CURIOUS! A New Year Means New Things! [BBS/Action]

[dragonspooker]

[The video ticks on showing Lina in uniform, and those familiar with it will notice that she's in her classroom.]

So, I'm curious - those of you here who have magical skills that aren't Paramagic, I'd like to talk to you. I'm curious as to how they work. You can either answer here, or come see me in my classroom if you'd prefer to do so in person. Especially if you feel a demonstration is needed. This will help me work out ways to teach future Offworlder cadets some of the more complex Paramagic spells - and you'll get to show off a little, if that's your kinda thing.

Comments

[marearcana]

...Have we really not been over this, or did it just slip your mind until now?

~Twilight Sparkle

[dragonspooker]

I've been a little too busy to really start researching this kind of thing properly - but now I've got the means and time to do so.

-Professor Inverse

[marearcana]

Well then, I'll get the notes from the last time I did something like this and be right over.

[dragonspooker]

Excellent - just come right in whenever you're ready. I'll be waiting!

-Professor Inverse

[permaction!]

[marearcana]

[It takes about ten minutes for her to stop by, magically carrying a small stack of papers. Those must be very comprehensive notes.]

So, where would you like to start?

[dragonspooker]

[Not that she'd admit it, but there's a small flickering of pride at the sight of that stack of notes. It's always good to see someone else who has a similar devotion to research.]

Well, the big question on my mind is the source of others' magic. And if others have been cut off from any of their spells in their time here.

[marearcana]

Well, for a unicorn pony like myself, it's a simple matter of biology. The horn converts mental and physical energy and willpower into magical effects that I admittedly can't explain very well. Pegasi like Rainbow Dash and earth ponies have use magic as well, but for them it's more passive, giving them the ability to manipulate weather and fly [pause for breath] and great physical strength and affinity for plant life, respectively.

I think it's mostly because of that that I've had no difficulty with it at all.

[dragonspooker]

[As Twilight explains things, Lina leans over on her desk, elbows on the surface, chin on her hands, nodding along as the pony explains things.]

So it's based more around a general force of will than the use of actual spells with verbal, material, and motion components?

[marearcana]

Don't get me wrong, there are still codified spells, but no, there aren't any components involved. Written spells are essentially guides to forming the unicorn's will into more complicated effects, like granting cloudwalking, or locating valuable gems.

[jointheclub]

And here I've been hoping to see a demonstration of your own magic for just the same sort of reason! Perhaps you'll consider a trade?

-Professor Slughorn

[dragonspooker]

Certainly seems like a fair trade to me!

-Professor Inverse

BBS->Action

[jointheclub]

Then I'll take the liberty of coming by.

[It takes a short while, of course, but in due time the wizard finds his way through her classroom doors, smiling with good cheer.]

[dragonspooker]

[Lina looks up from her desk - she's got an open notebook ready to note down the things she learns from people. She does stand up once Slughorn comes in.]

Professor...

[There's a noticeable delay before she just nods. He's an alright fellow, but she'll avoid saying his last name when she can. Really, just who winds up with that for a name...?]

[jointheclub]

[Pish-posh. Her last name is a mathematical concept! There's little room for pickiness there.]

Ah, you don't mind if I draw up a seat, do you?

[Smiling slyly, he flicks his wand at the air, causing a massive, overstuffed chair to pop into existence. Quite self-satisfied, Slughorn eases himself into it.]

[dragonspooker]

[Mathematical concepts aren't SLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGS AUGH. Plenty of room for pickiness. And even if there wasn't, she would anyway.

Either way, she shakes her head to the question, expecting him to take one of the students' chairs. The sudden appearance of a different chair, however, gets her rapt attention.]

...well, that certainly makes a good starting point. I've not seen anyone do that before.

[jointheclub]

A simple conjuring charm. [The way he says it emphasizes that it isn't particularly simple at all.] Now I must confess my specialty is Potions, which is quite a different animal, but I know a thing or two about standard wand magic as well.

[dragonspooker]

I see! [Lina leans back a bit in her chairs, arms folded loosely over her abdomen as she considers this.]

Admittedly the use of a wand or other device where I come from is relatively uncommon - they're used mostly for enhancing a spell's power, which are normally cast from the hand itself. [She demonstrates this by raising one hand and with an opening gesture from her fingers, a fireball hovers over her palm for a moment, then dissipates.]

Is the wand a necessity?

[jointheclub]

That's an easy and a complicated question both at once. You see, a witch or wizard starts out with no control. Magic happens! They do it automatically. Survival and protection most commonly. I knew a boy that fell off a boat once. Bounced off the water and right back in. That sort of thing. But of course we can't have wild and uncontrolled magic going around, which is why every wizard needs a wand.

[He lifts his up demonstratively.]

Control. The capability to learn.

Now some great wizards learn to do a spell or three without a wand. Magnificently complicated. Tricky. Not as useful as you'd think.

[jellyfishbrain]

Demonstration? That sounds dangerous.

[dragonspooker]

Don't worry, Gourry - my classroom's perfectly suited for this kind of demonstrating. Otherwise, it'd make a terrible place to teach attack magic!

[jellyfishbrain]

I'm not worried about the classroom, I'm worried about those students! Or you. I don't want someone setting you on fire!

[dragonspooker]

[There's a noted delay before she answers. Mostly trying to deal with the slight emotional whiplash of her annoyance at his suggestion followed by a little bit of embarrassment at his concern.]

Relax, I'm a professional. I know how to keep accidents from happening. And on the rare chance they do, I've got some healing spells under my belt.

[jellyfishbrain]

Okay. Good. I don't like it when you get hurt.

[dragonspooker]

[And there's another delay. As well as some thankfulness that there's no students around to see her be ever-so-slightly flustered.]

Hey, c'mon, I know you're my guardian and all, but there's not any reason to worry here. This is a heck of a lot safer than the stuff we did back home.

[jellyfishbrain]

I guess you're right about that. We sure have seen a lot of tough monsters in our time, not to mention the big guys! Do you ever miss it?

[dragonspooker]

Yeah - though, it's less the monsters and more the freedom to go stumble onto them.

[jellyfishbrain]

<font face="courier>Yeah. I think that's the part I miss, too. I liked all the traveling we got to do!</font>

[seethelanterns]

I can tell you about mine? Though it is pretty much the same as the cure paramagic here, for the most part.

- Rapunzel

[dragonspooker]

Well, that 'for the most part' is the bit that interests me - just what is the difference from the paramagic?

[seethelanterns]

Well, it's. My hair. When I sing, it glows, and I can heal people who are hurt or sick, and keep people young. That power even apparently can bring people back to life, though that only happened once.

[text]

[earthlychild]

On my world, magic is powered by crystalized pieces of the Planet's energy called Materia. I have one with me, but I'm afraid I can't use it right now.

[dragonspooker]

Huh. I've seen particular spells reliant on a material component, but not an entire system. Do you have any idea why it's not working?

[earthlychild]

I think it has something to do with what I need to do at home. It worked then, in a dream...but I can't test it until I get back.

My...associates might have other working Materia, though.