[Itasu's Residence] A study in glyphs (open)

[Hadrian]

22nd Spring, 510 A.V.

Hadrian sat on the ground across the road from the strange residence. He had heard the stories at university about the mad wizard who had lived there previously, dying in some accident or another depending on who was telling the story. They said it had passed into another wizard's hands, or a witch, or a Dhani -- again, depending on who you asked.

For his part, the apprentice magecrafter was just there to study the glyphs on the outer walls. He had his parchment on a board on his lap and he was sketching what he could, and making notes about placement and the like. Glyphing was no this strong suit, but he was interested in all aspects of magic and here was an eccentric example he wouldn't find anywhere else.

[Itasu]

The house was windowless. And therefore, there should have been no way for Itasu to know there was anyone, or anything for that matter, outside. Yet, after a particularly nasty visit from a bear a while back, his old master installed a security system. A circular glyph was drawn under the topsoil around the home. The circle, running around the cottage with a diameter of 40 feet, would send off a magical spark when stepped on. This spark would trigger an animated white glass orb on Itasu's desk. This simple animation was programmed with a single command. When triggered it was to morph itself into a red color and then back again. Like a modern day alarm, except using the three magic disciplines Itasu and his dead teacher knew best.

Anyway, Itasu was in the middle of reading a book on animation for the thousandth time when the orb began to blink red. He considered ignoring it, for the system was triggered at the slightly difference in weight, and it often malfunctioned when just a group of ants walked by. On the other hand, it could be more than that. And so, closing his book, Itasu stood up and looked outside to find a man sitting on the grass. Mine as well get rid of him... He closed the door, never letting his face be seen beneath his navy blue cowl, and began to change.

The transformation was horrible to view, but Itasu didn't have to watch and it was painless for him. The wizard wrinkled his skin, arched his back, and whitened his hair. An old man was often enough to get rid of human trespassers such as this. When the morphing completed he walked into the daylight, squinting as his eyes adjusted. "What do you want!?!" the man shouted over to Hadrian.

[Hadrian]

Hadrian seemed nonplussed by all this. His chlorine eyes watched the old man's approach as if he could tell magic had been worked just outside his presence. He wasn't hurting anything and he wasn't sorry, so he continued his sketching and notations. Rather quick at it after three years of university training, he was almost done anyway. Best to remain calm and then leave. He wasn't in the habit of harassing hermits at their homes, but he really wasn't causing this problem.

"I'm studying, sir," he said, voice cool and collected. "If my proximity to your home is really such a bother, you needn't worry; I shan't stay long."

[Itasu]

Itasu looked Hadrian carefully up and down. A wizard of some kind, I'd think... An idea was beginning to form in the old man's head. "I s'pose that's fine..." the next words would be risky, and possibly earn Itasu the ire of Hadrian, "By the way, are you a wizard? In glyphing I mean." Most wizards were very private people, and didn't like to share stuff. Especially not with other wizards. Yet, if this man was looking to learn magic, and if he had some money on him, Itasu could finally find a job. He didn't like it... But it'd have to do.

[Hadrian]

"It's not my specialty," he admitted without shame. In Zeltiva, wizards didn't catch too much flack. After all, the university pumped them out with a piece of paper advertising their skill and knowledge. And while the man was talking, Hadrian was able to continue sketching out the glyph-system on his dwelling place.

"I mean, I speak the ancient tongue, and I've studied about them, but I'm not a practiced calligrapher of glyphs. I'm just... observing," he added, chlorine eyes flicking meaningfully toward the man's home.

[Itasu]

"Well, if you're going to use any of these glyphs, be careful," Itasu spoke the words as if he was high above Hadrian in magic experience, "They are mostly failures, experiments that went wrong." He considered his next words before speaking again. Itasu wasn't exactly happy with anyone so close to his home, but he felt better being on the good side of other wizards. Normally he could just change his face and never attract their attention again, but this man knew where he lived. And, unlike others, he wasn't afraid to approach the house. Better safe than sorry, I suppose. "Alright, I guess you can stay here a little longer... Oh! Don't copy that one!" The old man abruptly changed his tone when his younger eyes picked up on the glyph Hadrian was currently drawing. "You do not want that glyph... I Should have erased it years ago."

[Hadrian]

"I don't make a habit of using glyphs I don't understand, sir," he said dryly, but with due respect. "I like my face well enough I don't want anything blowing up in it. Though, even if they are faulty, we often learn more from mistakes than from getting everything correct all the time."

The wizard's caution duly noted, he determined that he would follow his original plan: check these sigils against those recorded in the library and, if he could not identify them, even with the alleged mistakes, he would check them with one of his professors well-versed in glyphing.

"I'll be leaving soon enough, sir, as I said. I apologize if my presence is unwanted."

[Torc Ironwood]

Torc enter the city of Zeltiva and began walking around. The city was beyond anything he had ever imagined and felt like a fool for staring at everything. Stalls of fish and dried fruits sold wares, the docks with shipwrights were beyond anything he had ever imagined. Of course not everything was white wash stone and colorful clothing, the smile was something he had never imagined. The stale stench of human waste and unwashed bodies under laid the cool salt air. So many people in one place couldn’t but help to create some bad things. Since growing up in a small town Torc understood to keep watch over his money pouch and try to stay clear of any beggars, but everywhere he looked there were people, and he began to wonder where to start. Torc craved a place to build and create, but he had no idea where to start…

It was that idea that made him realize that he had gotten lost. He had been looking at the buildings trying to understand the construction and work that went into building more then one story house. As he looked around he saw what look to be a tall skinny man talking to elderly man. Torc debated within himself, he began to rub the symbol for Kelwyn around his neck wondering if he truly had become a lost cause.

Finally realizing that he wasn’t going to be able to get himself out of this predicament he began walking up to the two. Torc took his left hand and rubbed it through his short black hair. He was nervous and perhaps a little bit prideful about having to ask for directions. Finally Torc drop his hand back down to his side, his loose cotton work shirt clinging tight to his muscled chest as a small salt breeze came down the street.

“Ummmm, hullo. I was wondering if you two gents might help me find my way back to…” Torc stopped for a moment his jaw clenching pulling tight the skin across his jaw muscles. Realizing that he didn’t have a clue as to where to go, Torc rethought his question, “Nevermind, Do you know of any work to be had?”


OOC: Sorry to break in saw the thread was open and thought I would introduce myself. If you guys want to me to leave then just give me a heads up.

[Hadrian]

[Hi, Zac! Sorry I'm slow on this. Out of town for the holidays. Welcome!]

Hadrian looked up from his seat at the new interruption, but rather than be irritated, he hoped the newcomer might distract the wizard so that he could finish copying down all the glyphs for future reference and study. The house across the street was covered in potential glyphs for study, and as Hadrian was no expert in them, it was going to take him a good while to translate them in the university library.

He prepared himself to give directions, then blinked when the man changed the direction of his questioning.

"Ah, that depends on what sort of work you're looking for, sir," he said, polite with strangers. One never knew.

[Torc Ironwood]

[Hello, I understand about the holidays! LoL Anyway not really sure about posting order here but thought I would go ahead and post a reply.]

Torc loosen his shoulders for the moment as he thought about the type of work he was interested in, as well as, his own experience. Torc moved his jaw and his hand went through his black hair, the sun gave it some blue as his eyes locked on the skinny man.

“Well, I know my way around a forge, have a bit of carpentry and construction that I have done. I was hoping to find a job that would pay enough so I could take a class on magecraft or glyphing at the university and still afford rent.” Torc didn’t feel so bad about talking about his plans. The two were obviously into glyphing, and magecraft was viewed with a bit more practically then most magics.

Torc could head down to the docks and see if the shipwrights might need some steady hands and a hard worker.