Closed [Lab 2-B] The First Lesson

[Strange]

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“When you start to change something at it's very core it becomes unstable. In fact you make it unstable so that you can manipulate it. Instability is both essential and dangerous to the magesmith. Unstable objects do not mix well with new environments is probably the best way to put it. ” Silverheart tapped thoughtfully on the podium again as he though. “To fully answer your question the best thing to do is move on with the lesson.”

“I mentioned Djed earlier. It is the fundamental energy that runs through all things. From you and I to every singular piece of stone that makes up this building. The way it flows within us decides what we look, act, feel and do.” Silverheart put a hand to his robes. “These robes could just have easily been this podium but the djed within tells it to be fabric instead of stone. Blue instead of grey. It is Djed that separates us too, Osd Messer, though living creatures are much, much more complex. Never attempt to Magecraft a living creature either. Never goes right. Nasty business...”

“Don't take my word for it, Mr Messer.” Silverheart told him moving over to a worktop and plucking up a single iron bar. He moved over to the first pedestal he had shown Osd and place the bar down on it. He walked over to a cupboard set into a wall which he proceeded to open with a key that he had seemingly plucked out of the air. Opening the cupboard wide a strange metal contraption fixed with six pieces of glass all aimed toward the centre of the thing. Silverheart gently gripped it and pulled it out of the cupboard. It slid out easily and this was probably the moment tht Osd realised there were rails all along the ceiling of the lab. He saw no other contraptions like the one Silverheart was holding but two other cupboards had metal rails coming out of them.

"This is an Optical Ring. Every object has an aura around it that shows what it's inner djed is like. Wizards can use a type of personal magic to see these auras and they can also imbue objects with that same ability during the magecrafting process and the product of that is the Optical Ring which, when placed at the correct angle, allows us an unparalleled view at the inner workings of our project.” Silverheart cleared his throat and lead the optical ring over to the iron bar. Using some kind of hoist system he was able to adjust the height of the Optical Ring. When he seemed satisfied with it he grunted and beckoned Osd closer. “Go on, have a look. Be careful, for Xira's sake, just the bracket itself is worth a hundred gold mizas nevermind the lenses.”
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[Osd]

Osd nodded. That made a great deal of sense. “So it's like building something then. Unless the things holding it together are all in place it's fragile.” He tried saying it in his own words. Making sure that he at least had it all together before they continued on with the lesson. Still he thought he got it and his teacher moved on with the lesson. He started talking about djed, how it defined everything that a person and object was. That comment made osd think. Magecrafting improved an object's qualities. Or at least changed them. So he guessed that the entire process of magecrafting would change the djed in the objects somehow especially since he mentioned that living creatures couldn't be magecrafted thanks to their complexity. But that would probably be running ahead of the lesson so he held back his comment on that one. It was rather obvious to osd that when his teacher was working with the optical ring that he knew what he was doing at the moment and that his untrained help would just complicate the entire procedure. So he watched and listened to the explanation he got from silverheart. He noticed the rails at the top of the floor. This one couldn't be moved towards the other pedestals. So there had to be other ones for it. It didn't take him long to see the other two cupboards and the rails leading from it. Osd couldn't help himself as soon as silverheart mentioned the price of the thing. “Petch, that's worth more then anything I ever had in my life.” The cost of it was mindboggling. “is every single magecrafted item that expensive?” He walked towards silverheart and took a look through the lenses. What he saw he could only describe as strange. The podium had a very small rim of light around it. The bar of iron however had a larger rim around it. “I see some kind of light around the rim of the pedestal and the bar of iron. The one around the bar of iron is a lot more visible though. Slightly larger as well. I'm guessing that has something to do with the djed of the objects?”

[Strange]

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“Gods, yes, Osd Messer.” Silverheart replied. “For most it comes out of their pocket. On Sahova, however, I get a grant that I can spend as I wish on supplies. Being a Master certainly helps with the cost most of the time.”

“Yes and no, Messer.” Silverheart answered scratching his chin. “See, auras only get so big in ainanimate objects. The auras of living creatures like you or I are even larger than any normal inanimate object. My Aura is even bigger than that of a bear despite the bear being larger then me. When you make an item magical through one of the World Magics like Magecrafting it's aura too becomes bigger and less lifeless like these two items you see through the optical ring. The largest aura, they say, comes from a God themselves. Those who practice in seeing auras for themselves have been blinded by tying to look upon the Aura of a God.”

Silverheart winched the Optical ring up so that it was taller than him and moved it away from the pedestal and then he hoisted it lower so that it covered his head and shoulders. He adjusted it multiple times. “Right, if I stay very still it should be fine. Now come look at my aura. It should be a whirl of colours rather than a lifeless grey. While looking at people's auras by putting an optical ring over their head isn't exactly dangerous it is to my coffers so don't let me catch you trying this on your own. If you find yourself smitten with this practise I can find you an Aurist to teach you it. Personally I don't go in for the Personal Magics.”
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[Osd]

Osd was clearly gobsmacked by the entire idea that this ring like structure cost more then he had ever handled in his entire life. Not only that, this was a tool, something to help them produce artifacts. So he guessed most of those could be even more expensive. "I guess now I know why there aren't many magecrafters out there. Too expensive." He carefully listened to his teachers explanation off djed and aura's. "So if something is alive it has a larger aura. How come the aura of a magecrafted item becomes larger? It isn't becoming alive is it? Or is it just because we are somehow make it more then we started with?" Osd asked walking over towards the optical ring. "I'll be very careful whenever I use one of your optical rings. I'll always ask to use one as well silverheart." He promised and took a look at the isur's aura.. it was extremely different from what he saw on the bar of metal he had see. Not just grey and motionless. But there were dozens of colours swirling in the aura, it was a lot larger then the iron bar as well. Just as he had told him. One thing that he noticed however was that the aura of his left shoulder and the rest of his arm stood out from the rest. As if something else was there. "I can see that your aura is a lot larger and more colorful. But there is something else I see, your left arm. It has something strange in the aura there. Is it because your arm is made of metal?" He asked. The other comment silverheart he had to think about it. On one hand, it would make the clunky and very expensive optical ring less necessary. But then the vision of the mad wizards going completely out of control jumped back in his brain. It might be helpful. But it also might take his mind and sanity away from him. Making him nothing more then a mental wreck. "I know why. At least world magic doesn't mess with your head. Unlike personal magic." Osd agreed. "I'll just work through the optical lens just like you do at the moment. No need to use extra magic and risk your sanity when other options are available."

[Strange]

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“You're circling the idea there, Mr Messer, but not quite. The soul, Mr Messer, that which separates us from the inanimate. Yes, some theorise and I choose to believe it is our soul that makes our auras that much bigger. There are many, many theories out there, Mr Messer, about why sentient races have larger auras but we are not Aurists so it does not matter.” Silverheart let the matter rest before adding “But you are right about magecrafted items. It is by adding djed too it that we can create new pathways within the item's structure. By adding pathways we add or enhance the features of an item. That's quite a bit ahead so let's come back to that. One can usually, however, tell the power of a finished project by putting it under the Optical Ring again. The larger it's aura usually corresponds almost directly to it's power but, most importantly, if the aura is unusual. Odd colours, extreme motion etcetera etcetera that could mean the project is volatile and should either be stored somewhere far, far away where it can never be activated or left to stabilise for longer. Most accidents I've seen in Magecrafting have occurred after project is completed. If something is wrong with the item it will usually tell you the fist time you try to use it and it will most likely result in you not having as many limbs as you started the project with.”

Silverheart smiled wryly. “Ah, you noticed that. Good spot, Mr Messer. The people of my race all have arms like this because we are the child race of the God Izurdin; the God of Strength, Patience and Industry.” Silverheart was clearly very proud of his heritage. “As I said before Godly auras are very large and the auras of those touched by Gods become a little larger around the area blessed. It might interest you to know, Mr Messer that should you ever produce a work of great significance you may find a God will bless your creation giving it powers beyond any mortal could ever hope to bestow.”

He hoisted the Optical Ring back up so that it was as close to the ceiling as it could get and he turned to Osd. “Stick to your principles, Messer. That's the difference between you and a deadie. They are cold, dead furnaces devoid of fuel and working with the dying embers of once great flames. We, the living, have the power to stoke our own flames. Add coal to the furnace. Drive yourself. Don't learn Auristics. Have principles, motivations, fears but buck up and think a little before you make any decisions or you're going to be your own undoing...” Silverheart sighed and dragged the Optical Ring away and back into the cupboard. “I'm not saying you should reconsider learning Auristics. I did fine without it. Just think about how quickly you declined the offer. Now you didn't need to decline. Listen to the words I say. You didn't have to reply. You could have said simply 'I'll think about that'. Being impolite, no... Being anything other than extremely polite to even the random person you meet on the stairs can set events in motion you can't even think of. If you think being extremely good at something is actually going to win you any favours around here you're in for a shock, Messer. A big lightning bolt shaped one if you cross any crazy reimancers.”

Silverheart sighed and looked around. “Alright, Messer, where does Magecrafting begin?” Silverheart asked. He awaited an answer and if one came he continued “When do most Magecrafting accidents occur?” He paused again and, as long as he gets his answer he continues “What language is Gug Andjak in? [Answer] “What type of Magic is Magecrafting?” [Answer] “What is Djed?” [Answer] “Okay, final question, a tough one I think... Can you recall what Djed roughly translates to?”
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