[University of Zeltiva] An Exercise in Auristics [Liminal]

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Center of scholarly knowledge and shipwrighting, Zeltiva is a port city unlike any other in Mizahar. [Lore]

[University of Zeltiva] An Exercise in Auristics [Liminal]

Postby Azilis Theroulde on September 20th, 2010, 1:12 am

7th of Fall, 510 A.V.

A fickle fall drizzle gusting in from the sea was beginning to squall through the streets of Zeltiva as Azilis made her way to the imposing granite buildings that comprised the University. She shivered, pulling her cloak tighter around her, and drew her satchel closer to her in hopes that the books and papers she carried within it wouldn't become marred by the wet. Engaging a bit of her auristic vision so that she would be prepared when she arrived, she took cursory glances of some of the people hurrying through the streets, their shoulders hunched over and eyes cast down. Their auras writhed with frustration, perhaps about the rain or perhaps about the minutiae of their daily lives that she couldn't begin to guess at.

When the tall, elegant buildings of the University came into view, she withdrew a piece of worn and creased paper from her pocket. On it was the name of one of the buildings, as well as a number, 312: the number of the classroom. Azilis glanced around the campus of the University until she caught sight of the correct building and scurried toward it, eager to be out of the damp. It was a building she recognized; her father's office had been here too, when he had worked at the University.

As she made her way up the flights of stairs to the correct floor, her mind wandered to the course itself. She did not know who taught Auristics now, whether it was Professor Stonemiller himself or a professor she had not yet met. Curiosity made her steps faster and her eyes sharper as she tried to find the right room.

309, 310, 311...Ah, there it was, 312. The numbers were made of heavy bronze and winked in the light thrown off by the blue magelights that lit much of the University. Tentatively, she raised her fist to the door and tapped once, twice, three times.

She tried to focus her auristic vision through the door, attempting to See if there was anybody in the room beyond. Azilis could detect a shadowy aura surging somewhere in the room, but she was not yet skilled enough to ascertain any specific characteristics about it through something as thick as a door. So she waited for her knocks to be answered, tugging absently at a lock of damp red hair.
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~O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't!~

-Miranda, The Tempest
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Azilis Theroulde
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[University of Zeltiva] An Exercise in Auristics [Liminal]

Postby Liminal on September 25th, 2010, 2:03 pm

In truth, the teacher for Auristics varied, depending on who the student was. Magic was a highly individualized field, and there was no effort to make the program appear egalitarian. Promising students received preferential treatment, and that was simply how things worked.

"Come in."

When Azilis entered the room, it was indeed Professor Stonemiller who was inside. It was a small room, with three desks for students, plus one for the instructor. There were no other students present, however.

"Miss Theroulde, welcome." The old man gestured to the seats. "Please sit down."

The Professor seemed disinclined to make small talk, electing instead to launch right into the lesson for the day. "Let's begin with a question, Miss Theroulde. What sorts of things can Auristics reveal? Or, to put it another way, when you are reading another person's aura, what information can you find there?"
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[University of Zeltiva] An Exercise in Auristics [Liminal]

Postby Azilis Theroulde on September 27th, 2010, 2:22 am

Professor Stonemiller certainly didn't beat around the bush, did he? “Well, um,” she said intelligently, a bit taken aback. Oh, petch, she thought as she settled herself into one of the seats proffered, wishing she was less nervous with people she didn't know very well.

She marshaled her thoughts.“Properly used, auristics can reveal a great deal about a person's psyche – to a master. But it's easier to focus on simpler things, such as broad emotions or basic physical properties. Like -” She pointed to a quill that lay across Stonemiller's desk. “If you covered that up with a cloth, I would be able to tell you something about its texture, its quality. Maybe the type of bird that it came from. If I was far better than I am now, I might be able to figure out how long it's been since that feather was separated from the bird.”

Azilis paused for breath, ruminating. “Another important use for auristics is to infer things about people or objects with magical qualities. An auristics user can tell if an item is magecrafted or maledicted, or if an animal is more than it seems – a morpher, or a Kelvic.

“Is that what you wanted to know, sir?”
She tapped her foot against the leg of the table, a nervous tic.
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~O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't!~

-Miranda, The Tempest
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Azilis Theroulde
Aurist in Training
 
Posts: 86
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Joined roleplay: June 28th, 2010, 2:13 am
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[University of Zeltiva] An Exercise in Auristics [Liminal]

Postby Liminal on October 12th, 2010, 1:54 pm

There was a small nod from the elderly man. "All of those things are true."

There was a slate at the front of the room, and he walked over to it. "Here's a framework you may find helpful in considering what Auristics can and cannot do. I can't claim it's original with me, but it's certainly worth sharing."

He wrote a list on the board.

* Physical properties.
* Internal structure.
* Feelings.
* Magical activity.
* Residual activity.
* Intent.

"Essentially, everything one can do with auristics falls into one or more of these six categories. What one can do within the categories depends of course on one's level, but these are the basics. Do you have questions? If not, perhaps we can move on to an exercise."
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