abraxaslogs | [open] january/february catchall

Entry tags:

[open] january/february catchall

Who: Viktor and special guests and YOU
When: January through early February
Where: Cadens, the Horizon
What: open stuff, closed stuff, dangerous and illicit magical surgery, the usual
Warnings: the usual references to terminal illness including a steep decline and medical procedures/surgery. will list additional warnings as needed.

[open and closed starters in comments! This is also a general catch-all for Viktor’s do-or-die attempt to cure himself, and the events leading up to it, and his recovery (to come later). If you want a custom starter or something specific, just hit me up. full horizon details are here for any and all wildcarding needs. For everything else, I’m on plurk at

whitticus and on discord at whitticus#8139.]

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[ Now that he's studying the orb again, those symbols do look familiar in bits and pieces of ones he's seen others wear occasionally. They're something Claude's been curious about since arrival and being told there's one associated to him as well. It's not been something he'd ever bothered to look into past rather limited research, and now Viktor's found a way to harness them into something far greater.

He's nodding slowly in response to what's listed as possibilities, each one more exciting than the last. But it's the last one in particular which has Claude pausing to look at Viktor for a long moment with no comments to be made. Not judgmentally; just... considering. It's a weighty enough pause where it's likely apparent the 'medical' part isn't lost on him. ]

Has it brought any plants back to life? [ He's not going to be the one to say the obvious first if Viktor isn't out of respect for that, but there is something adjacent to mention. ] There's magic from Fodlan, magic I don't think is specific to there based on what I've learned others know, and it's meant for healing someone. Can even bring them back from the verge of death in some cases, for some of the particularly awful things I've seen healed on battlefields. I know a couple of the spells that fall under it.

But if you're saying this, [ with a hand waved towards the device, ] could do that on its own after being more or less taught them and apply it to... other situations to remedy them I could pass that knowledge along.

[Viktor knows that he's sort of giving himself away as less-than-altruistic when he mentions medical applications. Despite the fact that those possibilities directly benefit himself, he does have uses in mind for it, directly beneficial to the general populace.

Or he would, if it wasn't so dangerous.]

No, not back to life.

[He hasn't tried that. Such a thing seems to be an impossibility, and perhaps inadvisable. He's already actively tampering with the course of nature, and it seems unwise to push the envelope even further. Still, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't intrigued by what Claude is describing.]

But it does imbue the subject with vitality, and transplants afflicted tissue. [Into what is another thing entirely--the microscope on one of the worktables might indicate he's been trying to find out.] If you have any information you think would be of use, I'm not going to say no. But I plan to use this once, on a particular procedure, and then destroy it. The military can't get its hands on something like this.

Edited 2023-01-19 21:22 (UTC)

[ Imbued with vitality certain sounds nearly the same compared to what he's thinking of, to how Faith magic could get someone stable enough to walk on their own to receive further treatment. Maybe this, what Viktor's created, can take that to an even further level even if it's not back to life in the strictest sense of that term. Because there are rituals for that in Fodlan, and they aren't ones he wants to see replicated here.

Instead, he nods while considering the rest of what Viktor's said including the use of this once on a particular procedure. ]

Back home I never was much of a magic user and certainly nowhere near the title of mage as some of my friends were, but I've noticed that being here seems to have intensified the spells that I do know, for lack of a better word. I'm not sure if those here also from Fodlan know the higher level spells compared to mine but I can ask them to share if they do. Is there a certain way it'd have to learn them? Or would a demonstration now simply work?

[ Whether there is or isn't, Claude's certain it can be figured out. It's worth it, to make sure there's all the tools on hand for what he thinks he's rapidly gaining a sense of what this is for even if it's yet to be confirmed. There's one more thing yet to offer though since they're in agreement about wariness regarding the military's plans if they had access. ]

If you need help destroying it, disposing of it, however it is you plan to dismantle it afterwards in what you need to have happen. Just let me know, Viktor. I'll be there.

Well, neither was I.

[In fact, until he and Jayce cracked Hextech, the prevailing belief was that only those with the inborn ability could harness the arcane—-mages, so rare as to be legendary, with all of the knowledge either lost to time or deliberately obfuscated. That’s one advantage to this place, at least, even in Cadens, where information on more advanced magics isn’t so readily available. Viktor was able to fill in the blanks.]

It’s possible that enacting the spell on the device will help it learn. We’ve been exploring very particular applications, as I said, so I’m not sure I can advise it, but——

[But he’s not going to stop Claude. Viktor’s gaze is still fixed on the device, eyebrows furrowed in a way that suggests he’s still conflicted about the inevitable destruction.]

I appreciate it. We’ll be sure to let you know if we need anything. For now, any information on what you’ve described to me will be enough.

[ That gets an eyebrow raise from Claude, considering he assumed Viktor would've had considerable mastery of whatever magic was in his world. Because that's how this orb could exist then even with all of the technology that's far beyond Fodlan's reach, right? Something to puzzle over and nothing of great importance compared to what they're actually talking about which includes the hesitation to both 'teach' the device through experience and what he sees as clear reluctance for having to get rid of it after... whatever it is takes place.

He looks once more at the orb and is silent for a time, this time to contemplate all of those possibilities Viktor had spoken of - agricultural, environmental, medical - and how once this creation is destroyed all of that might be out of reach or might require a much slower approach. It's awe-inspiring to observe something with that kind of power. What little he can lend to it, he will. ]

The magic I'm talking about is mostly based in Faith in Fodlan's goddess. Which likely explains why I've never been particularly adept at it since my faith doesn't count for much there, but it's the main form of healing. A spell's cast through your focus, and it can vary in intensity to heal things from scrapes and bruises to much, much larger wounds like those from battle. There's theories to go along with it to help learn beyond having literal faith which is how I picked it up.

I don't have the books here, but I have copies in the Horizon if you'd like to see them. [ That part's also paired with a slightly rueful smile. ] Not the first time I've wished for copies of those books to have in hand here, truthfully. That's partially why I thought showing it might be best, but I understand the need for caution from the immense capabilities it has that you've described. Something like this would be rightfully called a wonder in Fodlan as I'm sure it would be here, too.

[Viktor himself doesn't necessarily believe in any gods, but in coming here and meeting people from all kinds of different worlds, he's become a bit more open to respecting varying beliefs. He does, however, have questions.]

I'm assuming that goddess is unreachable, here. Has that affected your ability, at all?

[Just as Viktor had to learn an entirely new magic system to re-create the Hexcore--his own runes are useless, like he's trying to speak a different language.]

The Horizon is better than nothing, even if it's only as good as our own memories. Thank you for the offer, Claude.

Oh, probably. I haven't heard anyone else from Fodlan mention her recently, but I'm not so sure I'm not the only non-devout one. [ Technically true but there's also the matter that Claude's feelings on said goddess are technically blasphemy, so Viktor's not likely to hear that from them. ] If anything, I've noticed some of the spells I know seem to be... stronger is the best word for them, I guess. Maybe that'll help with this, if nothing else.

[ There's more he could say here, really. A lot more, whether some of it's appropriate or not, and while Claude's not normally one to hold back his thoughts he does so now while nodding in response to the thanks for the Horizon resources. Those won't be difficult to procure and the sooner he can get them to Viktor to review, the better.

Eventually, he looks up from the orb to study the other man again for bit, clearly weighing something back and forth before he decides to speak on something he only has the barest hints of an idea about. That won't make the offer any less sincere, even if it's finished up with a bit of teasing in case the other would rather deflect it. (If so, he can relate to that.) ]

Whatever happens with this, either before or after, I'll be there for it. If you need something don't hesitate to ask. No matter what it is, and even if you're just looking for another clock to repair. I can probably manage to break ours in seconds flat and pretend like I didn't just to make the process more mysterious.

I had to reconfigure the Hexcore to use this world's magic system. The runes I'm used to, and therefore, I suppose, the particular arcane energy of my home--is useless here.

[That is to say, he understands.]

I wonder if the Singularity is, eh. A replacement, in that way.

[It's certainly powerful enough to do so, and it doesn't surprise him that the Singularity, the source of all magic in this world, would fill the gaps in people's abilities. Things to wonder about soon. He hopes, anyway. Viktor offers Claude a sad smile, the implication clear.]

Please don't break another clock.

I was thinking it might work like a replacement as well. For Fodlan's magic, for your runes, for anything any of us familiar with magic know. And that it's more like a conduit for those who came here without any magic at all.

[ The latter might explain some of the abilities he's heard of others being granted, let alone the one he has and discovered by accident one morning. The Singularity was responsible for it, according to the others he'd asked about it in passing, and maybe with luck the Singularity will now help Viktor with what he means to do.

He meets Viktor's smile with one of his one, one slightly more grave than the teasing variety normally found on his face. ]

No? I'm sure there's something I could do to it to turn it into even more of a puzzle. Better yet, I could bring you some actual puzzles instead or teach you some card games so clocks everywhere can remain in one piece. Or close to it.

Where I’m from, magic is an inborn ability. Hextech was our way to circumvent that.

[To give everyone access to magic. Here, however, magic is easy to learn—-harder to master, but at least they have the chance. Jayce especially has thrived, which such simple access to the ability. Viktor has his own theories, about how people connect with the arcane, but the Singularity itself has upended much of what he knows.

He understands that Claude is trying to add some needed levity to the situation. Viktor doesn’t really need to say what he’s worried about, in the event of failure. It’s all implied.]

Yes, I think I’ll be in need of some puzzles. Things to pass the time.

So the name for this is Hextech?

[ Maybe not the device specifically, but it's something else he'll commit to memory if the device has to be dismantled after its use. One more way it can be a testament to Viktor's knowledge, even if it's only which can only be spoken of between what he's assuming is a handful of people.

It's not how fate works, Claude knows, to make plans for the future like they'll mean it's a guarantee everything turns out fine. Something he'd learned years before, and something Lysithea had been quick to remind him of when telling him about her illness. She hadn't wanted to speak of it again after that explanation of what it meant, and it'd been one of the few boundaries someone set that he'd respected. It's hard to not let some of that come into play here. ]

Puzzles definitely fit under something to pass the time. [ To say the least, though Claude considers that again since there's multiple kinds of puzzles out there - including his favorite kind, which is the ones that are ever changing. ] Related to that, sort of. You wouldn't happen to be a fan of chess, would you? I finally got my hands on a chess set here rather than in the Horizon alone, and if you'd like to learn to play I'd be happy to teach you.

Jayce's term for it, actually.

[He'd been very insistent. Even from the start, he'd thought about the marketability of it. The name had served them well. Certainly has more of a ring to it than "new magic", especially when it's essentially the same thing.

More refined, Viktor would argue, but now isn't really the time to feel superior.]

I can play. I'd be happy to have a match, sometime. You'll have to pay me a visit.

[When he's recovering, is the implciation.]

Good. I'd like that, and I think you might as well when you're looking for things to do- after. [ After is a good word for it, and then a possibly mischievous smile crosses Claude's face to go with his next thought. ] Since you know how to play, I should also warn you I know how to draw games out. Chess just might be a specialty of mine.

[ Useful for someone else who likes to solve puzzles, if he had to guess, and Claude's not really exaggerating about the number of ways he's made past games shift and even if it makes the offer of chess sound a little bit more like a threat than it probably should. That's all part of it, right?

The visit's going on his mental calendar every bit as much as it is for Viktor's, by the sound of it. ]

I'll look forward to our ridiculously long when you're ready for that to happen. I'm holding you to it, my friend.

[After is a good word for it, even if they’re still dancing around the gravity of it all. That’s fine. Viktor doesn’t think he needs to have exhausting conversations about his health with everyone. He appreciates the fact that Claude seems to understand what’s going on and offers him optimism.]

I’m looking forward to it, then.

[It’s been a long time since he’s, well, had time for diversions like chess and puzzles and logic games. Maybe, if he gets through this intact, he’ll finally be able to rest.]

We’ll sure to update you when the time comes. Thank you, Claude.

[ The mention of looking forward to it gets a smile from him and then a nod, as if this is something that needs to be confirmed and now has been. A plan for something in the future, even a near one, isn't something Lysithea always wanted to do. That Viktor is, even if it's for a board game, Claude means to uphold that as long as needed. ]

Good, then that's settled. And no thanks needed since it's been far too long since I've played someone who really knows what they're doing, so I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll bring to it.

[ Just to nail down that hope for their chess match to come, as close as Claude's willing to go to the idea it might not happen. It has to, if the orb - Hextech - is anything to go by. Optimism abounds.

Still, after one last glance to the glowing object and then back to Viktor, Claude nods again. ]

I'll be here as soon as you're ready for visitors, Viktor. You can count on that.

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[open] january/february catchall

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