like.

[ hmm. elrond wonders . . . ]

Would you be able to teach me this magic?

Yes, I've been offering to teach newcomers and young mages here. Since you already have personal magic you may find it easier to learn than most, but it still does require training.

[ Istredd himself didn't come here and immediately perfect all the academic spells he read. It requires casting magic in a way not exactly his own, so it had to be tested. He started with beginner's magic here just like he recommends everyone else. He did excel faster than most because of his experience, but that is about persistence too. ]

Here, I got early academic magic books for people to take with them. The library has more advanced spells when you feel ready for it.

[ Istredd does in fact have a stack of books he brought here for this purpose. He is very pragmatic and prepares for days in advance. He offers him one. ]

But I will be teaching every other morning if you'd like to pick out some you want to try first.

[ elrond inclines his head politely. ]

I would like to join your sessions. Thank you.

I'll be glad for you to join. And perhaps learn more about your people, if you're inclined to share anything.

[ The elves are somewhat private in his world so he doesn't want it to seem like he's prying. Istredd is respectful of other species, it just wouldn't be like him if he didn't ask. ]

[ elves are no less private, but elrond is no mere elf and he sees no harm in reciprocal aid. he inclines his head politely at istredd. ]

I would not mind in the least. I hope to see you soon.

OPEN MINGLE: Welcome to Thorne

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We can probably wrap on yours! Maybe start something new :)

Sounds good