"It's like candle light, flickering in a breeze, it's shadows dancing wildly."
"Right. What am I doing now?" she asks him, passing her fingertips in front of her eyes with a few clipped syllables and detecting magic right back at him. "Divination is ... dusty, like old books. I see the motes floating in front of your eyes."
Gilfroy shudders. "That stuff is nasty. I feel violated. Turn it off!"
Corinna laughs and drops her concentration on the spell, the aura of divination quickly fading. "That's about all I have, but ... one more." Her eyes glowing with excitement, she touches her amulet and closes her eyes for a moment. "Sorry," she explains, "didn't prepare it this morning. But this is my specialty." Pushing back the sleeves of her robe, she dips two fingers into her spell component pouch before gesturing almost theatrically. Chanting words in a tone of entreaty, she continues her summoning for several seconds before a brown beetle the size of a cat suddenly appears out of nowhere next to Gilfroy with a sound like harpsong. It brushes its disturbingly-long antennae against him curiously.
Gilfroy studies the beetle, puzzled. "This is the beetle you hold for six seconds that's so hard? But it's not even there! I can see the magic, it's not real, I can see the outlines."
He casts silent image to make his own beetle, which sniffs at Corinna's and runs around it. "Now that's real. I can't even see the magic in that one. Hey! Yours doesn't look magical, either, now. What happened?"
Melon looks at the two from a distance, then turns back to the rest of the camp. When she notices someone looking curiously in their direction, she shoos them off with a knowing wink-wink-nudge-nudge.
Gilfroy studies the beetle, puzzled. "This is the beetle you hold for six seconds that's so hard? But it's not even there! I can see the magic, it's not real, I can see the outlines."
He casts silent image to make his own beetle, which sniffs at Corinna's and runs around it. "Now that's real. I can't even see the magic in that one. Hey! Yours doesn't look magical, either, now. What happened?"
"You stopped concentrating," she points out. "I'll have you know my beetle is quite real; it's just an outsider to this plane of existence. I drew it all the way from the celestial planes, not just out of my imagination like yours." She sighs as the beetle returns whence it came. "I have to admit, it puzzles me to some extent why the higher planes are full of things like beetles and poisonous frogs and snakes. If I were creating a higher plane of existence, I'd be sure to exclude vermin. Then again, perhaps that's why they're so keen on sending their beetles and centipedes and spiders to the material plane: just to be rid of them for a while."
"Concentrating? On what? The beetle? You know, I'm no expert, but I think that beetle was there longer than just six seconds. Had to have been fifteen or twenty."
"On the detecting," she responds distractedly. "Just as you have to concentrate to keep your illusory beetle visible, you have to concentrate to detect the magical auras. You can't do both at the same time. Do you know, I think you're right?" she smiles at him happily. "You had time to see the beetle and make your own, and it was still here some seconds after that. I've never managed to make the material plane grip the beetle's celestial form that long before!"
"But I want to look at the magic of it!" Gilfroy says, somewhat whiningly. The beetle scuttles over and sits next to Gilfroy, also looking dejected.
"Aren't there any illusions you can cast you don't have to concentrate on?" Corinna asks him, trying not to laugh at the imaginary beetle's drooping antennae.
"None that don't come and go before I could cast that other spell."
He scratches the beetle behind its antennae, which settles down, smiling somehow.
She watches him pet the illusory beetle. "How can you possibly interact with it when you know it's an illusion?" she mutters. "I'm sorry; I can't cast any illusion spells. Perhaps Malan could cast one for you to watch?"
She watches him pet the illusory beetle. "How can you possibly interact with it when you know it's an illusion?" she mutters. "I'm sorry; I can't cast any illusion spells. Perhaps Malan could cast one for you to watch?"
And it would end before he could even cast detect magic, let alone study the aura.
"Now, now, Rex, don't listen to her. She doesn't mean it."
Rex glares at Corinna, sticks a very human tongue out at her, then rolls over, presenting its belly carapace to Gilfroy for rubbing.
"I'll ask Malan. As for how can I interact with it when I know it's fake, if I as its creator, act like it's fake, how do you suppose other people, people I'm supposed to fool with it, are going to interact with it?"
An evil grin crosses his face.
Malan will point out Magic Missile as a good spell for offense. It is not the most damaging of effects, but it hits without fail and can be cast at a significant distance.
"Unfortunatly, I don't know Vanish. Most of the spells I have are from the schools of evocation, abjuration, and transmutation. Illusion spells escape me."
"Hits without fail, does it?" Corinna asks a little skeptically. "Even for someone who can't hit the broad side of a barn with an acid dart? We'll see."
He looks at the strange writings with a "what the heck is that" expression on his face.
"Probably the only thing I could do with those spell books is set them on fire," he mumbles.
The next couple of days proceed mostly uneventfully. Shalelu occasionally brings back word of having noticed signs of goblins moving about in the area (from tracks to old encampments), but no goblins actually cross your path. By the 19th, the road is heading due northeast as it comes around the southern end of the Fogscar mountains and then turns north.
The weather is much more pleasant than it was on the 17th. There's some light rain in the evening of the 18th, but otherwise, the weather remains bright and sunny, warm but not hot, with a gentle breeze blowing most of the time. The occasional tree has a few leaves just starting to change colour as autumn starts to arrive.
The party spellcasters spend time trading and learning spells. Meanwhile, Koya begins offering fortune-telling sessions to members of the caravan. While scholars might scoff at the accuracy of her tellings, there's no denying that they seem to make the Varisians happy, and keeping them happy helps keep morale up.
In the late morning of the 20th, you reach Galduria, the first settlement you've reached since leaving Sandpoint. It's a small town built up mainly around the grain and lumber industries. However, it is also notable for the presence of the Twilight Academy, the "premier" Varisian magic school. The large, stone building dominates the small town, rising well above all the other buildings, making it the first thing anyone notices in Galduria.
"We'll stop here for the remainder of the day," Sandru tells everyone. "This is a good opportunity to restock supplies. We'll set off again tomorrow morning."
Spellcraft 1d20+7 v DC 16
"Oh, yes, that's the spell I made such a mess of Mr. Fezziwig with at Warden Proudstump's house," Corinna remarks, peering over Malan's shoulder to see what he's puzzling over. "Are you having trouble following it? It's probably my handwriting," she says apologetically. "Your script is so flowing and clear. Here, look, you start with this line," she points out, "and follow it down to these runes here before swooping back up to the top of the page."
"Yes, I see now. Thank you. And your script is very legible. I believe I'm having trouble more due to the fact that I've never tried to copy a spell from any source other than my mentor. It's interesting, I hadn't considered it before, but perhaps how one writes their spells is an indicator of their mental process in casting. For instance, at the academy, you learned a very specific way to cast. Your notes are very crisp, orderly, and precise. In casting you are the same way. I, on the other hand, allow more room to finesse a spell than you. Both methods are effective, but one way works for me while the other works for you. Interesting indeed."
Gilfroy looks back and forth between them, completely confused. "I just kind of want some magic, and I get it, like this fire spell."
He casts a spell, and Malan's and Corinna's spell books are suddenly on fire.
Will save DC 18 to disbelieve the illusion.
Will
Malan jumps back and tosses the spell book.
Corinna gasps in horror and throws the hem of her cloak over her spellbook to choke the flames, but as soon as does, her face sours. "Honestly, Mr. Fezziwig," she reproaches him. "Just because it all comes naturally for you, it's no reason to tease those of us who have to study. It's all right," she tells the startled elf. "It's just an illusion. Although I'm surprised your first reaction was to save yourself rather than your spellbook. I suppose you have your sword to fall back on, but the first thing they teach you at the Academae is to protect your spellbook at all costs. A wizard without spells..," she shakes her head, picking up his seemingly-still-flaming book and handing it back to him, "well, you might as well be a shopkeeper."
"Hmph," Corinna sniffs, surveying the spire of the Twilight Academy. "A bit showy, isn't it? I suppose they specialize in evocation as well." She glances aside at Sandru. "You see, because that's the flashiest school of magic... it's the ... fireball and all ... makes things burst into flame or explode...." She trails off in embarrassment as her attempt at a bon mot falls flat.
Corinna heads for the magic school and will inquire about having some kind of a tour, identifying herself as a graduate of the Academae.
"It has nothing to do with my sword. I was taught that if you're dead, you can't cast." He gratefully takes his spell book from her.
She laughs. "And I was taught that if you can't cast, you're better off dead."
"As long as you live there is hope. If you lose hope you're as good as dead. Never lose hope." Malan situates himself as he prepares for another conversation with Corinna involving philosophy, mysticism, and martial ability. "Is long as there's hope, there's options. I admit that my martial training allows me more options when I'm out of spells than you when you're out. However, my spell complement is less robust than yours. Your focus gives you more arcane options, not to mention greater potency."
Melon goes about town, trying to discover what else this place may be noteworthy for. She chats with various locals to see what the merchants, craftsmen, layabouts and kids think of it.
"As long as you live there is hope. If you lose hope you're as good as dead. Never lose hope." Malan situates himself as he prepares for another conversation with Corinna involving philosophy, mysticism, and martial ability. "Is long as there's hope, there's options. I admit that my martial training allows me more options when I'm out of spells than you when you're out. However, my spell complement is less robust than yours. Your focus gives you more arcane options, not to mention greater potency."
"Well, you have to keep in mind," Corinna replies, "that we weren't being taught to be battle-casters. They did offer such courses at the Academae, of course, but, well, it wasn't my specialty." She blushes slightly as she states the obvious. "I never trained with the expectation of being on the front lines. I can see how, if you are a fighter, you would focus on surviving the day and hope to replace your spellbook later. Our instruction was more along the lines of, 'If there's an accident in the laboratory, for Nethys's sake, grab your spellbook on your way out and any other valuable equipment you can!' There was never any expectation of us standing and fighting."
"It is an unfortunate truth that life is rarely as structured as the class room. Things often happen that you would rather not and you don't get a second chance to do it right." For a moment, Malan is in a different place and time. "What do you do then? What do your studies tell you to do then?"
Melon goes about town, trying to discover what else this place may be noteworthy for. She chats with various locals to see what the merchants, craftsmen, layabouts and kids think of it.
She discovers that lumber, wheat, and the magic school are pretty much the only things the town is notable for. The vast majority of the locals work in either the wheat fields or the lumber yards. Obviously, it has its selection of essential services and a few merchant shops, but not much beyond that. It does have a tavern and inn for travellers, though.
Corinna heads for the magic school and will inquire about having some kind of a tour, identifying herself as a graduate of the Academae.
Upon identifying herself as from the Acadamae, the elderly man who greet her smiles and his eyes brighten. He immediately begins showing her around himself. He makes a point of showing her the equipment and supplies they have, as well as remarking on the skill of their graduates. He makes a point of drawing allusions to the Acadamae with just about everything he shows her, as if to say, "See? We're just as good as you are!"
He finishes up the tour by gathering together three of their "top students" to give a demonstration. The students perform a few cantrips while the old man comments on the grace of their technique and their creative applications of their prestidigitation spells. All in all, Corinna doesn't really notice anything about these three students that makes them stand out above any other person casting cantrips.
"It is an unfortunate truth that life is rarely as structured as the class room. Things often happen that you would rather not and you don't get a second chance to do it right." For a moment, Malan is in a different place and time. "What do you do then? What do your studies tell you to do then?"
"I... I don't suppose I've ever been in a situation where anything more was at stake than looking a fool in front of a large group of people," Corinna confesses. "One succeeds, which is all that is expected and not worthy of mention, or one sinks into a mire of shame and ignominy." She smile slightly. "I suppose ... one does one's best? Whatever the stakes, it is all one can hope for. If one's best isn't enough," she sighs, "then there's nothing to be done about it."
Corinna smiles politely as the students go through their paces. "Prestidigitation is certainly very useful, isn't it? I find that it and dancing lights are my most-cast cantrips. Might I ask," she asks her guide, "which school of magic the Twilight Academy considers to be its flagship discipline? At the Academae, of course, we're quite proud of our conjuration program, and I understand the Stone of the Seers is excellent in the area of divination."
Corinna smiles politely as the students go through their paces. "Prestidigitation is certainly very useful, isn't it? I find that it and dancing lights are my most-cast cantrips. Might I ask," she asks her guide, "which school of magic the Twilight Academy considers to be its flagship discipline? At the Academae, of course, we're quite proud of our conjuration program, and I understand the Stone of the Seers is excellent in the area of divination."
"Ah!" the elderly man (whose name is Dortlin) says. "Our speciality is evocation! Observe!" He motions excitedly to the students, who then begin to cast a display of dancing lights spells, which crisscross one another in an actual dance of sorts.
Corinna stifles a chuckle at the news that her guess was correct but watches the choreographed lights with genuine interest. "That's quite lovely," she tells Dortlin sincerely when the demonstration is over, offering the students some light applause. "And it must take a great deal of concentration for multiple casters to control their motes of light so exactly. Do your students drill in a group to achieve such precision? Oh, and," she glances aside at Gilfroy, "I don't suppose any of you might have any illusion spells prepared? My friend here is quite interested in illusory magic."
Finally, all other things apparently sated, Melon becomes curious about the magic guild. It seemed a lot more inviting than the one she saw in Korvosa, for one thing. She stands at the entrance, looking for somebody, a bit apprehensive about setting foot in without some form of visual confirmation, then shrugs and walks in with a loud, "Jooohoooo?"
"Illusion spells?" Dortlin says. "Well, our students are certainly taught the basics of illusion and the standard cantrips like ghost sound." He turns to the students. "Did any of you prepare a ghost sound today?"
The students shake their heads apologetically.
"I'm so sorry," Dortlin says. "If we had known in advance of your visit, we could have prepared more appropriately."
------
Near the entrance, a door opens and a stern-looking Varisian woman looks out at Melon. "Shush!" she says. "There are people tyring to concentrate in here!" She closes the door without another word.
"Didn't prepare any illusions?" Gilfroy asks. "How can you people know the most amazing form of magic, and not want to use it? Sure, blowing stuff up with all that abjuration magic is all well and good, but ..."
He pauses a moment to concentrate inwardly, activating his ghost sound SLA. It starts as a faint scream in the distance, like that heard from a distance through thick stone walls, but soon others join in, some louder, some more distance. Sounds of fire soon join the screams, and a roar, that seems to momentarily drown out the screams, though it's stil soft as if it were happening outside, and only heard through the stone walls of the wizard school. Gilfroy pretends that his keen ears picking up this sound is what caused him to stop talking. He looks grim.
"Maybe blowing stuff up will be more useful than I gave it credit," he mutters. "You folks have a dragon problem about these parts?"
Bluff check:
DC 17 to disbelieve the illusion.
"Evocation," she corrects him automatically. "They're practically diametrical opposites."
Corinna is momentarily concerned by Gilfroy's somber expression until she realizes what he's done. "Oh, for Nethys's sake!" she exclaims, embarrassed at the gnome's antics when Dortlin has been so polite and accomodating. "I'm terribly sorry," she apologizes to the Twilight Academicians. "He's, er, self-taught."
As the days of travel pass, Tevyn is disappointed that the goblins avoid them, hoping for a little bit of sport to liven up the journey. He does decide to see Koya about his own fortune, if only to have something different to do.
Once they reach Galduria, he sets off into town alone to see if there are any supplies worth purchasing. He has no interest in the academy and steers clear. Instead, after locating a warm blanket and wandering around for a while, he stops into a local tavern to have an ale and listen to the talk.
Corinna is momentarily concerned by Gilfroy's somber expression until she realizes what he's done. "Oh, for Nethys's sake!" she exclaims, embarrassed at the gnome's antics when Dortlin has been so polite and accomodating. "I'm terribly sorry," she apologizes to the Twilight Academicians. "He's, er, self-taught."
There's some concern amongst the students, who begin to look a bit panicky at the sound, but as Corinna explains the situation, they calm down.
"Ah yes," Dortlin says, his hands fidgeting slightly. "Well, many, er, great Varisian sorcerers have been self-taught. Well, I suppose they had some guidance from forebears and such, but, erm, yes."
Melon traipses through the magicians' school, a finger tapped over her lips to indicate her silence. This doesn't stop her from opening doors and looking around at random.
Gilfroy gives Corinna an annoyed glance. "My point, that does not need apologizing for, is that learning how to blow things up is all well and good, but there is a lot of both fun and practical use to preparing a proper illusion. There is a good deal of challenge to a properly ravelled mystery. Not that I have, or would ever have done so, but the distraction that little performance just caused could easily have been enough for me to get up to all sorts of mischief." He smirks. "Obviously, you know me too well, and treat everything that happens around me with healthy skepticism." He turns to the head master. "My apologies, Headmaster. I did not intend to come into your school to disrupt your daily operations. The light show of your students was indeed impressive."
Diplomacy: plus whatever penalties are appropriate for having behaved a bit like an ass
"Do you have a school of illusion?" Corinna inquires. "Perhaps Mr. Fezziwig could discuss the tactical uses of illusions with one of your instructors in that discipline? I have to admit," she tells Master Dortlin, "that my own education in the area of evocation has been almost entirely theoretical -- past cantrips, of course. In fact, I've only just inscribed my first real evoking spell into my spellbook within the last few days, and I haven't even tried to cast it yet. Would you mind...? Do you have a practice range for the use of evocation students? Perhaps you could give me a few pointers?" She clutches her spellbook hopefully.
That roll brings our purse to 135 gold.
We'll reprovision here. We used 12 stores so far costing 60 gold.
That leaves 75 gold.
"Do you have a school of illusion?" Corinna inquires. "Perhaps Mr. Fezziwig could discuss the tactical uses of illusions with one of your instructors in that discipline? I have to admit," she tells Master Dortlin, "that my own education in the area of evocation has been almost entirely theoretical -- past cantrips, of course. In fact, I've only just inscribed my first real evoking spell into my spellbook within the last few days, and I haven't even tried to cast it yet. Would you mind...? Do you have a practice range for the use of evocation students? Perhaps you could give me a few pointers?" She clutches her spellbook hopefully.
"We do indeed have an illusion instructor," Dortlin says. "However, she's um...busy with some students at the moment." He leans in closer to Corinna and says quietly, "I'm afraid Alinza is--how can I put this?--something of a traditionalist. A stickler for proper form and such things. She's very strict as a teacher--and very effective, of course!--but I don't think she'd take too well to Mister Fezziwig's somewhat, erm, casual approach to magic."
Standing up straight, he says more loudly. "As for a practice range, we do have one. It's this way. Please, follow me." He shows her and Gilfroy to a field behind the school. It's surrounded by trimmed bushes that form a fence around it. A pair of targets have been situated at one end.
He eagerly offers any pointers he can to Corinna (and Gilfroy, too, if he wants).
------
Elsewhere in the school, Melon has been encountering a number of storage closets, classrooms, labs, and even a lounge. The school is not highly populated by people (it clearly doesn't have anywhere near as many students as the bigger schools in Magnimar and Korvosa), but she does bump into a few students here and there. "Can I help you?" one young man in the lounge asks.
Actually, Gilfroy wouldn't mind the opportunity to practice a bit, so after Corinna blasts the target with her magic missile he steps up and throws a few splashes of acid at it as well.
"Now, I was told," Corinna remarks to Master Dortlin, juggling her spellbook as she opens it to the newly-inscribed spell, "that this spell hits without fail. Can that possibly be true? I mean, you know how hyperbolic specialists can get about their area of expertise," she fails to completely avoid glancing at Gilfroy. "If, say, I wanted to hit that target but I pointed over in this direction, the missile would follow my intentions rather than my fingers? To be perfectly honest, I never have any problem conjuring acid darts, but making them hit what I'm aiming at is another question entirely."
Melon is all smiles, "Yes. No. I don't know. I'm traveling through this town with a caravan - and thought I'd explore the place a bit. Well, most of it was kinda quick and ...bland. But I left the magic school here for last. Nobody seems to mind that I look around. Friendly." She looks the young man over, "What do you do here?"