open ♔ august castle socialization

[wynn]

WHO || Everyone! [ota]
WHAT || Shenanigans.
WHERE || Anywhere in the castle, surrounding environs, London, etc!
WHEN || Any time during August [back and forward dated]
HOW || Actionspam

[ The castle can be a happening place, even on more mundane days. This log is for random interactions over the course of this month.  Because not everyone is into parties, ok.  

You are encouraged to start your own threads and tag around, and feel free to threadjack into any on-going threads that aren't specified as 'closed' in the subject lines since people can enter into rooms even in the middle of what's going on. You can also specify 'single thread', meaning you want only one response for all participants, rather than multi-thread, where a number of different scenes/threads can be done as replies to the top prompt. ]

Comments

[thesleeper]

[WIDE EYES. NOPE NOPE NOPE.]

[Phineas coughs - though it sounds a bit more like a strangled squeak...]

[He starts snatching up the notes nearest to Faye, a bit hastier than before...]

Ah, that's... quite alright! I'll just... uh... clean this mess up...

[reallywicked]

[Now there's the reaction she was looking for. With a triumphant smirk, she chuckles and snaps again, extinguishing the flame.]

Someone learns fast.

[thesleeper]

[Phineas picks up the last of his notes...]
Yeah... well. That's one of my many talents, I suppose.

[His eyes go wide, as he realizes the unintentional(?) double entendre.]
Ah... I mean... I'm a bit of a mage, myself. Name's Phineas.

[reallywicked]

[Faye's eyebrows arch slightly at that. The only thing she cares about more than finding entertainment is finding power. Magic is the best source of it that she knows of so far. So she drops her hand and gives her best smile instead. (cha 15).]

Faye.

[thesleeper]

[Phineas rocks back on his heels a bit at the sudden change in demeanor...]

Pleased to make your acquaintance [I think...] Faye.
Want to go grab a drink, or something? [He adjusts the pile of books and notes.] I'd hate to study with a clear mind... and I owe you that much, at least, for nearly bowling you over.

[reallywicked]

[She's a teenager. They change their minds a lot. And Faye still hates you, but she will play nice until she finds out how useful you are. Stepping up beside him, she places a hand through his arm, resting at the crook of his elbow and gives him a slight nod, purring a few words out.]

We'll start with a drink and see just how far that gets you.

[thesleeper]

[Phineas did not plan for this. He blushes ever so slightly.]

See we shall. Any preference as to where? I recently discovered this lavish little place tucked away on the first floor. ["And they won't let me back in to the old tavern, which I actually preferred..." he thinks to himself.]

[reallywicked]

Mm, sounds perfect. [She sounds way more into it than she actually is (bluff 23), but that's all part of stroking the male ego to get what you want.] Lead the way.

[thesleeper]

[He starts meandering towards the bar, and in no time they're walking in. It's a new-age kind of place - He scopes out a more secluded booth away from some of the noise.] So... [He happily heaps his books and notes into the booth, his arms are aching by now...] Faye... tell me something about yourself? You seem to dabble in magic...

[reallywicked]

[Faye eases herself into the seat across the table and watches with mild amusement as he offloads his books.]

You could call it that. [She replies coolly, not very pleased with his choice of the word 'dabble.'] I only learned about my magic after arriving here. I've been sort of... making it up as I go along.

[thesleeper]

Ah... Natural talent, eh? Lucky you. [He grins, and pats his pile of notes.] Less books to carry that way, eh?

Barkeep! Some wine, please.

[reallywicked]

I guess so. [She doesn't really know much about it, honestly, but she plays it off with confidence.] You mean to tell me that all your magic comes from... [She trails off and points to the stack of books beside him.]

[thesleeper]

More or less, yeah. Sometimes it's old stone tablets, and the like - not "books", but same general notion.

[reallywicked]

How does it work? [actual interest has been detected. Talk magic to me, baby]

[thesleeper]

Ah... well... That's kind of a big question.

[He carefully selects one of the books, then gently turns it open to a page with a note tucked in it. The note is covered in strange symbols, which seem to correlate with with the page. In the corner of the page, there is a small symbol drawn on.]

It's a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. Only that needle is in twenty pieces, in twenty different haystacks. [He gestures to the rest of his collected notes.] But, I must be boring you with all this nonsense... [He quickly closes the book and tucks it back away, hoping her curiosity has been sated]

[reallywicked]

[Spoiler: her curiosity is rarely satisfied.]

You'd be surprised what grabs my interest.

[As he moves to put the book away, Faye leans over the table to yank it away from him (strength 18). If successful, she will just help herself to flipping through the book. Even if it doesn't make any sense to her, she's not about to let a good opportunity go to waste.]

[thesleeper]

[18 is... MORE than plenty.]
[Phineas looks absolutely mortified as she starts flipping through.]

Ah! Please don't lose any of the notes! That takes... a lot of time...

[He trails off resignedly, more worried about her losing a note than her seeing anything overly interesting. The book is filled with more of the same cryptic cyphers - all pages with notes have the same symbol on them.]

[reallywicked]

[I figured but didn't want to assume okay.

Faye just rolls her eyes at his plea to keep his precious notes safe. She's not being reckless with the book, but she isn't treating it like a delicate princess either. Fortunately, all the symbols look the same to her and she gets pretty bored with it quickly. Snapping the book shut, she holds onto and looks at him.]

But what does it have to do with magic? Anyone can draw a symbol on a page.

[thesleeper]

Technically correct. Anyone can draw the proper symbols. It takes a lot of research and study to learn the words of power, the proper symbols, and all the rest of the information for the... spells... though.

Like I said, my magic isn't intuitive like yours... it requires a lot of study, unfortunately.

[reallywicked]

Can you show me? How it works... I want to see it. [This is dangerously like innuendo... But when it comes to learning more about magic, Faye is willing to pull out all stops.]

[thesleeper]

Show... you... [He trails off for a moment.] I suppose I could be persuaded to... In exchange for a kiss from a pretty girl...
[Charisma roll: 21. She's like 10 years younger than you dude... WTF is wrong with you?]

[reallywicked]

[Magic is sexy. That's really the only way to explain Faye's reaction when her skin flushes at his suggestion (will 8).]

I think that could be arranged. [Her game isn't quite as good as his right now, because she's a little flustered, but she'll smolder all she wants, thanks (cha 16).] But... you first. It might help... inspire me.

[thesleeper]

[Phineas sighs...][ You drive a hard bargain... [He looks around the place.] Alright, but wait here a moment, I'll be right back. [He stands up and starts towards the restrooms.]

[reallywicked]

O...kay? [Fay slumps back in her seat, because that was not what she was expecting. She folds her arms over her chest and waits... impatiently.]

[thesleeper]

[Phineas goes into the restroom, locks the door behind him, and sighs deeply.]
How did I get into this mess?

[He pulls a tiny book from his shirt, and removes a piece of chalk from a hollowed out section of pages, then kneels and starts drawing a seal on the ground.]
Who to call, though... What will impress her... She seems to like fire?

...

[Some time passes, and Phineas returns from the restroom. Curiously, on the way back he stops for a moment, to give a dwarf a coin. He keeps his left hand in his pocket as he approaches, then he smiles, raises his right hand, and snaps his fingers - and he is entirely wreathed in flame. This draws more than a few shocked expressions, and at least one patron throws their drink in an effort to douse him - making the fire only bigger - though it doesn't seem to burn the floors at all.]

Impressed? [He asks nonchalantly, as he sits down, snuffing the flames out.]