Completed [Sacred Arch Hotsprings]Magical steam, anyone?

[Crypt]

As Clyde went on about glyphing, Crypt continued to write on his journal, every now and then pausing to rest his hand, which was starting to hurt after writing down the information Clyde imparted to Crypt at a high speed. Somehow, using horses in the analogy was strangely fitting, considering that Crypt was one of the Drykas, the undisputed 'horsemen' of horsemen. The young Drykas could see from Clyde's body that he was slowly relaxing further as they moved away from the topic of the Knights, and what appeared to be a pleased look and an actual smile (he had only observed hints of it so far) on his countenance as he patiently taught Crypt the basics of glyphing. Crypt shook his head as Clyde queried if he had ever heard of a sigil before. Sigil? What's that? Sounds like a weird kind of fruit - Bah. A collection of glyphs. What does fruit even have to do with glyphing? Damn, Crypt, Sometimes I don't even know what you're thinking. Once Clyde had finished speaking, Crypt resisted the urge to raise his hand(as he had been taught to do so when his uncle taught him and a few other children the basics of Common) and spoke politely. “Sir, I understand what you have just said. From all that you explained to me in great detail, I assume that a sigil can do quite a lot of things, depending on the glyphs it contains and how they are linked? And furthermore, what other glyphs are there, other than the Focus glyph, and how would they be linked together so as to perform more complex functions?”

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde gave Crypt a bit of a annoyed glare, before erasing what he had drawn in the dirt once more. Really, he was almost as bad as Gallo, with his impatience and rudeness. He would get to the new bits when he got to them, but really it was important to let him do so in his own time. He answered his words with a hint of annoyance in his voice. "I asked if you have any questions on what I just covered, NOT if you had any new questions. I will get to what I get, when I get to it. Trying to rush me will come to no avail, as I can only cover the information so fast. Otherwise something will be missed. In the future, bear that in mind, and no trying to rush me or interrupting my flow. Otherwise you might miss something important, if I did as your questions ask and skipped all around. You will have time to ask questions at the end, when I have covered everything I have planned to cover." Clyde took a few moments to smolder, and let his rage calm down before it interrupted... Taking a deep breath and using his mediation routine, of forming in his mind the picture of a single flame, flickering and moving... Closing out all else... All annoyances... It worked well enough for him to continue without throwing a fireball at Crypt. "Now... The last thing I need to show you, is some of the most commonly used things in glyphing. If you know these commonly used series of glyphs, you can do many different things, either by themselves or combining them to make a new effect. Think of these as the letters of the alphabet, to which you can combine to make many different words. With the sigil being a sentence." Clyde drew some rather simplistic glyphs. Not something he would use for long term storage as they were to weak and simple, but they would do for now. He made another dot with his thumb, then drew around it a circle encompassing it, and then a small triangle on the edge of the circle. "Now, these are the three most commonly used blocks of glyphs. This is one of the most common usages of glyphing, which is to make a scroll to seal inside a magic spell, to be released later. However bear in mind this is not something for a new initiate to do with glyphing. Do not try to store magic for use later, until you are reasonably skilled. Anyways, the conjunction of these three blocks of glyphs can be made to create a scroll, or even be used in other more complex uses. This is a simplistic version, however a stronger one would likely use more than one glyph for each of these blocks, besides the block I have already shown you called a focus, which is a single glyph always." Clyde took a moment to pause here, and look over his simplistic glyphs. It seemed so long ago when he had first learned glyphing, and had started on it... It had not been long after he had learned reimancy, which in and of itself was done at a young age. "Now, the center dot I drew, represents the focus. You know what it does, if can help to draw magic to a certain point. However, if used in conjunction with other blocks, it can actually store the magic inside of the focus, until it is released, or the glyphs are broken or damaged. The outer circle is a barrier. The most common use for it is to corral a focus, and keep the magic in the focus from getting out. Magic cannot cross a barrier. It has to go around it, or through an opening in the barrier. Which means you can seal a spell inside a focus, and use a barrier to keep it in there. And the small triangle I drew, is called a trigger. It interacts with another part of the sigil, activating it or deactivating it, under set conditions which will be worded next to it. So in the case of a scroll, you would draw the focus, the barrier, and the trigger, and then write out next to the trigger in words what will activate the trigger, and whether it will turn on or off the thing it is attached to." Clyde took another moment here, and looked at his simplistic glyphing, and then to check to see if Crypt was still following him. "So, a common usage of a trigger is to attach it to a barrier. When you activate the trigger, it turns off the barrier, and then releases whatever is in the focus, as nothing is now keeping it in. So, do you get all that, all three of these most basic blocks of glyphs? Why don't you try drawing each one. Bearing in mind the barrier is usually many glyphs, not just one big one like I did here. So try each."

[Crypt]

Crypt managed not to display any emotion he had when Clyde's temper flared, instead bowing his head. “My apologies for being so impatient, sir, I was too eager to learn more. I shall listen to what you say from now on.” As Clyde finally resumed the lesson in glyphing, Crypt mentally heaved a sigh of relief. Damn, I swear I could see flames coming out of his ears. Good thing he calmed down. Anyway... So all glyphs can be drawn in their own manner according to the mage in question? That means that in theory, I should be able to draw a glyph for every function. Though that would be too advanced for me. I won't do something that stupid. At least Clyde had slowed down a little, giving Crypt's left hand slightly less trouble in writing down the notes. Barriers... What would a barrier glyph look for me? I've never thought of it before in my entire life - Hold on. There was that one time I was in Alvadas. The runic circle. Yes, that. I'm not going to be able to do such a masterful piece of work, this should do. Crypt followed Clyde's request accordingly. He drew his Focus glyph again, using the rough sketch he had already created minutes ago, and then made a border around the Focus glyph which appeared to be a wave of some sort; not the waves of the oceans and seas, but the representation of a light wave. Crypt paused as he thought of what to draw for the Trigger glyph, then resumed his mud drawing. Hmm... I guess I'll go with this then. Probably the best I can come up with right now. Crypt dipped his index finger in the muddy ground again, this time moving it to create a drawing of a simple circle, with straight lines along its internal perimeter that intersected with the Barrier graph. “Well sir, here they are. The best representation I could think of for each block. Er... You mentioned just now that we had to use words to determine the specific trigger for the sigil. If you don't mind answering this question, what language do I write in? Common? Or does the language not matter? As for the Barrier glyph, you said that it would prevent the magic from getting out. How does it accomplish such an act? It puzzles me greatly. If I seem to be too impatient again, I apologise in advance, but I really do not understand these parts which you have told me of.”

[Clyde Sullins]

Now that Clyde had more or less concluded the lesson, he was not upset at the further questions. Since now really was the proper time to ask them, when he had finished expounding on the material he had to cover. Really if anything, he was glad for the questions, and that he was thinking critically about what he had said, and why things did what they did. "The language does not matter really. It simply connects to the intent. You could as easily write it in common, as you could in the ancient tongue if you know it. After all, glyphing is an ancient art, it has been done for a long time, even before our current words were in use." Clyde took a moment to pause and think, before answering the next question. It was an interesting thing. Many people just took for granted the fact that a magic did as it did, without considering why. He had thought on this at length, even if he had not been specifically told it, and after much thought, believed he had at least a piece of the answer, or of the explanation... Of course he could as easily be wrong. "As for why glyphs do as they do... That is a bit harder to answer, at least completely, and I do not know for certain... But I ask then why does a stone once thrown into the air, fall back to the ground? Obviously there is some rule or law at work that says this must happen, something working upon each of us to pull us down to the ground all the time... I believe that glyphing is much like that. There is some rule or law, which states that when these glyphs are drawn in a specific way, they interact with djed in a specific fashion, doing as they do. I do not know why, or what exactly that rule or law is, or who or what enforces it, simply that it does. So to answer your question, glyphs do as they do, barriers limit and contain djed as they do, because that is simply what they do, for whatever reason." The true-ness to this was something that Clyde had only recently come to realize, as he had studied his various magics, including more than one world magic... He was not sure why they did as they did, simply that they all interacted with djed at a fundamental level, doing as some unseen law said they must when certain things were done... Animation... Magecrafting... Glyphing... Even spiritisim... All of them did something with djed, which by physical examination could not be explained... But they did it nonetheless... Interacting with and manipulating djed to an end... "Now, I think that is enough for today... Perhaps you can convince me to give you another lesson at another time, to go more in depth. Or perhaps to even give a demonstration... But for now, that is enough. Though you already owe me many favors. Perhaps we can negotiate the conditions on a second lesson. But another time." Smiling, Clyde wondered what was going through Crypt's mind at these words... As he hinted at more deeper knowledge, which had not yet been shown... Which truly he did still have secrets left which he had not yet gone over. But best to space such things out, and not devalue his teachings by doing everything at once. "So, unless there is anything you have we went over to question, I think that is it till next time."

[Crypt]

“I see... So it's all about intent. Always is, now that I realise it from your teachings. So the fact that the barrier can contain magic is a Given, is... an axiom of glyphing?” Crypt silently pondered the conundrum. Why, then, was it so? “There are just a few more. You spoke of sealing spells into Focus glyphs, to paraphrase your words, so could you give an overview of how this is achieved? I mean, firing a fireball at it such that it is sealed is easily done, but what of more passive arts? Like Morphing? Does the mage morph his hand into, let's say, a three-fingered hand and place it on the Focus glyph, then activate the Trigger glyph? For the same matter, can a trigger glyph be used multiple times to control the storing and releasing of magic, or will it stop working after the first try? Lastly, do you perhaps have any exercises I could go through that would be safe enough for me?” Crypt paused for a moment to take a breath. “Well, I don't know whether the conditions would cover a second lesson. Thank you for this fascinating lesson on glyphing.” OOCLet's start wrapping things up here. Are you submitting this thread to the STs later or shall I do it?

[Clyde Sullins]

ooc : I will submit it. Just bear in mind, Clyde just gave you the basics of glyphing. He did not go in depth on several points, and only showed you 3 of the 5 main building blocks of a sigil. At the moment that is not really an issue, as they can be skipped for initiation. But you will need to be taught them at some point so that you know of them, especially once you get to a higher level in glyphing. But it is not an issue till at least competency, if not later. Clyde nodded his head, thinking once more of the airs this man was putting on speaking to him. It was almost as if he was incapable of straight talking. Luckily he did not charge by the word to listen, or else this man would soon be out of money. At least when Clyde talked in a long winded manner, it was because he had a lot of content to get through, or perhaps he was trying to emphasize a point. But Crypts speech was frilly and full of filler for no good reason. Most of what he said was superfluous, almost by design. He would make a horrible teacher, as he never got to the point with his words, and wasted time to no end. "Yes, I suppose that is true of glyhing, along with many magics." However that was not it, and he seemed determined to ask as many questions as he could. Some of them were worthwhile, while others... Not so much... "That is sort of how it works. Bear in mind, the focus needs to be as big as the spell that is going into it. So while say you wanted to throw a magical pebble into a focus, being as a mundane one could not be stored only magical ones, the focus to hold it would need to be at least as big as the spell. Think of a focus like a doorway. Things can go through it, if the door is open, and once in and you shut the door, only when it is reopened can it come out. But note like a door, so is a focus, that as things go in, they came out the same way. So for a magical attack like with reimancy, if you throw something in, it comes back out like a mirror going the same direction and at the same speed as it went in. " Clyde took another moment to pause, making sure that Crypt was listening... He was started to get annoyed again, and was ready to be left alone. "As for a spell that uses the body, such as morphing, or perhaps even your flux, the focus would then need to be big enough for you to stand on it. As you stand on it, and do the spell, the procedure of your spell would then be duplicated inside the focus. And then later on, when someone stood on the focus, the same as you did to insert in the spell, and released it, the procedure or spell would take effect on them." "But bear in mind, glyphs can only be used once. And after there affect has been done, they vanish and are destroyed. So while say you make a scroll and seal in a spell, when the spell leaves it and the glyphs are spent, then the glyphing would vanish, along with damaging or destroying whatever it is on. In a scrolls case, once it is done, is will usually fall apart or break down into dust. But if say it was carved into a stone, the glyphs might shatter or crack as the glyphs are obliterated, damaging the substance that is glyphed itself." Clyde smiled one last time, as Crypt misunderstood his words, and was thinking Clyde had offered a second lesson for free. "And I was not offering a second lesson for free. I was saying that we were done, and that anything in addition would require a second separate lesson, with a separate deal being made. I am done for today. But if we do make a deal at some point for a second lesson, just know I still have a good bit beyond what I showed you today, which is just the extreme basics. So that is it, begone, I want to rest for a bit more before I leave." With that, Clyde sank down into the water up to his mouth, closing his eyes and letting the waters soak in... Done dealing with Crypt.

[Crypt]

Crypt got up to leave, whistling for Maras to come to his side. He bowed to Clyde. “Thank you for teaching me, sir. If you wish to collect the favour, I will be waiting at the Traveler's Row, although I will be working at the Windmount Stables from the ninth to the seventeenth bell.” The Drykas turned, and walked away towards Syliras with his Strider at his side.

[Emblem]

Congratulations! You Get Glorious Experience! Clyde Skill Points Earned Teaching 5 XP Auristics 3 XP Rhetoric 2 XP Negotation 2 XP Glyphing 1 XP Lore Crypt Insatem (Partial) A Realization on the Fundamentals of Djed and World Magic Relaxing at the Springs Other Shenanigans: Nope, nothing here. Crypt Skill Points Earned Rhetoric 5 XP Glyphing 4 XP Auristics 2 XP Negotiation 2 XP Flux 1 XP Lore Earned Djed and Nature Clyde Sullins (Partial) A Crash Course in Glyphing Relaxing at the Springs Other Shenanigans: Nope Comments : Really great thread guys! I enjoyed it. I definitely felt rhetoric was a big part of Crypt's character so I awarded points accordingly. Hopefully everything else makes sense, and if not, shoot me a PM!