Trubble in the Market
tenebrae - Saturday, August 03, 2013, 8:24 PM
-=--=--=--=--=--=<* A07: Local Alexandria Market District *>-=--=--=--=--=--=-
Just west of the Northern Highbridge and east of the arena, commerce blooms. Noisy and bustling, most anything may be purchased here for a price. Vendors from all cultures sell their wares from exotically colored carts, and the smells of different nations and far-off city-states mix with local ones from Alexandria and its riverbanks.
For all its commerce, visitors are advised to keep hold of their purses. Even the merchants possess a certain, cunning look. Most are positioned at carts or stalls as opposed to a formal storefront, with trade here being mobile, and visiting from all parts of the world.
Though the quality of goods suffers here compared to Upper Alexandria, the options are more diverse. Too, the oversight of the Watch is slightly less, and during times events are held at the Arena, chaos abounds. After dark, the square becomes a hangout for bards and other entrepreneurs whose business is best conducted by night; the shadows at the edges of the square often contain furtive figures engaging in their own brand of business.
Trubble has arrived.
Mikilos wanders the Market, people watching. The overly tall elf doesn't exactly blend, but is a common enough sight the merchants don't notice, and for the visitors, well, there's enough sights more intrested in Alexandros that an elf ranks low on the list. Usually.
Trubble is also walking through the market. Right now? She's struggling under a load of books that are probably bigger than she is. It's almost comical the way the goblin wiggles from side to side, stumbling around under their weight. One is beginning to slip,"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!"
Mikilos has no particular respect for goblins. Nor does he have any specific dislike, though he is cautious. Little guys have a habit of explosions. Books, on the other hand, are an entirely diffrent matter. Seeing a dear fellow about to slip, the elf steps up, gently scooping up the tops few texts to lessen the load to a somewhat more reasonable amount. "Ah, here, let me help. Are you alright?" Mikilos inquires, peering a moment at the carrier before checking the titles of the books held.
Trubble looks up at the man, peering squintily at him, then settles into a wide stance so she can re-stack her books properly, and holds out a hand for her remaining books,"Thank you. I'm studying Cantril's Cantrips for a variation on the flare, but to do that, surprisingly, you need Mordecai's treatise on construcio kinetica sug as the light-missiles, and that leads into..." She pauses and examines Mikilos and his garb, then intimates,"Well, I'm sure you know what it leads into.
Mikilos grins, and nods. "Yes, I do. The lab is actually set up that way to encourage students to read several viewpoints on the matter. A bit lengthy, but quite informitive, over all. Though if ever you desire a comprehensive review? Al'darima's 'Arcane Shorthand'. As implied, it skips a lot of the background theory, but does gather the important highlights into one work. Though you know, Cadet, most students just gather all these works in the library. A bit safer of a study enviroment."
Trubble shakes her head at Mikilos,"Maybe, sir, maybe. But... I'm interested in practice as much as theory. I'm aiming to be a tactical diviner one day... Skipping bits and pieces here and there... I'm not lazy. I want to know the background theory. Though... I'm merely a cadet, sir, when it comes to Arcane practice and theory. I plan to change that, though. I bet you know all the greats, sir. I'll read Al'darima's soon as possible. I've got a theory, though... About arcane healing. I think Fizzik the Transmutationist was on to something, even if people laugh. Safe environments just don't provide the kind of sample-size and diversity I need to conduct proper study and convert theory to practice." A pause, and then she blushes,"Plus I like owning the volumes myself."
"Ha!" Mikilos grins, nodding in agreement. "I think Fizzik was -on- something, though that's not to say his ideas were without merit. Here, you have time to sit for a few moments?" He motions to some unused seats of an outdoor cafe. "Arcane healing, to many, is a contradiction of terms. The gods themselves tend to keep the two seperated. That said, there are a few work arounds, though most require skill and power not often seen." The blinks, and frowns a moment, before offering a polite bow. "Please excuse my manners, Mikilos Mithralla, wizard, amature sage, and Builder Arcane."
Trubble looks around to make sure noone is eyeballing her precious books, then moves to set her books down on a table. She offers a proper bow in return, and then says,"Well, to be fair... Fizzik had been huffing dreamdust for three days straight by the time he finished writing his treatise. But for all we know, dreamdust is an arcane potentiator." She then climbs into a chair,"Sure. I'm just doing my shopping. I just got my pension, so I'm picking up some necessities, basic components, etc. I'm Trubble Sysfail." She pronounces it 'Troo-bell Cease-fie-eel'. "Arcane healing... I don't know that the gods prohibit it so much. I just wonder, if maybe... the arcane energies and skill necessary to knit flesh on such a situation-specific microcosmic level are just beyond normal mortals. Which is why it tends to be the work of the gods. It's easier, conceptually, to transfer health, or convert a being into one pre-set shape than it is to tailor the basic transmutation to a specific wound in every specific instance. It'd be like theorizing a new spell every time you cast it. Or making a 'smart spell'." She settles comfortably in her little seat. "I may just be talking out my third eye, though. A pleasure to meet you, Arcanus Mithralla.
Mikilos nods, and smiles. "Just 'Mikilos', please. Or 'Miki', if you prefer. Outside of classes, at least. Anycase, I agree with your general theory, though vary on some of the specifics. Positive Energy, and it's Negative counterpart, seem to remain firmly held in the realms of the divine. Exceptions exist, certainly. But while a cleric may toss around such energies willy-nilly, an arcane caster has only a tiny bit of access to such powers. In example, I'm sure you're familiar with the apprentice level cantrip commonly known as 'Disrupt Undead'. A bit of raw Positive Energy, thrown out in a loose beam. Simple, small, effective. There's nothing complex to make it harm undead and have no effect upon the living, that's simple the nature of the energy. And it -should- merely be a matter of power to draw a greater load of energy to unleash all at once. Not very efficant, mind, but when it comes to undead, one often needs blunt practicality. Regardless, despite the theory, larger amounts of raw positive energy cannot be called upon. Not by any means I've yet to discover, at least. Arcane casters are allowed their token piece, and no more."
Trubble nods slowly to Mikilos at this,"See... I wonder though... Maybe we're just approaching it wrong. Why can't we avoid positive energy entirely, and just skip straight to transmutation. Noone cares what we do with negative energy. Necromantic spells are incredibly easy, after all, for those with the nefariousness to devote to it. You've seen how easily necromancers throughout history have made a mess of things with relatively less training and focus than their fellows." She scratches at her lengthy nose while she things,"Why can't we simply develop spells that transmute harmed flesh into healed flesh. We already use it to enhance and make beings more tough and burly than they should be. Maybe we could modify their natural abilities to heal well past what is natural. Say, transmute a tiny portion of their beings. Transmute their natural healing to a troll's natural healing, for example. Still not QUITE healing the same way, but just ass effective, and more useful in some manners. Then again, I'm a diviner... So transmutation is far from my specialty."
Mikilos frowns, and nods. "I think necromancy is part of -why- positive energy is so strictly controled. Negative energy has been... 'corrupted', for lack of a better term. And while the vast majority of casters would, I think, use Positive Energy responcibally, it would only take one to mess the whole thing up. Anyway, for the work-around, yes, it can be done. But not easily. Which I think you've already touched upon the reasons. A living body is a wildly complex system. To change a part of it, even for the better, is a very involved process. An alteration of the whole thing is just a shift of the under-lying patterns. Not easy, exactly, but a far smaller chance of something going wrong. Though again, exceptions exist."
Mikilos nods. "More complex than all that, but in essence correct. The gods are wildly powerful, but it takes more than will alone to change the universe. Though the opposeing wills of the other gods may have more than a little something to do with that. As for prayers, I don't think it calls upon personal attention. Surely a god might take personal note, but there are thousands of clerics casting spells all the time. Personal attention would be utterly overwhelming. I think the responce is more an unconcious reaction, though I havn't the personal experience to back up such a theory."
Trubble lifts a shoulder,"I don't know... That supposition implies that deities don't have infinite or near-infinite attention spans, but... I see where you're going with it. Those questions... It's why I'm spending so much time on divination. I know it's seen as more of an academic's field, but... I think it can get us a lot of really important answers, you know? And in war, it can be essential... Thus 'tactical divination'." She lowers her voice, leans forward, and murmurs,"And I want to show Alexandria that not all goblinkind is full of fools."
Mikilos mmmms, and nods. "Knowing a foe can be devistating in combat, if you've the ability to act on that knowledge. A fact I have seen put into use, though not often." He sighs, nods, and shrugs. "As for the rest, I've met exceptions, and am pleased to have met you. But there remain those who fit the steriotype. At times I encounter assumptions because I am an elf. Of course, many of them are accurate, but that's beside the point."
Trubble tilts her head ever so slightly, and offers,"At the risk of sounding like a belligerent, I would say many of the stereotypes you face as an elf are more positive. Beauty, intelligence, grace... My own face appelations such as 'small, violent, dirty, stupid, and insane'. Much of our own stereotypes... the reason we fit them is because Alexandria pushes us mostly into a ghetto and leaves us few options or alternatives to seek out." She offers a smile, though, and says emphatically,"Either way, I am glad I met you as well. You do not seem to fit the stereotype of 'arrogant' either, or at least, you do not fit that which I've heard ascribed to elves."
Mikilos nods, and smiles. "I hadn't ment to suggest then steriotypes ascribed to elves are so negative, though are those less than kind. And yes, there's certainly something to be said of those forced into a steriotype. The typical dwarf, in example, is gruff an dour. This might be part of their nature. Certainly, it's a part of the culture. But how much is because others see something unexpected, even wrong, when a dwarf fails to fit the viewpoint? But, despite the steriotypes which have long persisted, I think progress is being made. It wasn't so very long ago, (to an elf, anyway,) that goblins were seen as uncivilized monsters, and not allowed into cities at all."
Trubble actually laughs, even as she pulls a small turtle from her satchel and sets it on the table, followed by a piece of fruit which it begins to munch on,"Behave Ignignokt. Sorry. He gets fidgety if I leave him in there too long." The turtle begins eating the apple slowly,"That's the blessed elven long view. But we're relatively short-lived creatures, even by human standards. I'll be an old woman before you even bat an eye. To us, and the rest of goblinkind, it's been many generations."
Mikilos mmms again, and nods, eyeing the turtle with idle curiousity. "As I said, not all steriotpyes are untrue. It's rare for the world to change overnight, and typically unplesant when it does. The murder of the god Animus being the prime example in mind."
Trubble nods in response,"I agree, sir, I agree. If you'll pardon my language, it's a hell of a thing, to kill a god. A hell of a thing. I don't think anyone wins. Not even the one who orchestrated the killing. The cosmos shudder with the import of such things." She even sounds sad at that. Still, she reaches out to pick up the turtle and fruit, putting it back in her satchel. She hurries to grab her books,"Gods, I just realized... I've got a presentation on creative uses of cantrips... I'm so sorry... You know where to find me if you need anything, of course. There aren't too many gobber diviners at the Academy, after all."
Mikilos smiles, and nods. "I'm sure we'll meet again. I'm at the Academy more than a little myself, though often on the other side of the podum. Fare well, miss Sysfail."
Trubble has disconnected.
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