The sun has not yet risen when a servant rousts you. Breakfast will be served in forty minutes, and you are expected to be fully dressed and waiting in the dining room before the queen arrives.
--M. J. Young
I'll get dressed and head over right away then. Still going to go by foot for now, going to have to get better at flying before I feel safe using it to travel for everyday things.
Where is the armor I'm supposed to be in kept by the way? Will I be putting that on there and do I have assistance with putting it on? I'm not sure how difficult armor is to put on but I imagine it's not the easiest thing.
If I put the armor on there I'll be running to get there, want to make sure I have plenty of time.
You keep your armor in your room, and the page who came to awaken you will help you don it. It is full plate, probably steel.
You trump off to the breakfast room. Again, most of the guests are gathered before the queen arrives, including Durer on the coattails of the Duke Loguire.
You attempt to read his thoughts when he enters, but don't connect.
In a moment the queen arrives. You note that she makes a choreographed entrance for effect, and that she acts perhaps a bit more arrogantly at meals with her nobles than she did when she accepted your oath.
--M. J. Young
Are all meals in the same room? I'm asking because you mention the breakfast room, which seems to imply each meal has it's own dedicated room.
I will continue to try to read Durer's thoughts. Since it's a skill I don't need change in circumstance correct? I just need to wait a certain amount of time right?
Either way I'm going to try reading Durer's thoughts until either the meal is over, I botch, or I succeed.
Thoughts:
It must be tiring to have to go through all this appearance all the time for the Queen. She does it well however, just seems very tiring.
The meals you have attended have been in the same room, which is a large dining room with seating for perhaps twenty and standing room around the outside. There is a separate banquet room which would probably seat a couple hundred, but there has not yet been a banquet of that size. There is also the separate dining room in which your wizarding friends eat, and since the guards and servants do not eat there there must be additional places for them to eat.
Waiting a certain amount of time is a change in circumstances; the necessary time is determined somewhat subjectively by the circumstances--the point is that the fact that you failed can't be swept away by the fact that you then immediately succeeded. Thus in combat you can fail an attack roll and get another one virtually instantly (based on high repeat factor), while in some other circumstances it might be tomorrow before you could try again (e.g., a highly complex exhausting ritual spell).
In a situation like this where things are moving slowly and the question is whether you will miss an important thought, a few minutes is probably adequate--it would mean that Durer's attention has shifted, and he's thinking of something else.
After the queen enters, you try again, and again fail. He is fawning over Loguire's food, trying to tell him what he should and shouldn't eat, and the Duke is clearly annoyed at this but not yet angered.
--M. J. Young
Just going to keep trying until I succeed, botch, or run out of time. His fawning over Loguire's food is making me a little nervous.
Thoughts:
Why is Durer worrying about which food Loguire eats? Is one poisoned? Gah, now is not a good time to not get a handle on his mind.
The fawning does not seem to be concern that Loguire eats the right food, but more that Loguire eats enough.
The meal passes uneventfully, after which you are excused to get your own breakfast. Most of the warlocks and witches don't eat breakfast--some are just getting to bed now following the usual partying--but there is cold meat and fresh rolls set out.
--M. J. Young
I'll make myself a sandwich then, if there is any ham I'll preference that over other types of meat. I'll also take 2 extra rolls to eat before lunch so that I don't get hungry midway through lunch.
After eating I'll work out for a bit. I'd like to split the time I have until lunch into 4 segments.
First I'm going to work on body strength. Primarily push-ups and if I can find a solid horizontal bar or anything else to hang off of of suitable height I'll add pull-ups to the mix. I'll do crunches in between those two.
Second I'd like to practice flying.
Third I'd like to go on a run. I'm not sure how exactly the castle looks like so I don't know where I could run, but I'm sure after being there for a few days I've found some stretches of castle that would work.
Fourth I'll be getting ready for lunch. Once I'm ready I'll dedicate the rest of the time to practicing reading thoughts.
This is going to be my schedule for between breakfast and lunch for a while. Want to improve myself both physically and my skills mentally a bit.
The warlocks' rooms are in one of the towers; corridors are of necessity short and stairways round in that are. The flat area of the roof where the parties are held is reasonably large, and you could run along the battlements if you want, although you'd have to run back or walk through the gates at the towers. There's also a bailey below within the walls where the knights practice, probably near the size of a football field.
There are long corridors elsewhere in the castle, in the lower areas, but you don't really know what areas are open to you.
As far as finding a bar goes, there are rafters in many of the rooms, but these are large squarish wooden beams, not bars or poles. There are overhead bars for hanging pots and utensils in the kitchens, but the cooks don't really want outsiders in there. There are hitching rails near the stables, but they're not more than four feet above the ground.
--M. J. Young
I'll use the area where the parties are held to run around. I'll just forgo the pull-ups for now, and just do push-ups and crunches.
When you reach the roof, there are several servants up there cleaning up after the party. You get various looks from them--some looking annoyed (blaming someone for their work?), some looking fearful (you are a potentially powerful warlock?) None of them speak to you or interfere with your practice, although when you practice flying the nervous ones look more nervous.
You spend a couple hours up here and then realize that you've got to dress to attend the Queen's lunch--as long as the Duke Loguire is visiting, he will take his meals with her, and that means Durer will probably be with him.
--M. J. Young
I'll go get ready for lunch then. I'll go get dressed and then head to the dining room. Hopefully I manage to catch Durer's mind this time.
Thoughts:
It's sad when people are fearful for such little basis. Oh well, I understand that it happens. It's nice to be able to go on runs again.
You don't find his mind at lunch, but the meal goes without incident.
By the time you get to the warlocks' and witches' lunch room, most of them have finished and left, although a hungover Tobias and Randall are there, along with a bleary-eyed Molly.
Did you have plans for this afternoon?
--M. J. Young
I'll talk to Molly, Tobias and Randall when I get there.
"Hey there, how was lunch?"
Just small talk, eventually will get to the point of asking if anyone is available to teach me house to douse torches either shortly before or after dinner, up to whoever is willing and when they feel up to it.
I'll practice reading thoughts and listening in to conversations from afar between lunch and dinner. Going to make that a routine, since there doesn't seem to be too much else until after dinner. I'll fit in the lesson whenever it's available.
Thoughts:
Wish I were better at reading thoughts, I feel like such a letdown when I don't manage to get a hold of Durer's thoughts. I really need to improve my ability. Oh well, it's good to see Tobias,Randall and Molly again, eating alone can be quite boring.
Tobias says, "Huh? Douse torches? I can show you that."
Molly says, "Don't worry. Most of us have been listening to thoughts since we were babies. You're doing pretty well, I'd guess."
"Um--see you in--a couple hours? I think we'll have to do it in the guards' dining room--they have torches on the walls. I'll meet you there."
Tobias and Randall clear their places; Molly sits while you're eating.
"So, what news?"
--M. J. Young
"Um--see you in--a couple hours? I think we'll have to do it in the guards' dining room--they have torches on the walls. I'll meet you there."
"Sounds good to me, I'll work around your schedule. Just let me know when you're up for it."
After Tobias and Randall leave:
"Haven't managed to hear anything from Durer, and a little frustrated about that. It's weird being up for breakfast though, gives a lot of time before everyone's up. Been trying to put that time into practicing and staying in shape, went on a run earlier, was nice to clear my mind. I had a question that I was wondering about though. Can everyone speak to others through thought or only read peoples thoughts?"
After the answer to that:
"So what's new with you?"
Thoughts:
I'm really glad Molly decided to keep me company while I eat, I really enjoy her company.
"What, intentionally send thoughts into someone else's mind?" Molly looks surprised. "I've never heard of anyone doing that, not even Gwendolyn. Can you do that?"
She smiles when you think about enjoying her company.
"Not much, really. No banshees for a few days." She sort of smirks at this, twisting her face in a cute sort of irony. "Not much else really happens around here--or if it does, no one tells the witches. You're the biggest event lately, other than the banshee, but we've had the banshee once before. Twice, now, it appeared, and both times there were attempts on the queen's life."
--M. J. Young
"The only person I knew who had powers before getting here was able to talk directly to my mind. I may be able to do it, I hadn't tried. Would you be up for trying to learn it together? I can try to speak to your mind and if successful I could teach you?"
If Molly agrees to this I'm going to try and emulate how Paul communicated with me in Nagaworld, opening up a channel to speak to Molly through by thought.
If I succeed I'll then try to teach Molly the skill.
I'll just try asking can you hear this? as what I'm sending through the skll.
Thoughts:
It's weird thinking my appearance is the biggest event recently, I guess it was rather odd though. I'm glad I came here, even if how is still a little funny/weird. Meeting Molly was such a wonderful turn of events.
"But I can already hear your thoughts," she objects, "at least, when I'm listening to them."
You persuade her to stop listening to your thoughts.
You think about how you read Molly's mind, and about how you contact the various psionic devices to control them, and attempt from all this to divine a way to do what you want--and in a moment you've opened a clear channel to Molly, and she responds, Yes, I can. Wait, does that mean you can hear me, too?
--M. J. Young
Yes, there's a two way channel opened between our minds now. It should allow us to communicate over long distances too. I'm going to close the connection, try to see if you can open one to my mind. Remember how you used my wand? It's very similar except you're trying to connect to my mind instead of the wand.
I'll then sever the connection so that Molly can try and open it back up.
She opens a clear channel in a couple of seconds. Wow, that was easy, she thinks. I wonder why no one ever thought of this before.
--M. J. Young
Not sure, perhaps everyone was so used to being able to hear each others thoughts that they overlooked the value of talking directly to someone's mind. It'll be nice to be able to talk over long distances if need be though, or talk to a non warlock or witch silently.
So what are your plans until dinner? Going back to sleep?
Thoughts:
I had assumed all along that everyone was capable of doing this but it was just out of my reach. It's nice to know I can get in touch when I need to now though.
Slight confusion as to whether there is a post after mine here. The forum says you posted last but I see my response on my side. Just checking.
Oh, I don't know--maybe fly down to the gardens, I have my broom. She smiles. Did you have anything in mind?
(I am letting you know that the concept of "familiarity" is such that you know the "frequency" of anyone whose mind you have to this point read, and can use that to contact them telepathically. I think that's something you would sense innately with the learning of the skill.)
--M. J. Young
I was wondering if you would want to fly around for a while, it's still so new to me that it's somewhat of a novelty and I spending time with you is nice. I didn't have a location in place, but the gardens sounds as good a place as any. Perhaps we should take some food as a snack and turn it into a picnic of sorts? That is it you don't object of course
I have a happy expression on my face, and flash a smile near the end.
If she's ok with this idea, this will be instead of the practice I mentioned earlier.
Thoughts:
Hope I can manage to fly without any trouble, still feel a little unsteady with it. I'm sure Molly will understand though. Speaking to each others minds is neat though.
Molly would love to spend the afternoon playing flying games with you.
It strikes you again that as with all the girls she always flies riding on something, usually a broom; she also moves objects through the air telekinetically. You, on the other hand, fly like the boys, simply moving yourself through the air; and you've never seen any of the boys move an object by telekinesis.
--M. J. Young
Midway through the flying games:
"I've been wondering for a while, but was never sure when to ask, why do guys and girls fly differently? Also I noticed guys tend not to float items over like you can, is there a reason for this?"
Thoughts:
Today has turned out to be a really good day. Being able to fly and spend time with Molly at the same time is more than I could ever have wished for.
"Oh," Molly says. "I guess I just thought it was obvious. Boys fly. Girls can't fly; we control objects. Boys don't control objects. It's just the way it is."
--M. J. Young
"Have any boys tried to control objects or girls tried to fly? It just seems bizarre to me. Could you perhaps try to teach me to control objects? If I can't do it no harm in trying, but I'm just curious and if I can it may be useful in protecting the queen."
Thoughts:
Hope this question isn't taboo, if it is I'm sorry Molly. I'm just curious, you know.
"Well, it seems silly to me--you're a boy, and you can fly. But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to prove it."
Molly proceeds to levitate her broom alongside her. You attempt to connect to see how she does it, but can't seem to find that part of her mind.
--M. J. Young
I'll close my eyes and try and clear my mind. After I've relaxed a bit and cleared my mind I'll try and connect to see Molly's psionic pattern for the skill.
I'm unclear about exactly how change of circumstance for skills works, is there any chance I can get a small list of what my character would have noticed? Not sure if there's any that he would just naturally feel or suspect. Waiting a few minutes is currently the best way I know how as a player.
Thoughts:
I'm having trouble connecting to your mind to see how, this may take a bit, I'm afraid I'm still not reliable with most of this.
Typical changes in circumstance include doing something else and coming back to the task at hand--that's a particularly good one in this situation, because you have three other "telepathic" skills (hearing thoughts, hearing conversations, and telepathy) which you could attempt, each of which would create a link and thus arguably attune you to Molly's mind well enough to try the skill pattern observation skill again, assuming one of them worked.
Waiting is valid, but questionable; it's a matter of how long you wait, and generally comes to the inference that you turned your mind to something else and came back to this, so it's very similar conceptually but lacks content.
You read the pattern in her mind, and duplicate it fairly easily, picking up several objects at once.
She looks very surprised.
"You're not supposed to be able to do that," she says. "You're a boy; boy's can't manipulate objects like that--except, I think, for the elves."
--M. J. Young
"Well I'm a boy, and I'm no elf, guess I'm just full of surprises. Have you ever tried to fly? Maybe it's just a myth that girls can't fly and boys can't control objects? Maybe I could show you how to fly, not that I imagine it's very practical, with you already being so graceful on your broom. So what do you say? Want to see if you can fly without your broom?"
If Molly wants to I'll teach her how to fly.
Thoughts:
It's nice to be able to surprise Molly every so often, it's difficult to do with my mind being an open book.
"Oh, no--I'm sure I can't. I mean, Gwendylon can do more than any witch or warlock alive, and she can turn into a bird and fly, but she can't fly like a boy flies. Girls use brooms. You're a remarkable warlock, doing things no warlock has ever done; but I'm really just an ordinary witch, and can't expect to do things witches can't do."
You spend the afternoon playing in the air.
"It's too bad Gwendylon isn't here. She can turn into animals; I'd bet you could learn to do that, but I don't think there's anyone else here who can. Did we talk about what you should learn next?"
--M. J. Young
"Oh, no--I'm sure I can't. I mean, Gwendylon can do more than any witch or warlock alive, and she can turn into a bird and fly, but she can't fly like a boy flies. Girls use brooms. You're a remarkable warlock, doing things no warlock has ever done; but I'm really just an ordinary witch, and can't expect to do things witches can't do."
"I wouldn't say you're ordinary in any way, I think you're quite extraordinary."
Just a quick compliment, not an actual attempt to get her to change her mind.
"It's too bad Gwendylon isn't here. She can turn into animals; I'd bet you could learn to do that, but I don't think there's anyone else here who can. Did we talk about what you should learn next?"
"I'm supposed to meet Tobias in the guard's dining room to learn to douse torches. I should probably head there now, he said a couple of hours and don't want to keep him waiting. I'll see you at the party tonight?"
Thoughts:
I wonder how often Gwendylon visits the castle, and for that matter why she doesn't stay here. Seems most if not all other witches and warlocks do.
"Oh, Gwendylon almost never visits. None of the older witches or warlocks do, although she at least has been here once or twice. She usually stays in the south, somewhere in the territory of the Duke Loguire, maybe among the elves."
Whenever this conversation is done, Molly will fly down to the guard's dining room with you.
--M. J. Young
"Where do all of the older witches and warlocks go?"
After the answer to that I'll head to the guard's dining room with Molly and wait for Tobias.
Thoughts:
Pretty much speaking my mind right now, maybe some random thoughts going through my head but nothing I can think would specifically be thought.
"Oh, well, they don't really go anywhere, do they? They just stay where they are, I would guess. When the Queen's father was King, and from then back beyond anyone's memory, it was a crime to be a witch or warlock, and we were hunted, put to the fire, put to the water, put in the stocks, beaten, and killed. A year ago, shortly after she was crowned, the Queen announced that it was no longer illegal to be a witch or warlock. I think the Dukes mostly complied, but the people didn't, and many of the churches still would capture witches and warlocks and punish us. So after a few months, the Queen announced that any witch or warlock wanting sanctuary could find it here in the castle. Most of us who came are younger, like she is. I don't know why the others don't come. Gwendylon was here for a while, but she left because she said we made her feel old, and she didn't want to be the nanny. I didn't think of her like that, and everyone here liked her, but she said she preferred to be home. I think she knows some of the other older ones, but we didn't really talk about them when she was here."
--M. J. Young
"Ah, I guess that makes sense. The safety afforded here is probably less appealing to a warlock or witch who has already learned to easily fend off the world, it must get tiring though. Anyone, I should head down to the guard's dining room, would you care to join me? I'm just going to be waiting for Tobias and trying to learn to douse torches."
I'll fly do the guard's dining room then and wait for Tobias and attempt to learn to douse torches from him.
Thoughts:
I keep forgetting exactly how recent the plight on witches and warlocks was, and how dangerous it still seems outside of the castle. I'll have to be more mindful of that.
Tobias is waiting, torches lit. You tune into his mind, and then he attempts to draw a lot of energy into his mind, with a "Ta da", and nothing happens. Molly laughs. "That's what you get," she says, "for trying to show off."
He blushes. "Yeah, I guess. Let's try that again." He takes a drink of the wine he has served himself from the cask by the wall. "They don't really give the soldiers the best wine; but then, I don't guess they give us the best wine, either. All right." He collects his thoughts, brushes off his jacket, and closes his eyes. You're still connected to what his brain is doing as he repeats the same mental motions, and this time five of the torches go out.
"It's all about finding the energy sources and pulling the heat into yourself," he says. "You try it."
You give it a shot, and manage to pull the fire from four nearby torches.
--M. J. Young