Avalux Kesterven
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 106 
Age: 42
Appearance: Avalux is quarter elven which makes his age slightly hard to guess. His hair had turned a silvery blonde when he was quite young and most of the signs of age on his features are due more to squinting to read in candlelight than his years. He is on the tall and lean side but not to an excessive degree. Perhaps a hair's breadth over six feet and with enough meat on his bones to be healthy. His features are angular and they have a slightly severe cast as his habitual expression is a frown of thoughtful consideration.
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Equipment: Utterly insufficient for the task he has been presented with but he has the essential. A fresh notebook, a pen enchanted to replenish its own ink over time, a rune scribes etching tool, his glasses, and various crystals for creating apparatus.
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Skills and Abilities: Avalux is a magical engineer (Artificer if you wish to offend) and researcher. He specializes in the creation of devices that use magical power to power mechanical designs. He tackles magic with the scientific method trying to quantify something that most people believe to be unquantifiable. His drive and determination to do so often make him overlook certain things.
Registered: Nov 14, 2021 12:43:02 GMT -5
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Post by Avalux Kesterven on Apr 23, 2022 14:59:17 GMT -5
Avalux should have been watching how the wand performed. It was a prototype, a second-generation that he'd yet to actually field test. Even in a high stake situation like the one, they were currently his focus should have been on data collection. He was certain there were still ways he could tweak the efficiency and it wasn't as though he had anything else he could contribute to the fight. The most he could manage was to huck a spear and while the size of the targets gave him an improved chance of actually hitting one, he seriously doubted he could throw a spear with enough strength to pierce the protective blubber.
So naturally, instead of doing the one thing, he was good at he watched Jun more than the spectacle. Oh sure, his gaze had drifted to it when something spectacular occurs but his focus was more on observing the focus on her face, the masterful way she used a focus she'd never even held before, adapting to it with an intuition he was not sure he'd ever seen rivalled. Not for the first time, he couldn't help but think to himself how much of a wonder she was, utterly unlike anyone he'd ever known. Intelligent, intuitive, powerful, yet still friendly and engaging. He wished one of the girls that had tried to woo him in his world had been half the woman she was.
"Nearly as impressive as your handling of it."
The man responded without a second thought when she commented on the quality of the weapon. The compliment was sincere since a foci's only purpose was to alleviate the effort of will on the part of the caster. Letting the wand shape the spell frees up more focus on power regulation and control. It was ultimately nothing more than a tool and the purpose of the tool was to make a task easier for the user, not to do it for them. This was the shape of the thoughts going through his head which meant he utterly missed the innuendo he'd given in turn.
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Jun of the Celadine
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 305 
Age: 33
Appearance: Jun stands at about 5’ 4”, with a willowy, slightly rectangular build. Her tawny olive skin has lost its flush from constantly wearing cloth armor, and she is dotted with small scars, including wrinkled patches of old burns on her left arm. She has deep brown, slightly hooded eyes and not quite straight dark auburn hair. Her face is still youthful and strong, though her gaze suggests she’s seen way too much for her age.
Equipment: An emerald, muddy long coat-style gambeson. A chrome blue longsword with a rusty hilt. Rusted shackles on her wrists ending in broken chains, giving a false impression that she had been a prisoner; the bracelets are easily removed.
Skills and Abilities: What remains of Jun’s power is a mix of animal friendship and elemental control. She can communicate with and control weaker animals, like insects, and request the help of larger, sentient animals (though they are not compelled to obey her). She can perform subtle manipulations of fire, water, earth, wind, and other “elements” like light and shadow. Her most unique ability is to imbue elemental magic into other life forms and channel her spells through them.
She is a decent cook and survivalist and has a solid academic understanding of agriculture and ecology. She is also a decent sword and hand-to-hand fighter.
Biography: Jun of the Celadine was a stereotypical hero of legend. She was one of Isra's mightiest spellcasters, had gone on dozens of adventures, possessed several powerful artifacts, and helped bring peace to the world on many occasions.
A notorious overachiever and workaholic, Jun had driven herself to near madness pursuing powerful magic. In standard fashion, it was the power of friendship that kept her sane.
Now Jun must cope with the fact that much of the world she helped protect has been lost, and that most of the magic power she had accrued over the years has stopped working.
Her family (whose whereabouts are unknown) was a clan of farmers and gardeners. Her tribe lived in peace and harmony in a mostly forested region. Every two hundred years or so, their people produced a powerful mage and master of all elements. Jun was not this chosen one, but rather her grandmother was. Still, Jun's (somewhat unhealthy) obsession with keeping up with her ancestor made her a pretty close second.
Jun has no regrets about her journey, though she sometimes wishes she had spent more learning other skills, like cooking and dancing. She also feels she made a poor lover, though it's likely her old partners passed away in the floodwaters anyways...
Registered: May 25, 2021 13:33:31 GMT -5
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Post by Jun of the Celadine on Apr 24, 2022 21:27:25 GMT -5
Jun's smirk would read to Avalux like a victorious countenance, but only because the darkness occluded how absolutely beet red her cheeks had turned.
A distant bellow rolled through the fog and across the water. But unlike the previous racket, this was smoother and softer, almost musical. Jun, now feeling somewhat theatric, waved her new gift in front of her, causing some of the steam to part before so the seals could get a better look at their better. It was difficult to make out their intentions, but after a few moments they unmistakably began swimming away.
"They recognize this as our territory. We survived their challenge." Jun said. She grasped his wrist and shook it slightly, smiling brightly at the unparalleled rune smith. She looked into his eyes and felt like she was on top of the world.
Then she sniffed the air and looked down.
A number of steamed fish bodies had floated to the surface of the water, which while disturbing would admittedly save time on their fishing.
"... Oops."
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Avalux Kesterven
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 106
Age: 42
Appearance: Avalux is quarter elven which makes his age slightly hard to guess. His hair had turned a silvery blonde when he was quite young and most of the signs of age on his features are due more to squinting to read in candlelight than his years. He is on the tall and lean side but not to an excessive degree. Perhaps a hair's breadth over six feet and with enough meat on his bones to be healthy. His features are angular and they have a slightly severe cast as his habitual expression is a frown of thoughtful consideration.
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Equipment: Utterly insufficient for the task he has been presented with but he has the essential. A fresh notebook, a pen enchanted to replenish its own ink over time, a rune scribes etching tool, his glasses, and various crystals for creating apparatus.
-------------------------
Skills and Abilities: Avalux is a magical engineer (Artificer if you wish to offend) and researcher. He specializes in the creation of devices that use magical power to power mechanical designs. He tackles magic with the scientific method trying to quantify something that most people believe to be unquantifiable. His drive and determination to do so often make him overlook certain things.
Registered: Nov 14, 2021 12:43:02 GMT -5
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Post by Avalux Kesterven on Apr 25, 2022 10:19:45 GMT -5
"Ah, well, that is slightly unfortunate. Thankfully we should be able to preserve what we can't eat."
Avalux said as the sent of boiled and steamed fish reached their nostrils. It was not the most pleasant odour in the world but that was hardly surprising considering that the cooking process had been less than traditional. Still, using the cold end of the rod they could set up an ice box relatively easily. Though he'd have to think of a way to insulate it so the ice didn't melt too swiftly.
"I've got a net, I suppose we should head down and drag it through the water to collect the fish. I can do that if you can provide light."
It was rather dark out and while the moon provided enough to see vague details by, but he wouldn't want to go wading in the water without something a bit brighter to work under since he'd rather not slip and fall into the water at present.
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Jun of the Celadine
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 305
Age: 33
Appearance: Jun stands at about 5’ 4”, with a willowy, slightly rectangular build. Her tawny olive skin has lost its flush from constantly wearing cloth armor, and she is dotted with small scars, including wrinkled patches of old burns on her left arm. She has deep brown, slightly hooded eyes and not quite straight dark auburn hair. Her face is still youthful and strong, though her gaze suggests she’s seen way too much for her age.
Equipment: An emerald, muddy long coat-style gambeson. A chrome blue longsword with a rusty hilt. Rusted shackles on her wrists ending in broken chains, giving a false impression that she had been a prisoner; the bracelets are easily removed.
Skills and Abilities: What remains of Jun’s power is a mix of animal friendship and elemental control. She can communicate with and control weaker animals, like insects, and request the help of larger, sentient animals (though they are not compelled to obey her). She can perform subtle manipulations of fire, water, earth, wind, and other “elements” like light and shadow. Her most unique ability is to imbue elemental magic into other life forms and channel her spells through them.
She is a decent cook and survivalist and has a solid academic understanding of agriculture and ecology. She is also a decent sword and hand-to-hand fighter.
Biography: Jun of the Celadine was a stereotypical hero of legend. She was one of Isra's mightiest spellcasters, had gone on dozens of adventures, possessed several powerful artifacts, and helped bring peace to the world on many occasions.
A notorious overachiever and workaholic, Jun had driven herself to near madness pursuing powerful magic. In standard fashion, it was the power of friendship that kept her sane.
Now Jun must cope with the fact that much of the world she helped protect has been lost, and that most of the magic power she had accrued over the years has stopped working.
Her family (whose whereabouts are unknown) was a clan of farmers and gardeners. Her tribe lived in peace and harmony in a mostly forested region. Every two hundred years or so, their people produced a powerful mage and master of all elements. Jun was not this chosen one, but rather her grandmother was. Still, Jun's (somewhat unhealthy) obsession with keeping up with her ancestor made her a pretty close second.
Jun has no regrets about her journey, though she sometimes wishes she had spent more learning other skills, like cooking and dancing. She also feels she made a poor lover, though it's likely her old partners passed away in the floodwaters anyways...
Registered: May 25, 2021 13:33:31 GMT -5
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Post by Jun of the Celadine on Apr 27, 2022 21:44:26 GMT -5
"Let me go with you. I can bring a torch in one hand and keep the rod in the other. I can use it to de-ice the ship hull and make sure the water isn't too hot. I suppose I better try to find Barney and Knuckles too."
Jun neglected to mention these were the names of her bolas. But chances are Avalux could figure it out.
She would start to walk with Avalux. But she'd paused imperceptibly, for just a moment.
Boy, having a kid on board the ship would have been terrifying.
Well then, guess I'll just have to get even strong-
Huh.
She kept walking.
... Maybe things haven't changed as much as I thought. Or maybe it's just me.
Jun also wanted to stay next to Avalux, as her instincts were telling her to stay close to him to protect him. Not that that was the only reason, but it was definitely one of them.
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Avalux Kesterven
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 106
Age: 42
Appearance: Avalux is quarter elven which makes his age slightly hard to guess. His hair had turned a silvery blonde when he was quite young and most of the signs of age on his features are due more to squinting to read in candlelight than his years. He is on the tall and lean side but not to an excessive degree. Perhaps a hair's breadth over six feet and with enough meat on his bones to be healthy. His features are angular and they have a slightly severe cast as his habitual expression is a frown of thoughtful consideration.
-------------------------
Equipment: Utterly insufficient for the task he has been presented with but he has the essential. A fresh notebook, a pen enchanted to replenish its own ink over time, a rune scribes etching tool, his glasses, and various crystals for creating apparatus.
-------------------------
Skills and Abilities: Avalux is a magical engineer (Artificer if you wish to offend) and researcher. He specializes in the creation of devices that use magical power to power mechanical designs. He tackles magic with the scientific method trying to quantify something that most people believe to be unquantifiable. His drive and determination to do so often make him overlook certain things.
Registered: Nov 14, 2021 12:43:02 GMT -5
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Post by Avalux Kesterven on Apr 28, 2022 17:57:54 GMT -5
Avalux nodded, it didn't particularly matter where she was as long as she was holding the light for him to see he could work easily. They head downstairs and he ignores the mess for the moment. While tidying up the mess was certainly in order the fish were slightly more pressing considering they were just floating in the water. It doesn't take him long to find some netting and they were soon outside and ready to start collecting.
"I think it's time to move the wagon somewhere a bit safer. I've been tempting fate by staying so far from the rest of the survivors."
The man mused as they got to work. He dragged the net through the water letting it gather up the bodies of the poor fish who'd been caught in their battle. It was a bit of a grim testament to the destruction magic could cause even if it had been the only way for them to save themselves.
"Not sure how we will move it. Some logs and beasts of burden would certainly get the job done even if it would be a bit slow. Shame I had to scrap the suspension and wheel assembly when I converted the cart into a boat but nothing to be done about it now."
The words were musing, half said to her half just thinking through the problem aloud as they worked. It showed a stark difference in their problem solving approach. With Jun's thoughts going on how to improve herself to better handle the situation while he was simply thinking on how to make sure it simply didn't happen again.
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Jun of the Celadine
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 305
Age: 33
Appearance: Jun stands at about 5’ 4”, with a willowy, slightly rectangular build. Her tawny olive skin has lost its flush from constantly wearing cloth armor, and she is dotted with small scars, including wrinkled patches of old burns on her left arm. She has deep brown, slightly hooded eyes and not quite straight dark auburn hair. Her face is still youthful and strong, though her gaze suggests she’s seen way too much for her age.
Equipment: An emerald, muddy long coat-style gambeson. A chrome blue longsword with a rusty hilt. Rusted shackles on her wrists ending in broken chains, giving a false impression that she had been a prisoner; the bracelets are easily removed.
Skills and Abilities: What remains of Jun’s power is a mix of animal friendship and elemental control. She can communicate with and control weaker animals, like insects, and request the help of larger, sentient animals (though they are not compelled to obey her). She can perform subtle manipulations of fire, water, earth, wind, and other “elements” like light and shadow. Her most unique ability is to imbue elemental magic into other life forms and channel her spells through them.
She is a decent cook and survivalist and has a solid academic understanding of agriculture and ecology. She is also a decent sword and hand-to-hand fighter.
Biography: Jun of the Celadine was a stereotypical hero of legend. She was one of Isra's mightiest spellcasters, had gone on dozens of adventures, possessed several powerful artifacts, and helped bring peace to the world on many occasions.
A notorious overachiever and workaholic, Jun had driven herself to near madness pursuing powerful magic. In standard fashion, it was the power of friendship that kept her sane.
Now Jun must cope with the fact that much of the world she helped protect has been lost, and that most of the magic power she had accrued over the years has stopped working.
Her family (whose whereabouts are unknown) was a clan of farmers and gardeners. Her tribe lived in peace and harmony in a mostly forested region. Every two hundred years or so, their people produced a powerful mage and master of all elements. Jun was not this chosen one, but rather her grandmother was. Still, Jun's (somewhat unhealthy) obsession with keeping up with her ancestor made her a pretty close second.
Jun has no regrets about her journey, though she sometimes wishes she had spent more learning other skills, like cooking and dancing. She also feels she made a poor lover, though it's likely her old partners passed away in the floodwaters anyways...
Registered: May 25, 2021 13:33:31 GMT -5
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Post by Jun of the Celadine on May 9, 2022 0:56:35 GMT -5
Jun held up the light and watched Avalux work. A part of her felt guilty about just sort of standing there, but then she reminded herself that she had probably earned herself a break. She was also watching Avalux's back in case something else decided to attack, though anything that hadn't been killed by the boiling and freezing water had probably fled.
Speaking of which... Jun felt around their surroundings with her mind's eye. Another skill she had lost when she arrived on the isles was the ability to sense life around her. She had reclaimed it somewhat through meditation and practice, but it was still a shadow of its former self, and it required concentration. It wasn't even useful for spearfishing as often times the fish were too far away. And the seals had easily snuck up on her while she was even a little distracted. It was one of a thousand things she wanted to work on. She probably would have too, but Avalux's research was much more important.
Barney and Knuckles were shaken up, but alive. They had gotten smart enough to understand the concept of "punch bad thing", but weren't quite sentient enough to resent being used as a weapon. Knuckles was already filter feeding with its feathery feeding legs. The plankton tasted a little broiled, but not too bad.
"I think the others would appreciate you being closer to them. I've had nothing but nice things to say about you."
Jun didn't betray his confusion about women wearing pants to the Usqueans. She half looked forward to shenanigans ensuing as a result.
"I've noticed that water expands when its frozen. I wonder if there is a way we could use your gift to move the ship somehow without damaging it?"
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Avalux Kesterven
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 106
Age: 42
Appearance: Avalux is quarter elven which makes his age slightly hard to guess. His hair had turned a silvery blonde when he was quite young and most of the signs of age on his features are due more to squinting to read in candlelight than his years. He is on the tall and lean side but not to an excessive degree. Perhaps a hair's breadth over six feet and with enough meat on his bones to be healthy. His features are angular and they have a slightly severe cast as his habitual expression is a frown of thoughtful consideration.
-------------------------
Equipment: Utterly insufficient for the task he has been presented with but he has the essential. A fresh notebook, a pen enchanted to replenish its own ink over time, a rune scribes etching tool, his glasses, and various crystals for creating apparatus.
-------------------------
Skills and Abilities: Avalux is a magical engineer (Artificer if you wish to offend) and researcher. He specializes in the creation of devices that use magical power to power mechanical designs. He tackles magic with the scientific method trying to quantify something that most people believe to be unquantifiable. His drive and determination to do so often make him overlook certain things.
Registered: Nov 14, 2021 12:43:02 GMT -5
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Post by Avalux Kesterven on May 10, 2022 11:28:21 GMT -5
It didn't even occur to Avalux to ask Jun to do more than hold the light. As she'd rightly surmised, she'd saved not only his life but what remained of his life's work, she'd certainly earned the easier of the two jobs so far as he was concerned.
"Some of this will be utterly inedible."
The fish that had perished close to where she'd used the rod were in this group. Flash boiling everything inside of it wasn't a great way to preserve the quality of the meat. Guts tended to be removed ahead of cooking for a reason. But the ones that had not been cooked, just so shocked by what had happened that they'd died would be perfectly fine. The rest would make good food for the scavengers once it was moved away from his ship.
"To move the ship?"
The suggestion caught him off guard and he paused to frown as he mulled it over.
"The only ways I can think that might work would either be potentially damaging to the ship or require so much work on infrastructure to not be practical at this time."
That was what he finally said after some thought.
"Unless you have an idea I am not thinking of?"
Entirely possible she'd demonstrated her remarkable imagination numerous times.
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Jun of the Celadine
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 305
Age: 33
Appearance: Jun stands at about 5’ 4”, with a willowy, slightly rectangular build. Her tawny olive skin has lost its flush from constantly wearing cloth armor, and she is dotted with small scars, including wrinkled patches of old burns on her left arm. She has deep brown, slightly hooded eyes and not quite straight dark auburn hair. Her face is still youthful and strong, though her gaze suggests she’s seen way too much for her age.
Equipment: An emerald, muddy long coat-style gambeson. A chrome blue longsword with a rusty hilt. Rusted shackles on her wrists ending in broken chains, giving a false impression that she had been a prisoner; the bracelets are easily removed.
Skills and Abilities: What remains of Jun’s power is a mix of animal friendship and elemental control. She can communicate with and control weaker animals, like insects, and request the help of larger, sentient animals (though they are not compelled to obey her). She can perform subtle manipulations of fire, water, earth, wind, and other “elements” like light and shadow. Her most unique ability is to imbue elemental magic into other life forms and channel her spells through them.
She is a decent cook and survivalist and has a solid academic understanding of agriculture and ecology. She is also a decent sword and hand-to-hand fighter.
Biography: Jun of the Celadine was a stereotypical hero of legend. She was one of Isra's mightiest spellcasters, had gone on dozens of adventures, possessed several powerful artifacts, and helped bring peace to the world on many occasions.
A notorious overachiever and workaholic, Jun had driven herself to near madness pursuing powerful magic. In standard fashion, it was the power of friendship that kept her sane.
Now Jun must cope with the fact that much of the world she helped protect has been lost, and that most of the magic power she had accrued over the years has stopped working.
Her family (whose whereabouts are unknown) was a clan of farmers and gardeners. Her tribe lived in peace and harmony in a mostly forested region. Every two hundred years or so, their people produced a powerful mage and master of all elements. Jun was not this chosen one, but rather her grandmother was. Still, Jun's (somewhat unhealthy) obsession with keeping up with her ancestor made her a pretty close second.
Jun has no regrets about her journey, though she sometimes wishes she had spent more learning other skills, like cooking and dancing. She also feels she made a poor lover, though it's likely her old partners passed away in the floodwaters anyways...
Registered: May 25, 2021 13:33:31 GMT -5
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Post by Jun of the Celadine on May 12, 2022 19:06:36 GMT -5
Avalux's warning tempered her enthusiasm somewhat, and rightly so. But it still didn't cause her to give up on the idea. Her mind had begun drawing fantasies of the ship riding a great wave of ice. But indeed such a thing would probably make a mess of the interior, and possibly split the hull.
She sniffed in disgust at some of the badly cooked fish. Yes, flash boiling was not ideal unless the fish were properly prepared before hand. Jun actually did know a bit about cooking, having grown up preparing vegetables in her family's collective farm and then later from her lessons with grandma Fletcher. When in doubt, it was better to cook things gradually and evenly.
She wondered if that same logic would work with moving a ship.
"Well, ice is lighter than water and has less friction than sand. If we could carefully make a thin layer of ice around the hull, from the bottom to the top, and somehow get it under the hull too, it could make the ship easier to move and help dislodge it from the sand. I suppose in theory we could also expand it to the point where the ship is basically floating on a giant glacier but, yah that would probably cause those nasty side effects you mentioned."
She wished some of the Saskatoon clan members who lived in the mountains could have washed up with her. They would know a great deal more about ice than she did.
"I also know ice can be used as a building material, albeit a temporary one. I dunno the specifics of that though."
She had a nasty flashback of climbing a deadly mountain to earn the favor of a light dragon. She shook it out of her head.
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Avalux Kesterven
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 106
Age: 42
Appearance: Avalux is quarter elven which makes his age slightly hard to guess. His hair had turned a silvery blonde when he was quite young and most of the signs of age on his features are due more to squinting to read in candlelight than his years. He is on the tall and lean side but not to an excessive degree. Perhaps a hair's breadth over six feet and with enough meat on his bones to be healthy. His features are angular and they have a slightly severe cast as his habitual expression is a frown of thoughtful consideration.
-------------------------
Equipment: Utterly insufficient for the task he has been presented with but he has the essential. A fresh notebook, a pen enchanted to replenish its own ink over time, a rune scribes etching tool, his glasses, and various crystals for creating apparatus.
-------------------------
Skills and Abilities: Avalux is a magical engineer (Artificer if you wish to offend) and researcher. He specializes in the creation of devices that use magical power to power mechanical designs. He tackles magic with the scientific method trying to quantify something that most people believe to be unquantifiable. His drive and determination to do so often make him overlook certain things.
Registered: Nov 14, 2021 12:43:02 GMT -5
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Post by Avalux Kesterven on May 18, 2022 20:17:55 GMT -5
"That isn't far removed from what I was thinking."
Avalux noted when she pitched her coating the bottom of the ship with ice. That was more practical with the barge-like design than it might have been for other ships. The logistics of doing it her way though were a bit of an issue. The wand wasn't capable of the fine control that would be required to only freeze a thin layer of ice on the bottom side of the ship. They'd also have to constantly expend mana to keep it frozen and in one piece he imagined.
"I was thinking that a fairly shallow channel, only an inch or so deep, cut to the village and then frozen over to create a sort of ice road might work. But then I realized that the effort expended doing would be considerable. I think this is perhaps a situation where we are best served with more mundane methods. I think we both agreed that we shouldn't be looking to magic to solve all our problems anymore."
That was both the concept of using the wand to move the boat and using it to make building materials. She was right, ice could be used to make some bricks or the like but those would melt in the current environment. Though admittedly, they'd also agreed on a list of things they should be focusing on and he'd made the wand instead. Admittedly, it had been intended as a gift but he wouldn't deny he'd enjoyed the excuse to make something more... interesting. While it did have some practical applications, like for food storage or mass sterilization of water, he had mostly been thinking of how to use it as a weapon while designing it. Part of why it was cut to such a length, that twirling it to use one end or the other.
"We will need help from the other villagers no matter what method we use. Perhaps they've even managed to secure some beasts of burden to help pull though you'd know that better than I. Lets put the fish on ice and we will take them with us tomorrow morning when we go ask. The sooner we get things moved closer to the village the better."
Avalux said as he dumped the last of the fish that looked to still be somewhat palatable into the basket.
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Jun of the Celadine
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 305
Age: 33
Appearance: Jun stands at about 5’ 4”, with a willowy, slightly rectangular build. Her tawny olive skin has lost its flush from constantly wearing cloth armor, and she is dotted with small scars, including wrinkled patches of old burns on her left arm. She has deep brown, slightly hooded eyes and not quite straight dark auburn hair. Her face is still youthful and strong, though her gaze suggests she’s seen way too much for her age.
Equipment: An emerald, muddy long coat-style gambeson. A chrome blue longsword with a rusty hilt. Rusted shackles on her wrists ending in broken chains, giving a false impression that she had been a prisoner; the bracelets are easily removed.
Skills and Abilities: What remains of Jun’s power is a mix of animal friendship and elemental control. She can communicate with and control weaker animals, like insects, and request the help of larger, sentient animals (though they are not compelled to obey her). She can perform subtle manipulations of fire, water, earth, wind, and other “elements” like light and shadow. Her most unique ability is to imbue elemental magic into other life forms and channel her spells through them.
She is a decent cook and survivalist and has a solid academic understanding of agriculture and ecology. She is also a decent sword and hand-to-hand fighter.
Biography: Jun of the Celadine was a stereotypical hero of legend. She was one of Isra's mightiest spellcasters, had gone on dozens of adventures, possessed several powerful artifacts, and helped bring peace to the world on many occasions.
A notorious overachiever and workaholic, Jun had driven herself to near madness pursuing powerful magic. In standard fashion, it was the power of friendship that kept her sane.
Now Jun must cope with the fact that much of the world she helped protect has been lost, and that most of the magic power she had accrued over the years has stopped working.
Her family (whose whereabouts are unknown) was a clan of farmers and gardeners. Her tribe lived in peace and harmony in a mostly forested region. Every two hundred years or so, their people produced a powerful mage and master of all elements. Jun was not this chosen one, but rather her grandmother was. Still, Jun's (somewhat unhealthy) obsession with keeping up with her ancestor made her a pretty close second.
Jun has no regrets about her journey, though she sometimes wishes she had spent more learning other skills, like cooking and dancing. She also feels she made a poor lover, though it's likely her old partners passed away in the floodwaters anyways...
Registered: May 25, 2021 13:33:31 GMT -5
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Post by Jun of the Celadine on Jun 17, 2022 21:05:25 GMT -5
Jun nodded. She stuck her wand in the water, where frothy water foamed and solidified into snow. She then began piling snow up onto the basket of fish.
"You know what would be funny though? If instead of moving the Kesterven to the village, we instead brought the village to the Kesterven. Imagine a fishing outpost here, and some clan gardens. If more people came regularly to visit, it might help keep the more dangerous creatures away. Oh, and we could give the children magic classes. We could set up campfires around here and you could teach them about your world and the different runes and things and we could tell stories and cook fish together and-"
Jun caught herself mid rant. There was already a sizeable pile of snow on top of the fish basket.
"I've kinda missed fighting." She chuckled, as if that explained her suddenly talkative mood.
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Avalux Kesterven
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 106
Age: 42
Appearance: Avalux is quarter elven which makes his age slightly hard to guess. His hair had turned a silvery blonde when he was quite young and most of the signs of age on his features are due more to squinting to read in candlelight than his years. He is on the tall and lean side but not to an excessive degree. Perhaps a hair's breadth over six feet and with enough meat on his bones to be healthy. His features are angular and they have a slightly severe cast as his habitual expression is a frown of thoughtful consideration.
-------------------------
Equipment: Utterly insufficient for the task he has been presented with but he has the essential. A fresh notebook, a pen enchanted to replenish its own ink over time, a rune scribes etching tool, his glasses, and various crystals for creating apparatus.
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Skills and Abilities: Avalux is a magical engineer (Artificer if you wish to offend) and researcher. He specializes in the creation of devices that use magical power to power mechanical designs. He tackles magic with the scientific method trying to quantify something that most people believe to be unquantifiable. His drive and determination to do so often make him overlook certain things.
Registered: Nov 14, 2021 12:43:02 GMT -5
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Post by Avalux Kesterven on Jun 18, 2022 14:59:07 GMT -5
There was a very long beat as Jun went on a rather long tangent. The plan to move his ship suddenly turning into a project that would take years to complete. The people of the Usque needed time to regroup, repopulate, and rebuild. While a fishing village and port would certainly be beneficial in the long wrong supporting two settlements would be extremely challenging.
Avalux didn't think he needed to explain that to her because when she cut herself off, he had an idea of just what the actual problem is. The realization of which made him do something that he realized almost immediately after was rather stupid and impulsive of him.
"I can tell you miss some level of excitement not found in the lab. We could try going on one after we get the ship moved I suppose. An expedition could certainly turn up all kinds of interesting new discoveries."
The words were now out there and he was now realizing that he'd just volunteered to... Go out into the woods and put his life at risk with her. What in the good blazes was he thinking? He was a scholar, he had no place volunteering to go off on some kind of adventure
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Jun of the Celadine
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 305
Age: 33
Appearance: Jun stands at about 5’ 4”, with a willowy, slightly rectangular build. Her tawny olive skin has lost its flush from constantly wearing cloth armor, and she is dotted with small scars, including wrinkled patches of old burns on her left arm. She has deep brown, slightly hooded eyes and not quite straight dark auburn hair. Her face is still youthful and strong, though her gaze suggests she’s seen way too much for her age.
Equipment: An emerald, muddy long coat-style gambeson. A chrome blue longsword with a rusty hilt. Rusted shackles on her wrists ending in broken chains, giving a false impression that she had been a prisoner; the bracelets are easily removed.
Skills and Abilities: What remains of Jun’s power is a mix of animal friendship and elemental control. She can communicate with and control weaker animals, like insects, and request the help of larger, sentient animals (though they are not compelled to obey her). She can perform subtle manipulations of fire, water, earth, wind, and other “elements” like light and shadow. Her most unique ability is to imbue elemental magic into other life forms and channel her spells through them.
She is a decent cook and survivalist and has a solid academic understanding of agriculture and ecology. She is also a decent sword and hand-to-hand fighter.
Biography: Jun of the Celadine was a stereotypical hero of legend. She was one of Isra's mightiest spellcasters, had gone on dozens of adventures, possessed several powerful artifacts, and helped bring peace to the world on many occasions.
A notorious overachiever and workaholic, Jun had driven herself to near madness pursuing powerful magic. In standard fashion, it was the power of friendship that kept her sane.
Now Jun must cope with the fact that much of the world she helped protect has been lost, and that most of the magic power she had accrued over the years has stopped working.
Her family (whose whereabouts are unknown) was a clan of farmers and gardeners. Her tribe lived in peace and harmony in a mostly forested region. Every two hundred years or so, their people produced a powerful mage and master of all elements. Jun was not this chosen one, but rather her grandmother was. Still, Jun's (somewhat unhealthy) obsession with keeping up with her ancestor made her a pretty close second.
Jun has no regrets about her journey, though she sometimes wishes she had spent more learning other skills, like cooking and dancing. She also feels she made a poor lover, though it's likely her old partners passed away in the floodwaters anyways...
Registered: May 25, 2021 13:33:31 GMT -5
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Post by Jun of the Celadine on Jul 31, 2022 15:09:27 GMT -5
"An... an expedition?"
For some reason that made Jun blush.
"I... would make sure to take very good care of you. I'll be your knight in slightly raggedy armor."
She started to picture all the amazing times they could share sojourning out into the wilderness, among the trees, in their tent...
She tried not to think about the things that could go wrong.
A few weeks later...
It turns out, the achievement of moving Avalux's ship wasn't won by a single brilliant idea, but by many small ones.
Jun's ice magic made floating logs down rivers and along the beach much easier. It also helped keep the workers cool in the sun. Her control over vines also made assembling pulley systems and bind logs together a snap. And finally, her ability to move earth around made her worth three diggers.
Avalux's healing runes, which had only improved since the steamed fish incident, reduced everyone's injuries and increased stamina with less risk.
But the bulk of the work was still done by the Usqueans and their hunting allies. A legacy of tree houses and wilderness dwelling had given the Usqueans an uncommon instinct for carpentry and moving things around forests.
Ultimately they had devised a pulley system to help get Avalux's ship onto a massive wooden frame, which itself could be be dragged along a pathway flattened with planks. Indeed, despite the force multiplication, beasts of burden had to be used for the monumental task. The resource cost for moving the ship was formidable. But the pathway was also built strategically to be of further use in the future. And pulleys were always useful to a civilization that loved tree houses. So it wasn't really a waste.
Besides, Avalux was developing quite the reputation, no small thanks to Jun. The magic his projects brought to the Usqueans, though pale in comparison to what once was, still brought hope and nostalgia to their new home. A mended limb here, an extra day of fresh fish there, all these little blessings were beginning to add up. Jun for her part had to admitted that doing things the mundane way, with magic being a little helper rather than the driving force, was actually pretty satisfying, almost fun.
Foot by foot, air-trembling scrape by scrape, chorus of grunts by chorus of grunts (and the occasional auroch fart), the massive wooden vessel came within sight of the nearest village.
And there were women in pants everywhere.
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Avalux Kesterven
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 106
Age: 42
Appearance: Avalux is quarter elven which makes his age slightly hard to guess. His hair had turned a silvery blonde when he was quite young and most of the signs of age on his features are due more to squinting to read in candlelight than his years. He is on the tall and lean side but not to an excessive degree. Perhaps a hair's breadth over six feet and with enough meat on his bones to be healthy. His features are angular and they have a slightly severe cast as his habitual expression is a frown of thoughtful consideration.
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Equipment: Utterly insufficient for the task he has been presented with but he has the essential. A fresh notebook, a pen enchanted to replenish its own ink over time, a rune scribes etching tool, his glasses, and various crystals for creating apparatus.
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Skills and Abilities: Avalux is a magical engineer (Artificer if you wish to offend) and researcher. He specializes in the creation of devices that use magical power to power mechanical designs. He tackles magic with the scientific method trying to quantify something that most people believe to be unquantifiable. His drive and determination to do so often make him overlook certain things.
Registered: Nov 14, 2021 12:43:02 GMT -5
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Post by Avalux Kesterven on Aug 2, 2022 13:29:32 GMT -5
One thing that Jun learned was that Avalux was definitively in his element when it came to large-scale projects like this. The entire thing went smoother than it had any right to as he monitored nearly every facet of the process. Every issue they faced he had already planned for or quickly found a solution to, delegating tasks and handing out orders as though it was his gods given right.
It was a great asset for any community to have but it was also easy to see how it had created the problems that he'd spoken of. The transit of his ship served double duty, the planks they laid would serve as the foundation of the wide road that now cuts through the forest. This would make settling on the coat in the years to come far easier, but in the doing they'd left a palpable and ugly mark of humanity's growing claim on the island.
"Alright, lower it down slowly onto the piers.
Avalux called out as they got the ship into position. He'd had several deep holes dug into the ground and put a few sturdy logs into the ground. They'd been settling into the earth for the last few days and would serve as the supports for the floor of the ship. He observed it as it was being put into place finally settling down with an audible and earth-shaking thud.
"Excellent."
The man said as he went around thanking everyone for their assistance. A few people had been injured but overall, it had gone smoothly but he was still focusing very hard on his work. Jun would probably be able to piece together why since Avalux was doing his best not to look around too much at the rest of the village. The scandal of pants on women was something he was still struggling to adapt to though he'd spent enough time in the village that he was starting to recognize he would have to get over it.
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Jun of the Celadine
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 305
Age: 33
Appearance: Jun stands at about 5’ 4”, with a willowy, slightly rectangular build. Her tawny olive skin has lost its flush from constantly wearing cloth armor, and she is dotted with small scars, including wrinkled patches of old burns on her left arm. She has deep brown, slightly hooded eyes and not quite straight dark auburn hair. Her face is still youthful and strong, though her gaze suggests she’s seen way too much for her age.
Equipment: An emerald, muddy long coat-style gambeson. A chrome blue longsword with a rusty hilt. Rusted shackles on her wrists ending in broken chains, giving a false impression that she had been a prisoner; the bracelets are easily removed.
Skills and Abilities: What remains of Jun’s power is a mix of animal friendship and elemental control. She can communicate with and control weaker animals, like insects, and request the help of larger, sentient animals (though they are not compelled to obey her). She can perform subtle manipulations of fire, water, earth, wind, and other “elements” like light and shadow. Her most unique ability is to imbue elemental magic into other life forms and channel her spells through them.
She is a decent cook and survivalist and has a solid academic understanding of agriculture and ecology. She is also a decent sword and hand-to-hand fighter.
Biography: Jun of the Celadine was a stereotypical hero of legend. She was one of Isra's mightiest spellcasters, had gone on dozens of adventures, possessed several powerful artifacts, and helped bring peace to the world on many occasions.
A notorious overachiever and workaholic, Jun had driven herself to near madness pursuing powerful magic. In standard fashion, it was the power of friendship that kept her sane.
Now Jun must cope with the fact that much of the world she helped protect has been lost, and that most of the magic power she had accrued over the years has stopped working.
Her family (whose whereabouts are unknown) was a clan of farmers and gardeners. Her tribe lived in peace and harmony in a mostly forested region. Every two hundred years or so, their people produced a powerful mage and master of all elements. Jun was not this chosen one, but rather her grandmother was. Still, Jun's (somewhat unhealthy) obsession with keeping up with her ancestor made her a pretty close second.
Jun has no regrets about her journey, though she sometimes wishes she had spent more learning other skills, like cooking and dancing. She also feels she made a poor lover, though it's likely her old partners passed away in the floodwaters anyways...
Registered: May 25, 2021 13:33:31 GMT -5
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Post by Jun of the Celadine on Aug 8, 2022 20:25:22 GMT -5
Watching Avalux give orders around was a bit... jarring. They had been stuck on their island laboratory for so long Jun had almost forgotten that Avalux had, at one point, been a very rich and powerful man. But it suddenly clicked how much sense it made. There were wealthy nobles in Isra, sure. Many of them acted like bosses, even when their wealth was practically handed to them or stolen through political intrigue. However, there were a rare few whose wealth and power were well-deserved. A certain cat empress was one of them, though the magnitude of her power and wealth might have been a source of contention on that point. (Did anyone deserve to have Grandma as a bodyguard?) And Avalux, being a natural born master of logistics, was likely another. Avalux had complemented Jun on her magical prowess plenty of times in the past. Jun wondered if she had adequately returned the favor. "They could have really used you in Isra, not just for your runesmithing, but whenever a fortification fell to a monster attack." That had come out a little darker than she intended. But Jun could hardly be blamed. She was sweating up a storm but trying to resist the urge to take off her gambeson. If it had been anyone else she would have been happy to let the bastard faint to the sight of her seams, but she figured with Avalux baby steps were in order. "There's a good chance you're gonna be getting a lot of visits now, from curious villagers, builders, and especially the Societas Amicorum. Welcome to the family, Avalux." She reached up and gave him a healthy pat on the back. At the very top of the MK1 sat a certain frog (or toad, they still hadn't figured out which). Its little throat pulsed serenely as it contemplated how to best murder every life form that could possibly threaten its new kingdom within several miles. |
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Avalux Kesterven
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 106
Age: 42
Appearance: Avalux is quarter elven which makes his age slightly hard to guess. His hair had turned a silvery blonde when he was quite young and most of the signs of age on his features are due more to squinting to read in candlelight than his years. He is on the tall and lean side but not to an excessive degree. Perhaps a hair's breadth over six feet and with enough meat on his bones to be healthy. His features are angular and they have a slightly severe cast as his habitual expression is a frown of thoughtful consideration.
-------------------------
Equipment: Utterly insufficient for the task he has been presented with but he has the essential. A fresh notebook, a pen enchanted to replenish its own ink over time, a rune scribes etching tool, his glasses, and various crystals for creating apparatus.
-------------------------
Skills and Abilities: Avalux is a magical engineer (Artificer if you wish to offend) and researcher. He specializes in the creation of devices that use magical power to power mechanical designs. He tackles magic with the scientific method trying to quantify something that most people believe to be unquantifiable. His drive and determination to do so often make him overlook certain things.
Registered: Nov 14, 2021 12:43:02 GMT -5
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Post by Avalux Kesterven on Aug 9, 2022 14:48:58 GMT -5
Once the ship was lower Avalux went to work taking measurements. He had a carved stick with little notches on it for exactly this as he made sure that the entire vessel was seated correctly. The weight distribution should be perfect and over the course of the next few weeks it would settle nicely he was fairly confident. From carriage, to boat, and now to a house his prototype was certainly going through a gamut of uses.
"Fortifications? Not something I've studied extensively."
The man said as he looked up at Jun and blinked before straightening from where he was crouching. He brushed dirt from his pants as she patted him on the back.
"I'll have to get a no solicitors sign I suppose and what is a Societas Amicorum?"
Honestly, he couldn't fathom why people would drop him and bother him. He was more than likely going to be doing research of some sort if someone were to drop in so it wasn't as though they'd see him doing anything interesting. Speaking of interesting things, something had caught his eye.
"How did your frog get on top of the roof?"
The man shook his head and then looked back to Jun.
"And now that we've gotten the ship settled, I'd like to make plans for an expedition. I am getting frustrated by the lack of metals available, copper, zinc, tin, lead I need things besides melted down iron scrap."
The thought of galavanting into the woods wouldn't have appealed to him very much a few months ago, but Jun had been making him exercise regularly enough that he was starting to actually appreciate the activity. Primarily because he'd realized there were things outside his lab he enjoyed.
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