Patchwork Universe

Snark Sinistre · Good Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 59 Location: Dark Towers

Meanwhile Snark had been working assiduously on his lines. He used his own quill pen and a bottle of blue glowing ink. Each word flared briefly alight with blue fire as he inscribed them across the parchment pages:
There is nothing big and clever about playing with elemental forces unless I'm being nice with them.
There is nothing big and clever about playing with elemental forces unless I'm being nice with them.
There is nothing big and clever about playing with elemental forces unless I'm being nice with them.

The shame of the schoolmistresses rebuke still stung. What had he been thinking to duel with another apprentice when he should have been studying?

There is nothing big and clever about playing with elemental forces unless I'm being nice with them.

It had always been a problem. His element was fire and his temper too easily roused. He charged in fireballs blazing when cooler heads would have advised caution. That was the way he was made. But the respect of the mages was important enough to him that he had always tried to master his temper before the magisters. How could he have forgotten that?

There is nothing big and clever about playing with elemental forces unless I'm being nice with them.

Finally the lines were finished and making them into a neat pile, Snark gathed them up and packed away his quill and ink. Perhaps if he demonstrated true contrition the magisters would let that be the end of the matter.

At the door of Miss Mercury's study he knocked and waited.

Miss Mercury · Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 9:30 pm Post subject:

Miss Mercury watched with concern as Lilac (or near equivalent) made preparations for departure, and as he moved out of sight, she went back inside the main buiding and walked slowly towards her study.

Standing just outside the door, knocking politely, was a figure in blue. Ah - the one with power over fire.

She invited him into her study, offered him a cordial, and sat down opposite him. He presented his lines, nicely written and with no indication of attention-drift towards the end. The lad had a good and disciplined mind.

"So, Master Sinistre, can I ask what you were doing playing with flame in the sky? You are, I assume, one of the visiting scholarship pupils working at the HMP? The staff would not normally allow a student, even a gifted one, to practise their gifts out into the open air, let alone allow that student to get into a brawl with another person."

Snark Sinistre · Good Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 59 Location: Dark Towers

Turning his hat over and over in his hands Snark was gradually becoming aware that something wasn't right. The aetheric currents were warped somehow, distorted by an otherness that seemed perilously similar to the thing he most hated.

The distraction was enough to snap him out of the mentality of a rebuked apprentice. He was Snark Sinistre, Magister Emeritus! This woman had overpowered him with her magics and distracted him from the creature that had insulted him.

Turning the hat over again Snark looked down at it. Like Lady Doomshadow, Miss Mercury had a powerful presence. Like Lady Doomshadow she had attempted to unhat him. Perhaps things were improving for wizard kind and these woman might prove powerful allies. But with that strange twist in the currents of aetheric force Snark was suspicious.

"Madam," he said. "I am a wizard. A magister and a puissant one. Not a mere apprentice to be chided. I come from the Dark Towers, which lies west of here and travel in search of a man who follows that false discipline... Science! I intend to seek him out and singe him to a crisp with the most powerful fire elementals in my arsenal of forces.

"I apologise for causing an affray within your lands, that oaffish fellow had insulted me and I responded instinctively. Strange to think that one so addled has a name in common with Lady Doomshadow, an enchantress of many talents."

"In any case, with your permission, I will resume my journey. But perhaps you would be interested in lending your own talents to the endeavour. Surely a lady who makes such use of magic would eschew any dealing with the vile metals and polluting dissonance of science?"

Here he fixed her with a penetrating look.

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:55 pm Post subject:

Octopus John spread his wings and soared up into the thin air. Beneath him he could see a human wearing a complete suit of plate armour, climbing out of a huge metal shell. Not only did this human walk like a crab, he thought, he acted like one too. He reminded John of a hermit crab he had once met who insisted on dragging a gigantic nautilus shell along wherever they went, although it would be centuries before the crab could grow large enough to use it.

He laughed aloud, delighted by the spectacle.

OOC: Lord Doomshadow now joins the "Visit from Dr Kirby" thread.

Miss Mercury · Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 10:28 pm Post subject:

"I do apologise. I'm so used to various visiting students that I have a tendency to assume that anyone I don't recognise could be studying here. But, whatever you are, and whatever your business, there are still standards of behaviour that we expect to be upheld, by students, staff, visitors and passers-by alike.

"I'm not sure I understand your derision of science. It's not a speciality of the school, but we certainly study it, primarily to understand better and enhance our other gifts. Is it really such a dreadful thing? What makes it a false discipline in your eyes? For I see that you really do believe so.

"And as for your talk of magic, wizards and enchantresses, I am surprised. I feel that you have a strong mind, adequate clarity of thought, and reasonable intuition. Why would you need to dress your gifts up as conjuring? Why not embrace them for what they are? We do not pretend here that the things we do have any occult significance. We do not do magic. Some of us have gifts that allow us to do things that other people can't or don't. I saw that it was the same for you. But the methods for producing the effects, the mental state, the physical catalysts, the movements, even the words that might be necessary - these are your tools in trade. You should not need to attach inappropriate mystical terms to these things; it alienates the gifted from other people; almost, it cheapens the achievements."

Miss Mercury thought again about his words.

"By all means resume your journey; I find it difficult to understand why you chase after one person when the whole country is filled with the trappings of science. However, I hope you achieve what you wish without violence or discourtesy. A sensible debate might be the way to go here, perhaps." Miss Mercury flinched slightly at some unspoken response from Sinistre. "I cannot share your quest, however. Other than occasional lecture and recruitment tours, my responsibilities here are too heavy for me to leave the school often.

"And Lady Doomshadow? Is that a relative of his? Or a coincidence? The poor thing scarcely knew his own identity. I wish I could help him to work through this confusion..."

Snark Sinistre · Good Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 59 Location: Dark Towers

As the school mistress spoke Snark sensed another distortion rippling through the aether. Something with the unmistakable tang of science had arrived and was already locked in conflict with Octopus Doomshadow, or whatever that monster was really called.

Snark considered whether he should weigh in on the tentacled one's side but, even though he abhored the trappings of science, he had by now reached the conclusion that it would be better from him to take his leave. Let the lady deal with the situation herself, she would come to realise that dabbling in such depravity only led to worse.

"Then I shall leave you," he said, standing, fingers twitching to put his hat back on his head. "If you will excuse me..."

Miss Mercury · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 6:06 pm Post subject:

"Good day, Sir. "said Miss Mercury, as he left the room.

Pausing only to call the police for immediate attendance, she moved outside, apparently with no more effort than a calm walk, but managing the speed of a concerned run.

Snark Sinistre · Good Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 59 Location: Dark Towers

Snark made his way with some speed back to the main entrance of the school. The moment he was out of the front doors he replaced his hat on his head with a sigh of relief. The sounds of the altercation between the squid monster and the perverting influence could be discerned from not far away but Snark ignored them.

Instead his attention was focused on a small brass arrown attached to the school and pointing to the east.

Concentrating his energies, Snark caused himself to be surrounded once more in his blue sphere of elemental force. Then he rose up into the air, levitating himself far above the school buildings before changing course.

He progressed with speed towards the eastern mists and departed through through them.

[ooc: Snark now leaves this patch and reappears in the Map Room: 'Tower of Bable']