Calling on the Professor - Samheen 27th MT

Corbin Dillon · Post by **Corbin Dillon** » Mon May 29, 2006 10:31 am

Corbin walked with a considered gait. Despite the many marks he had slept since the exit from the tunnels underneath the Citadel he still felt a certain amount of tiredness. He guessed that it had something to do with a combination of the exertion and the effects of the Rosestone. He was quite sure that people were not supposed to remain in its influence for as long as he had - especially not humans. He had remained in his room since returning to it, sleeping, meditating and practicing his magic. The relief he had felt when he had handed over the Rosestone had been surprising - the magic had rushed back into his body, he had almost staggered for a flicker as his senses were suddenly heightened.

But now he felt he had to leave his room, he had to get back into the swing of things. He was changed, that was certain. No-one could have gone through what he had without changing in some ways, but he felt he still had a control over himself, and for the moment that was the important thing.

He had wandered around the University for awhile before heading towards Professor Moore's rooms. He knew that he had to keep his studies up - he had a strong desire, stronger than before, to figth evil wherever he found it. The demon had been evil in almost its purest form, and the knowledge that it could still be out there, or things like it, filled him with rage.

Approaching the Professor's door, he paused and then knocked.

Tristam · Post by **Tristam** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 3:12 am

The jangling talismans and glowing runes that led to Professor Moore's room felt familiar and almost comforting after the events under Citadel. The door recognized Corbin and it swung open at his approach. Professor Moore was inside the inlaid circle of his outer room reading from the book on the large stone table.

"Good day to you Corbin." Moore greeted him and turned slowly from the book. "I hope these days of rest have worked to restore your energies and spirit." He looked him over with some concern.

Corbin Dillon · Post by **Corbin Dillon** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 7:35 pm

"Oh yes, the rest has been exactly what I needed. I think I went far too long without sleep - and it was much needed. It felt like I slept for years." He said with a slight smile. "Then I woke up, looked in the mirror - and it looked like it to." He said referring to the affects of the Rosestone on him.

"So, what do you make of our closing of the Rift? Was the demon inside at the time, has he been banished?" Corbin asked intently. He rather hoped he had - but the fact they had not encountered him suggested that this might not be true. "If not I'm going to have to get that sword of mine fixed. It was a damned nuisance when it snapped like that - good craftmanship as well. Still, it was for a good cause - the closing of rifts to hell planes can't happen to too many students." He said, realising that he was running on somewhat, and deicded to stop and allow the Professor to answer the question he had posed at the beginning of his speech.

Tristam · Post by **Tristam** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:32 pm

"I do not believe that the demon that burst forth at the Festival of Pan and laid dormant and healing all this time would simply retreat to the Nether. Even in the face of the Rosestone, it would not give up its ambitions here." He shook his head sadly. "No I am convinced it remains here on Citadel. Once more it hides and licks its wounds. It is imperative that we track it down."

At the mention of Corbin's sword, Moore smiled. "For one that is not a battlemage, you rely on swords rather heavily. I wonder if you missed your true calling. Regardless, if the Rosestone is needed once more I cannot fault your thinking. Which I why I dug this out of the vault."

Moore reached behind the stone table and brought forth a long sword in a black leather scabbard. The hilt was of steel wrapped in brass wire capped with a simple rounded pommel. Moore drew the weapon and it glowed a faint blue. The blade was slim and sharp, unadorned accept for a rune just above the pommel. "Dwarven forged. Made of an alloy of steel and something we have yet to identify. The edge never needs to be sharpened and even small nicks heal themselves over time." Moore turned the blade and offered it to Corbin hilt first. "The rune names it simply as Keen."

Corbin Dillon · Post by **Corbin Dillon** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 12:13 pm

OOC: Sorry I completely forgot it was my turn to post!

Ahhh, so they had not defeated it then. Hopefully it was wounded, or in some way less powerful. But it was not defeated. A wave of tiredness flooded over Corbin, but it was only for a moment. The need to track the demon down was pressing. Every day it was in the Citadel was another day that people would lose their lives.

"Well, I like to have a back up option. I guess you can't totally escape from your upbringing!" Corbin said with a chuckle as the Professor commented upon his use of a sword.

As the Professor drew out the sword, Keen, Corbin looked at it with something akin to awe. Without speaking he took the sword from the Professor and tested its weight, giving it a tentative swipe. It was weighted well. Magical swords - now that was why he had come to the Citadel. With the weight of a sword back in his hand, he suddenly felt much better. Well enough to take on a demon.

"Thank you Professor - as you said, if we need the Rosestone again I'll need something to fight with. Now, the demon, how do we find it? And more importantly, how do we kill it?" Corbin asked.

Tristam · Post by **Tristam** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:42 pm

"I am already preparing the same scrying spell that found it the first time." Moore informed him. "I know it is too soon for comfort to the last time but I have no other choice. We need to search the entire city and this is the fastest way. I shall need your help with the preparations. There are alchemical enhancers you can mix while I work the incantations."

"As for your second question," Moore too looked tired. "We cannot make use of the Rosestone again." He said firmly. "I am convinced that the demon sensed our coming because of the Rosestone and that he fled before its power. With only one Rosestone there is no way to trap him within its aura and that which we could use as bait is already his. Our only chance is gather up the mightiest in the city and strike as one. And pray that the loss of his rift and the exposure to the Song has weakened it."

Corbin Dillon · Post by **Corbin Dillon** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 1:26 pm

Corbin nodded as he took in the Professor's words. So there would be no Rosestone this time. To be honest, it was a relief to him. He was not too inclined to sacrifice all his youth, especially if they could combat the demon through magic. It was comforting to know that he would be able to do so - and if that failed, he had his new sword to practice with.

"I'm ready to assist in whatever way I can." Corbin said once the Professor had finished. "Just tell me what you need mixing and I shall do so with the greatest alacrity." He said confidently, though he knew that he did not have huge experience with alchemy. He was sure that he did not constitute one of 'the mightiest in the city', but he hoped that he had earned the right to be present at the confrontation.

Tristam · Post by **Tristam** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 8:12 pm

"Good lad." Professor Moore smiled. He pressed a sheaf of papers into Corbin's hands. "I know not your level of alchemical knowledge but the instructions here are very basic and very detailed. Its mainly the grinding and mixing of stones and gems into a pigment and doing so while keeping it as magically pure as possible. Look at the material on the Aether before you work on it and make sure it looks like that still after you work on it. The lens I gave you before will aid you in that."

Moore turned back to his work and then said over his shoulder. "You've earned your place at the battle if you want it Corbin." He offered. "Think carefully before you take that spot but know it is there for you."

Corbin Dillon · Post by **Corbin Dillon** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:05 pm

"Ahhh, basic is certainly good." Corbin said as he picked up the instructions and began to read them through to dsicern exactly what he had to do. He had always imagined that alchemy would be the most boring part of being a wiazrd - after all it generally did not result in large balls of flame. But he knew it was also an important part of it and that it was something he would have to grasp. Thus it was with a sense of interest and a certain amount of excitement that he started reading.

Just as he began his study, however, the Professor spoke up again.

"There is no consideration needed, Professor." Corbin said. "What that creature has done to me, my friends the city - it must be stopped. And I want to be there when it is defeated. I want to watch it die." He said earnestly. He couldn't imagine anything more satisfying than watching evil be destroyed by good. Of course the thought that good could be destroyed by evil also crossed his mind, but it was something that he could not allow to enter his considerations. One could not give in to 'maybes'.

Tristam · Post by **Tristam** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:26 pm

"To your task then Corbin." Moore nodded. "Those pigments are the signposts to our enemy." The alchemical notes Corbin read were more a meticulous list of procedures without any of the theory that went behind it. However, the key point stressed was purity. A precise mix of earth, water and fire gave rise to the ruby in Corbin's hands. To grind it to powder, it must be struck with an iron hammer and a stylus tipped with diamond. Yet if the tiniest bit of the iron or the diamond was found among the ruby dust, then it was useless for alchemical work.

Thus, the notes instructed Corbin to examine well the ruby, the hammer and the stylus before commencing his task and then to examine the dust as closely. Any trace of that which was not ruby must be removed by physical means, chemical means, or even magical means. Attention to detail was crucial.

Corbin Dillon · Post by **Corbin Dillon** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:51 am

Corbin nodded to the Professor and set to his reading. His mind was still a little tired, but as he read through the notes it became apparent what it was that he had to do. It was not theory heavy, indeed it was a set of instructions which given his current state of mind, was probably for the best.

Once the instructions were read Corbin opened himself up to the Aether, centring and grounding himself in the way he had become accustomed to. Once he had control of the tendrils of magic that floated about him he turned his attention to the gem. Questing out with his magical ability he probed the ruby to get a feel for it, see of what it was made and how constituted. As soon as he had performed this investigation on the ruby, he proceeded to a similar thing on the two implements, hammer and stylus, that he was to use to grind the ruby. He wanted to be as certain as possible of the three things that were involved in this process.

Perhaps as it was his first time he took more time than was necessary, but certainly it was important to be confident about what one was about to do. As soon as he felt this confidence, he slowly set to his task of chipping away at the ruby with the hammer and stylus. Everything about his actions was careful - he got the feeling that were a trained alchemist to watch him critically he would have a chuckle to himself, but Corbin was lost in concentration. He focussed on examining what he was doing in the Aether as well as the Tether, making sure that each stroke was caefully calculated. The urge, naturally, to speed up and take less care was strong, but he fought against it to keept his methodical pace.

Tristam · Post by **Tristam** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 2:52 am

Before this experience, earth energy seemed all the same to Corbin. Now after marks of sifting through powder to tell the difference between iron, diamond, ruby, sapphire and other precious stones, Corbin came to realize the subtle gradations that could be found among such energies.

There were several times he had to backtrack and sift out minute bits of iron ore from the fire kissed gemstones. A few powders had to be junked all together, certainly the most expensive garbage he'd ever made. Slow and steady labor worked their own magic until the pure powders were produced.

Corbin Dillon · Post by **Corbin Dillon** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 7:33 pm

Well, that looked like it had worked. Corbin inspected the powders for a last time, just to make sure he had done it properly. So, they were now separated out. Now they needed to be mixed together. Corbin picked up the instructions and read them through again, looking for what combination was needed to achieve the required goal. Hopefully that would be slightly less time consuming than the last stage.

Tristam · Post by **Tristam** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 3:41 am

The rest was quite simple by comparison. The powdered gemstones had to be mixed with equal parts chalk powder and then mixed into a small amount of oil. The result was somewhere between an ink and an oil paint in consistency. Small glass jars were provided for the various colors produced.
The pgiments were now ready for whatever his master needed them for.

Corbin Dillon · Post by **Corbin Dillon** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 8:22 pm

Satisfied with his work Corbin turned to Professor Moore.

"As you commanded, master." Corbin said with a wry smile, turning towards the Professor. "What is the next step?"

It was indeed satisfying to take on and be succesful in another school of the magical arts. It was certainly rewarding.

Tristam · Post by **Tristam** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 5:10 pm

Professor Moore looked up from his books and scrolls and took a moment to examine the pigments. "Good work Corbin. My thanks. There is nothing more to be done for right now lad. Go and conserve your energies or train in whatever techniques you think you will need for this hunt on the morrow. Much as I could use some aid in the ritual, the time it would take to train you would prevent me from casting it at the appointed time."

Corbin Dillon · Post by **Corbin Dillon** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 9:17 am

Corbin nodded. He would have liked to have been shown the ritual and how to do it, but he could equally understand the Professor's need to get it done quickly. They needed to find their enemy and destroy it as soon as possible.

"It was, as always, a pleasure." Corbin quipped. "I shall go and prepare myself. I imagine my shielding could do with a little practice." He said with a smile, indicating what he thought would be used most against the demon. He should have felt wary, frightened even. But he didn't. He could still feel the Rosestones affect, though it was diminishing, so perhaps that was it. He had looked at the demon, fought it, almost been killed by it. Surely that should have concerned him - if it had not been for Bregana he would most likely be dead already.

Perhaps that was it? The demon had killed Bregana, or done something worse to her. The knowledge of the first would have been terrible, but the possibility of the second filled him with a rage that he could barely suppress. It was the rage against injustice that he felt from time to time, but magnified - and now he could do something about it. He could destroy the demon, make it pay. At the moment of its greatest hubris he could bring it low, smite it and at that exact moment smile at it as it realised its own destruction.

"I shall prepare." Corbin repeated resolutely, and turned to leave.

Tristam · Post by **Tristam** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 5:13 pm

Fin. Practice makes perfect.

Tristam · Post by **Tristam** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 8:01 pm

Skilled by the powers of magick!