aterat | [Log] Same Shit, Different World

Entry tags:

[Log] Same Shit, Different World

Who: Nida, OTA
What: Explorations and Seeking Magic Out
Where: Around the city
When: July
Warnings: None planned, will update as needed

There's a lot to be said about how weird it was to be in a place like this and still be able to feel. Feel in a way he had lost so long ago, the world feeling warm and distant somewhere in himself that didn't... didn't fully make sense. Which of course only led to him wandering, his head spinning with a sense he had forgotten. With the curl of a voice caressing his mind, cradling him with warmth and promise, the touch of a seaside breeze caressing him with all the comfort he could offer.

Magic. He can taste it in the air, and as he wanders the city, Nida will sometimes stop, abruptly, to look at people near him, or some bauble on display. Sometimes his head snaps up quickly, and he moves quickly down an alley or behind a building, only to be visible walking the top of the structure moments later. All of it with an aura of someone watching. Seeking.

"Hyne," he curses as he moves through the Historium, trying to find just what was setting his senses off there.

Or he's there on the top of the Red housing building, his eyes flirting over the city as he draws a map of the place from the high vantage, mumbling under his breath in another language.

There's even a moment when he nearly trips over someone in the market, dancing quickly aside at the last moment because his eyes had been caught up toward the path leading down toward the Curio shop.

In the end, though, he settles down near the fountain, sitting in a meditative position, eyes closed. Until, though, someone started to get close. Then his eyes flashed open, a brief flash of bronze light in his eyes before it settled back down, leaving attentive dark eyes gazing at whoever has approached.

"You feel like magic."

[OOC: Nida is capable of sensing magic, and because of his own abilities, drawing magic from the people around him. That means everyone not-native to the Aterat pings on his senses some because of a natural spell welling up from them in his senses. He can draw a small amount of that power from them, but only with permission which he will seek in-character permission every time. Feel free to message me here or on

churbooseanon to discuss.]

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"Not everyone who lives close to the shore has water magic. It's actually quite rare," Nida admits with a shrug. "Fire, ice, electricity, those are more common."

Still, he loves the fell of it in his head. Water magic was one of his specialties, and someone here might have it so he can bribe them with whatever to access it was... nice. Now if only he could find wind.

"It's one of my specialties, but the shore isn't my thing."

“Really? That seems odd, you would think water magic would be more natural in those near the water.” He grinned though, amused by something. “If it’s so rare, I suppose that makes sense. I have been known to be quite elusive, after all.”

As long as Nida continued to be an agreeable and interesting person, Caelan wouldn’t be hard to bribe. There were a few ways to earn the man’s disdain, but he would know it if it happened. The dramatics tended to get worse, and shifted in mood quickly. So far, Nida seemed like the kind of person he could get along with.

If anything the way his magic worked was new, and so very different from what he’d seen before. “What is your ‘thing’ then?”

"Spells tend to fall in line more with personalities from my experience," Nida shrugs.

How did he even begin to explain how weird the whole situation of magic in his world worked? There were entire Garden classes on paramagic? Perhaps just the bullet points.

"My thing is wind magic, though I have water skills too. A touch of healing too. I could... show you?"

Caelan was happy for the basics, if only to learn about how Nida’s magics all worked. Wind and water though... It would make him useful on a ship, that’s for sure. Not that there were any in the docks that were seaworthy, but the point still stood. He could think of a few crews in his own world that would have loved to have a person of such talents on board.

Taking a seat on the edge of the fountain, he decided to get settled for this little conversation. Caelan nodded for the man to continue a moment later. “Yes, I think a demonstration would definitely be in order if you’re up for it.”

With how his magic worked, perhaps he wouldn't be useful on a ship. He wasn't a Sorceress. His spells were para-magic and thus they had very specific forms they took.

"We'll need to get up and walk to somewhere a bit open. I don't want to be accused of trying to break things," Nida admits, frowning.

Ah, he can’t deny that does sound sensible... “No, I imagine they would consider that counter-productive after bringing us here to ‘rebuild’ everything.” He responded with little shrug, lifting himself from the fountain and gesturing. “Let’s see if we can find a place where you have a little more space.”

He supposed they could follow the canals out to the shoreline, there wouldn’t be any buildings to worry about there. Then there was outside the city, on the outskirts of the odd forest perhaps. Caelan was happy to follow to wherever was Nida’s preference though.

"More space, and nothing to destroy. Shore if it's water spells you want to see, outside of the city for wind. Or, well, you could punch me and I could heal it."

Because that one doesn't damage anything. But him. WHich is a big 'whatever'

Raising a brow at option number three, he shook his head with a little grin. “Well, you have yet to give me a reason to punch you. Maybe one day, but not this one. So let’s take a stroll down to the shore, shall we?” Besides, he was probably going to end up there later on in the day anyway, and he is curious what sort of water magic Nida can work.

"So kind, not seeking to harm me," Nida teases before starting off and expecting Caelan to follow him. "Still, it's going to be nice to play with some water now."

Especially with a possible source of it. He can practice his magic.

“Well I can be a civilized fellow when I feel like it, Nida.” He responded with a little laugh and trailed behind, falling into step next to the man a moment later. “Have you not gotten to in a while then? In all those other place you were before?” He added a moment later, making conversation as they left the fountain square behind.

"The other places took my means away from me. But now I know she was always there, just... hidden."

Even now he can feel her swell and sing in his blood, familiar and welcome. Oh he missed her.

"I grew sued to having her, back home."

“So you have a partner of sorts, then?” He’s not going to assume, of course, but it sounds almost like... a beneficial relationship between a being of magic and a human to him. “Your magic is very interesting, how does your partnership work? She stays with you?”

"Oh, there is a cost for her, but yes, we're partners. She resides in my mind, but she needs sustained. They draw power and sustenance from memory."

But there is no way he can store her without keeping her within him. There were means back home, but not here.

There’s sense to be found in that, power always comes with some form of restriction or a price. Even his kind, beings of nature and magic, have their limits and drawbacks, after all. “Sustenance from memory, does she eat them or...?” A bit of an odd question, perhaps, but memories were valuable things after all.

"She consumes them. Usually long term memories. In time I'm going to have to find another way to keep her with me."

But there isn't a rush. Not yet. He keeps walking, trying to process that realization. If this place keeps him as long as the others, then he'll need a solution.

Caelan’s eyes widen a bit, wow... That’s a lot to give up for magic, especially a human... Short lives meant a limited amount of memories, and Nida was far from old. “In time? I’ll say...” Did she have to consume them often? How many memories could the man afford to lose? The selkie certainly hoped the power the man gained was worth it, because that seemed like a very steep price.

It’s been a while since something has genuinely surprised Caelan, especially concerning magic. So, Nida could pride himself on that if he knew. He trails along, following Nida away from the crowds and closer to the shore. A small thought strikes, one that he thinks needs asking, “Does she need to consume one whenever you use your magic, or is it a slower process?”

Because, as curious as Caelan is, he’s not sure a demonstration would be worth speeding up that process.

It was not a surrender that they had been informed of in the beginning. And by this point, Nida accepted the bargain, even knowing the price. Besides, he now had a wealth of new memories, nearly two years, that he saw no reason to retain.

"It's a slower process than that, though it is not well studied. But I have associates that have slung far more spells than me. They still remember their names, so we're probably okay."

And in his world, with the monsters they deal with, it's probably reasonable that some take the weight for the sake of the world.

He eyed Nida curiously for a moment, before humming with a little shrug. “I’ll trust your judgment on that then, you do know more on the subject than I would.” Which wasn’t wrong, Caelan was terribly unfamiliar with this sort of magic. Fae who helped humans with spells did generally require a price, but that was usually a one time thing aside from the occasional partnership. This was something else entirely.

Smiling again, his eyes taking on a different light as he takes a breath as they neared the shore. There was the sea air he loved so... The call from the waves just a touch stronger, reminding him that he could always return to them in. That he was welcome to use it as a surrogate in place of the sea he left behind.

"There aren't a lot of people who truly understand GFs and paramagic, so I'm sorry you have to default to my knowledge."

The walk has been nice, though, and soon enough they're closer to the edge of the water and Nida looks like he's steeling himself for something.

"I will try not to splash you."

“That’s fine, I appreciate the attempt.” He responded with a light tone, “It’s still more than I knew before, after all.”

Following Nida up to the waters edge, he tilts his head curiously as he takes in the man’s expression and body language with interest. Caelan wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but he was eager to find out what the magic Nida had drawn from him could do. “Splash away if you must, a little water certainly isn’t going to kill me.” He added with a grin, amused at the idea.

Alright then. Time for this. Nida closes his eyes, holding a hand before him. Again that strange bronze flash of light dances across Nida's eyes as blue light starts rising around him in sparks and moments of shine. And then he thrusts his hand outward the light flowing forward from it as an orb of water forms around a piece of wood floating on the water. The orb is clearly large enough to wrap around a full person, and it rises to the sky, before slamming down into the waves. Granted, it would hurt more hitting something other than the ocean.

But even this should hurt.

Caelan wasn’t entirely sure what he could have expected, but it clearly hadn’t been that. Not if the impressed expression that crossed his face as he watched the strange display was anything to go by.

That was definitely a strong power. To use that elsewhere, on a person? Oh that would smart... He turned from the water to face Nida again, “Well colour me impressed! Never seen something quite like that before.” Not often, anyway. Certainly not from just any person. There were a few sea monsters and fae that might, but humans had to be pretty skilled, with some fae blood in their lineage to pull that off where he came from.

"Water is easier to demonstrate out here. I've never cast Aero or Tornado over the water. I'd be half worried to create water spouts," Nida admits, letting his hand fall to his side. But he doesn't even look remotely tired. He could cast until his spells ran dry, and he wouldn't be bothered.

"But it can seriously hurt. The surface of that water seemed calm. Inside, it roils and buffets."

“No, the creatures in the water mightn’t thank you for that.” He responded with a little frown in response to the idea of creating water spouts, he’d seen his fair share of those, and they could be dangerous for sea life and sailors alike.

He focuses instead on Nida’s further explanation of the spell. “Really? Well I can’t imagine the average person would enjoy being entirely encased in water even if it was the calm sort, but that definitely makes the spell that much more formidable.” He responded, tilting his head back towards the water a moment later. “Rough waters can be a pain enough, let alone with a hard landing that appears to go along with the spell?”

No, he supposes they wouldn't.

"I have nothing against sea creatures, luckily," Nida muses, staring out at the waters. Seas didn't tend to have as much in the way of monsters in his world. Not as much by half. Or even 90%. Sea monsters just were't a thing.

"There's a reason it's offensive magic."

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