[closed]

[telvanni]

Who: Nathaniel Mithryn and Walter Price
What: Books! Lighter monsters! Tentacles!
When: NOW.
Where: Mithryn's Books
Warnings: Wizards.


[ Nathaniel has been a busy man as of late. It's hardly exaggerating at all to say that all his spare time has recently been spent focusing on improving his enchantment skills - in the wake of Wise Snake's rampage, Mithryn's Books has been closed up entirely.

Still. Compelling as practicing his art is, he knows that devoting all his time to it isn't healthy. Mildred would never have approved. As such, when The Young Lad With The Hair Walter contacts him with enquiries about books on proper horse care, he takes that as a sign that the shop should reopen at last.

So he does just that. The books he's sought out for Walter are safely placed behind the shop counter, much like himself, so all he has to do is await the boy's arrival.

Good lord, he's bored already. ]

Comments

[waltharius]

I was... killing them. Hunting them? I used to think it was because they were evil, but... I'm note entirely sure anymore.

And I remember this black stuff wrapping around their bodies when it was over, so...

[ Tea. Should probably stop being rude and drink it. He takes a polite little sip, since his stomach is kind of flip-flopping, and nods in thanks. ]

It's like they're becoming a part of me. Making me stronger, yeah, but also...

[ Another sip. ] The markings, how awful I feel every time it happens... and I. Think my hair is getting darker??

[telvanni]

It might be a mite darker, yes...

[ There's a sharp intake of breath from Nathaniel as Walter's words trigger a memory - himself, wielding power far beyond his current skills, fighting a dragon of all things - and as the beast dies, energy gathers from its corpse and heads straight for his companion -- ]

You're absorbing their souls.

[ He takes a sip of tea, noting with satisfaction that his hands are perfectly steady despite the echo. ]

Presumably, anyway. Are you quite certain the name Dragonborn means nothing to you? The similarities between you are remarkable. And fascinating.

[waltharius]

That...

[ He doesn't have a chance to clarify his thoughts on the matter or respond to Nathaniel's question as an echo of his own is triggered.

And... he doesn't take it as well as Nathaniel did. Not even close. The teacup in his hands shakes before he loses his grip on it completely. ]

It's -- I'm -- being possessed. By the dead.

[ It's a logical conclusion to draw after all this time, really, but he's avoiding really thinking about it and it still feels like a massive punch to the gut. As soon as Walter feels his eyes tearing up he rubs at them with his sleeve and looks down, concentrating on the mess he's made. He really needs a distraction. ANY distraction. ]

S-sorry, I can clean this up, s... sorry...

[telvanni]

Wonderful!

[ Sorry, Walter, but this is the most interesting thing Nathaniel has heard in ages. He puts his teacup down, trots towards the little kitchen area to pick up a dishcloth and deposits it carelessly over the spillage before peering at Walter in the same way one might goggle at a particularly exotic animal in the zoo. ]

The dead giants, I presume? Do you feel any different mentally? Strange urges? Voices in your head? Hallucinations or memories that aren't your own?

[ ... ]

Or those that belong to your other, obviously.

[waltharius]

No, not...not really.

[ Walter goes for the dishcloth and applies pressure to the teaspill. After a few seconds of absorption, he starts rubbing it back and forth. That isn't really helping much. It's probably just spreading the stain around. ]

I'm not going crazy, if that's what you mean.

[ There's a pause as an unspoken but clearly intended yet hangs in the air. Walter goes back to scrubbing. He'll wear a hole in the carpeting at this rate. ]

[telvanni]

In times such as these, I find sanity to be alarmingly overrated. But no, I wasn't insinuating that you were going mad. Merely ascertaining the level to which you are possessed, I suppose.

[ He continues to completely ignore what's happening to the carpet. Walter is far more interesting right now. Nathaniel snatches at the air with his right hand, a purplish glow gathering in his palm as he contemplates the situation. ]

Might I suggest a quick experiment? I wish to cast a spell on you. Just a little one. It will wear off after, oh, thirty seconds or so.

[waltharius]

[ The purple glow distracts him from his frantic floor-scrubbing. ]

On me? U-uh...

[ A pause as he considers it. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little bit nervous, but.. it's Mr. Mithryn. The old guy wouldn't do anything do endanger him! He takes a deep breath and gets up. ]

As... long as you can guarantee that it's not harmful. And tell me what I should expect.

[telvanni]

Of course I can guarantee it. I am a master wizard, not some rank amateur.

[ NATHANIEL NO. Though to demonstrate the lack of harmfulness, he turns his glowing palm on himself - he's briefly coated in translucent purple light before it fades, almost like water being soaked up by a tissue. ]

There. It's a spell called soul trap - it doesn't do anything beyond prepare the soul for capture, should the vessel be killed while the spell is active. Perfectly harmless and temporary. It tingles a mite, I suppose. Sort of tightens around the essence of you a little - you'll see. Are you ready?

[waltharius]

Soul trap?

[ That honestly sounds completely terrifying, but. Master Wizard. And Walter is a trusting little fool at times.

He doesn't look particularly enthusiastic, though the demonstration has made him feel... mostly okay about this. Kind of. He does wonder what the effect will be if someone houses multiple (dead??) souls, but. That's the point of the experiment, isn't it. ]

Yeah, okay. I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Just -- just do it.

[telvanni]

Excellent. Tally ho.

[ That said completely drily, naturally. He gathers the purple light in his hand once more and sweeps his palm towards Walter, stopping just short of touching his forehead. ONE SOUL TRAP SPELL IN YO FACE, KIDDO.

And gosh, doesn't Mr. M look excited about it??? ]

[waltharius]

[ It starts off as a weird... force pushing at him. That's completely tolerable, if a little strange. He can still move, and he can still breathe, which, when you consider how awful his chest feels, is a blessing.

But of course, things just ramp up from there. The phantom pressure builds until it feels like it feels like it's starting to squeeze. Pretty much the last thing he wants stacked on top of chest pain.

Passing out once a month already feels pretty silly, but passing out twice in one day? EXTREMELY TACKY. So he does his best to suck in air, wheezing all the while. In a bit of a panic he holds up his hand, shakily gesturing for Nathaniel to stop this if at all possible, but the effects vanish as abruptly as they came on.

After a bit of bewildered blinking -- ]

I don't -- was it supposed to be that intense??

[telvanni]

[ Nathaniel watches Walter's reactions in complete and utter enraptured fascination. COULD THIS GET ANY MORE INTERESTING?

PROBABLY. And that's wonderful. Except for the bit where the boy seems somewhat distressed, but he'll be fine any second now. Gosh. ]

Absolutely not. Though I think we should take that as a good sign, don't you?

[ NOTES. HE HAS TO TAKE NOTES. Excuse him while he scrabbles around his enchanting station for his tatty lil notepad. ]

I hypothesise that the soul trap spell is reacting oddly because your own soul and those of the giants are all being enveloped by it. With more research and a fair few echoes I may be able to isolate yours from the others - how attached are you to your current body, by the by?

[ HE'S JUST CHECKING OK. JUST IN CASE. GOD. ]

[waltharius]

[ Time for the weirdest of looks. He has to turn that last question over in his head several times because who asks something like that. ]

...very. End of discussion.

[ Breeeeathing out and lowering himself down on the couch. Even though he isn't being soul-squished anymore, he's still feeling pretty exhausted. Post-tentacle blues. ]

Mr. Mithryn, I think I'm done with the... the questions and the experiments for today. Would it be alright if I just... if I laid down here for a little while longer?

[telvanni]

[ With a slightly distracted air, since he's already thinking of ways to poke at the situation: ]

Oh, yes. Yes, of course. Would you care for more cushions? Perhaps a pouffe?

[ If you fall asleep, Walter, he is going to pluck out a few of your hairs. Jsyk. ]