[Sullin's Laboratory] Magic Man, Gimmie Magic Hands

by **Garland** on August 27th, 2016, 1:53 am

"The thing about contracts is that most tend to have hidden meanings favoring the one writing the contract, you'd be surprised how many people come to the knights for legal help. Luckily for me I don't have to sit at a desk all day to read page after page of documents." Garland said, he wasn't afraid to say what he had in mind, Clyde would understand, right?

Garland read the draft, thinking if it should add anything. It seemed well-worded and Clyde seemed practiced enough at this sort of thing. "How long does this contract last? Also what if the favor is too accompany you on your adventures? I can't just up and leave. Leaving the city is within my abilities, but if I do become a knight, I think I would be able to take leave from the city eventually, but I don't see it happening any time soon."

Garland thought about the second part of the contract. "Stop you from overgiving? That's the term used if a mage uses too much djed and damages the body or mind, correct? What about making this part go both ways since we'll both be using magic?"

"One other thing..." He paused and looked at the last line of the contract. "You know what you're doing, but contracts have loop holes, it says here that 'so long as said assistance will not directly lead to the assured death and/or permanent maiming of the signee or Clyde Sullins' but it doesn't say anything about harm? I'm fine with physical and mental harm, just not social. I... have someone important in the city, if my image gets stained, there is a chance they'll be left to fend for themselves."

He was talking about his children. They could go to the orphanage, but without the knight's intervention they could be adopted and be taken somewhere else, the knights are also the ones funding their food and baby supplies. "But... I don't know anything about legal papers or documents, even less about magical contracts, so maybe it was already implied, people just love finding holes in stuff like this."

by **Clyde Sullins** on August 27th, 2016, 1:25 pm

Clyde waited and watched as the squire examined his draft, watching his face as he reacted to various bits.

While he'd been working on it and writing it out he'd been slowly pressing on the mans aura, though his main focus had been on his work. Still he'd made some progress, and as he watched him now and used his more active attention to scan the aura of the squire.

He felt at the peripheries, in a place and way he'd done many times before, and felt the somewhat familiar contact of djed residue on the aura. However... He could feel in a off way, more by instinct than anything he could directly see and point out, that it was off.

Usually when he sensed it, he got a vague notion of the idea of the body part involved. Most magics after all tended to focus on or come from a specific body part. Projected limbs left traces, Reimanced res when exuded did likewise, even less physical ones like Auristics and Hypnotism left traces on the eyes or other things used to transfer the magic and cause the transmutation to convey into the physical.

When he felt the djed residue though, he felt none of this. It was less like a rub off as power transferred outward then, and more... Perhaps, Clyde thought to himself, a transfer as power traveled inward?

His face still blank and not showing his surprise as he took a measured breath, Clyde pondered if this man had been be-spelled in some manner.

The way it was injected into his aura, and that it had been used upon another without a direct source... The only thing Clyde could think of was hypnotism. He'd seen its nature, the way it invasively injected djed into the target. If it had been auristics, he felt he'd feel more rub off against the periphery, against the skin, while this had so to speak broken the skin and gotten into the blood.

Unless it was another magic he'd not heard of. But then Clyde recalled who had sent him here, Sayana, a known(to him) hypnotist. It made sense then, she'd used her magic on Garland.

As he was pondering this Garland finished his reading, and began asking his questions.

Clyde pondered telling the squire, but thought better of it. If nothing else, he'd wait for the right opportunity, when it was of the optimum leverage to gain the squires trust.

“A Grand Oath is permanent, it lasts for life, unless it specifically says otherwise. Most have no get out clause. The fact that I've added one here as I have to release you from having to work for me and giving me favors, is a courtesy I don't often give.”

“As for the favor and what it does, well you must understand first how oaths work. In regard to what a favor is, I purposely left it vague. If I specifically explain something, like I am sure you noticed I did with harm and other bits, then it follows that exactly. If I leave it vague, or don't explain it, then to a degree it works based off of your understanding and belief of what that word means.”

“If I asked you to do something, something that would make you lose your job, or get hunted down by the knights, or whatever, would that in your mind be a favor? Or would it be beyond what a favor is, or something else entirely perhaps? If you want me to, I can make it more specific, though adding that much will likely take me awhile. Or understanding how the oath works, would you prefer me to keep it vague as it is now?”

Clyde knew he could have asked for more, or obfuscated, or made it much more specific in such a way to be more in his favor. But Clyde was a Chaon, not a follower of some other god that respected such things. It would be a betrayal of sorts to enslave the squire, but Clyde felt it would be a much greater betrayal to gain the squires trust, and to make him do things of his own free will rather than against it.

It wasn't corruption on the squires part if he had no choice. And so while he knew he had perhaps a greater chance for betrayal in the immediate, he passed on it for the chance to gain the squires trust and to commit much greater betrayal and corruption later.

“And as for the overgiving bit, that is only a precaution, a stipulation on the possibility if the unlikely event does occur. But making it go both ways... That isn't how a oath works. An oath only affects one person, the signor. Not the one who makes it. This only affects your actions, so there is no need or sense to add in anything in regards to my actions. Oaths don't work that way.”

“On the social aspect... Well to be honest adding that in seems a bit onerous, as its a bit much to expect me to foresee social outcomes. Perhaps with your better understanding of how a favor works by this definition or lack thereof, you understand this a bit better? I specifically precluded the specific types of physical harm, as it stops me from knowingly sending you off to your likely doom. But social harm? That would fall more under the general expectation you have of what a favor is, I believe. I would suppose if you thougth the action required something who's end result was such a great social harm, then perhaps then to you it would no longer be a favor.”

“I can't say how your mind works, but I would think as much. Its up to you, I could change and add to it, make it much more specific, which would take me a lot more work as such things do, or I can leave it as is and allow your own internal judgement rule.”

The point of the oath, the favors aspect, was truly secondary to Clyde. He had purposely worded it in a weak fashion, as it was an afterthought, an aside, unimportant. Meant to gain Garland's trust more than anything.

The main thing he was concerned about himself was the harm bit. Knowing that bit was upheld, he didn't mind losing the favors later. As expected the favors bit had drawn the squire's main attention. He hadn't ignored the other bit, but seeing it all the bit about the favors had clearly gotten his attention as intended.

It was a subtle manipulation, a twisting of focus, a non-verbal persuasion, but a well performed one in truth.

by **Garland** on September 6th, 2016, 6:21 am

"Basically you're taking a risk by training me? What if I don't find any of your favors the same to my definition of favors?" Garland thought and looked over the contract a few more times.

It seemed to be in his favor, Garland had no trouble with doing a few favors with Clyde, it was a fair trade after all, but the risk of him just not doing anything seemed high for someone you don't trust.

Garland was a fair man when it came to deals and he had no intention of not paying his debts with Clyde, but it just seemed off to him. What did Clyde get out of this if not the favors?

"What exactly is the out clause? By killing someone in Syliras? If what you say is true, having some way out is better than what most people, but the only way I see to get out is to kill someone. Or all you have to do is just say I'm free and the oath is broken? Because I can't seem to find where that's written."

Garland handed the draft back to Clyde, thinking it over. "The favors pertain to what I think of favors? You either place too much trust in me, or you have some ulterior motive, but if you do, I can't seem to find it. The contract is in my favor, and I should sign it before you change your mind. Adding a part where it says you can end the contract would be good, but it would feel like I'm just tipping this oath to my favor. If so, I apologize. " Garland thought about the draft. The hairs on his neck stood up when he's around Clyde, Garland had faced killers and murderers before but they never made him this tense. Maybe it's just nerves, Clyde was only a bit older than him and Garland did not doubt he could turn him into a smoldering heap before he'd reach his sword.

Maybe that scared him, maybe Clyde scared him, but he didn't have much choice, he wouldn't want a repeat of what happened before, he got lucky to survive, fighting an armored and fully equipped knight that had a mount with only his fists, Garland was angry, and anger was Garland's signal to let loose and kill everything in sight.

"I'll keep my end of the bargain, Clyde. The favors will come if you really need them, and in all honestly this is an unfair trade to you, but I'm not complaining. I'm ready to sign I think."

Garland simply thought the entire draft over, and Clyde. Fear and respect is something to behold, something if found in abundance can make anyone look like a god. Clyde had that, not enough to be counted as a god, but enough for Garland to question if he was simply human or had some blood of the gods in him.

Like how the knights revere Loren Dykes. 'Touched by the gods' come to mind, but which gods Garland wondered. Garland knew almost nothing of gods, but with Clyde's knowledge at a young age, he would assume Clyde was touched by some god of knowledge.

It didn't occur to him that Clyde was a Chaon. Clyde was essentially what Garland had imagined; reclusive, strange, easily irritable, and his home seemed... magical. Now Garland had to do was wait for Clyde to make the Oath, he was horrible at waiting, but for some reason angering Clyde but touching his stuff felt like a bad idea.

by **Clyde Sullins** on September 8th, 2016, 8:05 pm

Clyde did nothing to hide his annoyance as a frown spread over his face. Just as when he'd hidden his facial expression, it was a purposefully shown emotion.

“First you complain because I don't trust, because you think I should just instantly do so. Now you don't trust me because you think I'm trusting you too much? Because I'm being nice in my wording? I can't win for losing with you, can I?”

Shaking his head, Clyde paused for a moment before continuing.

“The oath does what it says. It doesn't say anything about me stating you are out making it so, which means that doesn't apply. So long as there is no reason specifically such as the reason I stipulated, it all still applies. If that doesn't happen, is there any reason you'd want to stop our mutual relationship? I can't see any other reason we'd do so. But just to be clear it does exactly as it SAYS. Read the wording. The out clause only applies to the favors, not the rest. It specifically says so.”

“Now, just to be clear, the application of what a favor is directly takes from your understanding and belief. Not what you think, or try to convince yourself, but what you actually at your core truly believe. That's not such an easy thing to trick your way out of. I don't that I'm being as generous as you might think to word it that way, unless you are a psychopath or something with no grasp of what a favor is, or with the most illogical understanding of it. I'm going to assume that's not the case, but even if it is the case the rest of the oath should stop anything to crazy on your part.”

Pausing once more, Clyde took a few short breaths, calming his breathing and letting his face fade back to its earlier calm.

Part of why Clyde did as he did was for the fun of it, and his own understanding of things. He WANTED Garland to want this. He wanted him to choose this of his own free will. He wanted there to be no confusion of unexplained things, and so was taking the extra effort to make sure Garland understood it all.

If he still wanted it, still went for the deal, then anything that came later, that he did later, would be all the sweeter... All the more deep of a betrayal, should that come about.

For the greatest of betrayal's came from the most innocent starting, and from the greatest of trusts.

“Take your time. Read it over. But I'm not going to make the final Oath until I'm sure you are fully satisfied, and have no qualms. I don't want you going into this if you aren't fully sure and committed. I'm not going to force you into this, but just remember... Once you sign, there is no going back.”

by **Garland** on September 12th, 2016, 6:15 am

Garland just shook his head. "Alright, this is the best deal I'm gonna get, I doubt you'll tell the knights, and I doubt I'll find anyone else." Garland was happy with the deal, but his instinct just screamed at him to leave, not come back.

And at any other point in time he would taken his gut instincts and just left by now, but after his brush of death he needed an edge and magic would already take a while to be honed and finding a suitable teacher would take at least a season outside the knights.

Garland waited for Clyde to make the oath, the waiting was the hardest part for him. Clyde just didn't seem like the type for small conversations, especially when he's writing up a magically binding contract.

Garland didn't really have anything to add to it that didn't just seem redundant or stupid. When Clyde finished the Grand Oath, Garland would write his name and signature, with trepidation.

When Garland had signed his name the parchment just went up in flames and disappeared which was strange, there was no ash or open window to blow away the burnt contract, it was just gone.

"Holy shyke in a bread basket! Was that suppose to happen?!" Garland had almost spilled the ink bottle on Clyde's table. It wobbled and almost feel, luckily Garland caught the bottle before it fell off the table. "The petch was that?"

ooc :

by **Clyde Sullins** on September 12th, 2016, 2:35 pm

Inwardly Clyde smiled to himself as Garland acceded to his points. Not due to outright trickery, but that he could craft the truth in such a way as to make a point and convince someone. He'd still artfully avoided lying outright to the squire, or at least he was fairly certain nothing he'd said was a lie. At least, not a complete lie, even if only a partial truth.

Convincing someone to do something they were unsure about, alleviating qualms, guiding the focus of a conversation, all where an artistic dance of words using a medley of skills he'd developed over time in making deals and convincing people to do or not do things.

Once Garland agreed to the oath, having managed to get the original version without any edits agreed to, he read over his draft one last time. He was a cautious person, and wanted one last read over for issues on the draft before making the final version.

Satisfied with the wording, he began his work, taking out the expensive papers and inks and things and begin the work of art that would become a True Oath.

As usual he began with a simple filigree around the edges of the paper, spiraling and spinning waves of lines that curled and sunk and fell back within itself before dead ending or spiraling off in a new direction.

He took his time, taking chimes to draw out by quill the fine lines all about the edge, starting with one layer and then adding another and yet another to add to the complexity. By the time he was done the outer few inches of the oath was ensconced in a complex maze of lines and shapes and symbols. While the disparate pieces of the maze seemed to be meaningless lines, the complete pattern melded into a greater interconnected sigil.

A skilled Glypher would see the essence within, the lines of power and the blocks of glyphs and intent behind some of the parts, though a lesser glypher would be lost quickly in its complexity. To the uninitiate it would look like a meaningless but artful design.

Due to the size of the oath he had to leave a good portion of the page bare, though once he finished writing in the wording he would let the outer ring of lines stretch out and snake through any bare patch offered, filling it in and completing the pattern.

Writing out the actual wording of the oath took several more chimes, as long as the outer leafing layer had. Clyde glanced back and forth between the pages, the oath and the draft, copying it down word for word and line by line.

Once he was done he as planned filled in with the additional deeper leafing spreading across the page and surrounding the chunks of word parts, before setting down his quill and letting out a sigh as he completed his work.

When the oath burst into flames upon being signed, Clyde wasn't surprised. He'd seen quite a few oaths at this point, and knew what happened when they were completed.

A smile at the squires reaction, Clyde simply nodded.

“Yes, that means it is in effect, and has been accepted. If I'd tried to trick you, or hide part of the oath, or it hadn't been a proper oath, then nothing would have happened. This means the Ukalas has accepted the oath, and it is in effect. Congratulations.”

Standing up Clyde took Cha in hand, and inspected the squire for a few moments.

“Now that you've signed, it means the effect has begun. Your actions will thus by limited so as to enforce the oath as much as possible. And it means I can show you my magic without fearing anyone else learning. Like you said, though I might be paraphrasing, a hidden blade is useful even if not used. I consider some of my magic to be that hidden blade, and prefer to keep it hidden even if the knights wouldn't care if they knew.”

“I suppose though if we are to begin, and you are to be initiated, we should go away from Syliras, into the woods or wilds or such where we can have some privacy. Lets head out a ways, and you can be initiated later tonight. Just let me gather my things for camping, and we can go.”

With that Clyde headed off into his room, returning in a few chimes with his pack and various bits of camping gear. He wasn't sure if he'd need it, or if he'd end up sleeping outside, but he'd prefer to be prepared.

Oath :

I, the undersigned, hereby swear upon the divine halls of Ukalas and all those who dwell within that I shall do as follows:

- To not bring harm(defined later) to Clyde Sullins, either directly, indirectly, or through inaction, whether through means magical or mundane, unless said harm is to stop Clyde Sullin's assured and immediate death.

> In the case of Clyde Sullin's overgiving and total loss of control/inability to stop using magic when he should, the signee would be allowed to harm Clyde Sullins to hinder or stop him from using magic, so long as said action would not lead to the assured and immediate death of Clyde Sullins. Permanent harm or maiming would only be allowed as a last resort and if no other viable and less harmful method is possible.

-Favors- The signee will aid Clyde Sullins by doing favors for him, when they are owed(to be defined later) in any way possible, within their ability, so long as said assistance will not directly lead to the assured death and/or permanent maiming of the signee or Clyde Sullins, and so long as the favors do not require public killings within the city of Syliras.

Definitions:

Favors Owed- One favor will be owed for each lesson on magic or affiliated/related topic Clyde Sullins gives to the signee. In the case of a large lesson and an agreement between Clyde Sullins and the signee before the lesson on the number of favors that will be earned by giving the lesson, then the agreed upon number of favors will be counted for that lesson. If no agreement is made on the number of favors prior to the lesson, it will revert to the minimum of one favor per lesson. Initiation into a magic will count as two favors for this purpose.

Harm- Any permanent damage, diminishment, or undermining to a person, in terms of the person (list to be expanded upon individually)physically, mentally, socially, politically, intellectually, and/or monetarily.

> physically- Their body and person- bodily harm and/or maiming/death.
> mentally- Their psyche or mentality, or mental well-being.
> socially- Their social standing or growth.
> politically- Their political standing or progression.
> intellectually- Their secrets or non-publicly held knowledge - disclosing said knowledge to third parties beyond Clyde and the signor without express permission to divulge either in general or to specific parties.
> monetarily- Their possessions or property- to include damage, destruction, or theft.

Final Clause:

- The above mentioned favors clause will continue so long as Clyde Sullins does not publicly kill anyone in the city of Syliras. For this purpose accidental and indirect killing do not count, nor do killings in self defense.

signed___________

by **Anuk** on February 18th, 2018, 10:40 pm

G R A D E

G A R L A N D

Click :

C L Y D E S U L L I N S

Click :

N O T E S

Click :

If you feel I missed anything shoot me a PM.
Clyde, don't forget to edit your grade request here.　　

Closed [Sullin's Laboratory] Magic Man, Gimmie Magic Hands