[open] january/february catchall

[techmaturgy]

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.]

Comments

[godshattering]

[ 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.

[techmaturgy]

[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.

[godshattering]

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.

[techmaturgy]

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.

[godshattering]

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.

[techmaturgy]

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.

[godshattering]

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.

[techmaturgy]

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.]

[godshattering]

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.

[techmaturgy]

[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.

[godshattering]

[ 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.