La Maison Soloumbre: Evening of April 10th

Join us for our Halloween celebration
User avatar
Nathan of the FoS
Fiendish Enforcer
Fiendish Enforcer
Posts: 5246
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 3:39 pm
Location: San Francisco CA

La Maison Soloumbre: Evening of April 10th

Post by Nathan of the FoS »

The afternoon sessions have drawn to a close, and dinner has been set in the great ballroom for the brothers of the Fraternity. As the first dishes are served the rain begins to fall--gently at first, and then more and more heavily, making conversation difficult for those near the windows. Lightning rips across the sky, giving its eerie white illumination to those within, and thunder shakes the Maison to its foundations.

Whether because of the weather or in anticipation of the coming discourses, the diners spend little time on their repast, and soon those brothers deputized to serve the meal are moving the tableware into the kitchen, leaving the tables bare and ready for the taking of notes; those present rearrange themselves to get a good view of the podium from which the evening's speakers will present their work.

As Exalted Brother Loder rises (he is a heavyset man with smooth features and the baritone voice of a natural orator) he nods to Quiret and Torrens, who rise and move to the back of the room. Torrens takes a penny whistle from within his coat and Quiret sings softly in accompaniment, and the sound of the rain and thunder from without drops to a muted hum. Smiling in acknowledgement, Loder steps to the podium.
[b]FEAR JUSTICE.[/b] :elena:
User avatar
Glim
Conspirator
Conspirator
Posts: 49
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 5:29 am
Location: The Netherlands

Post by Glim »

Heavily interested -he's read some of Loder's earlier work- Shadiir sits as close as he can get, pencil and paper in hand, ready to make notes. Staring up to Brother Loder on the stage, he's caught by surprise as the two Brothers start performing in the back of the room.

Irritated at first, he wasn't here for chanting after all, he then notices the sound of the storm dying down and his irritable state mimicks the weather, now getting better with each note.
User avatar
Moral Machivelli
Rat Blinder
Rat Blinder
Posts: 413
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2005 3:54 pm
Location: Not Here...

Post by Moral Machivelli »

Buchvold is noticable by his absence. He is now with Antony Reuland in his study.
User avatar
Pamela
Sorority Shadow
Sorority Shadow
Posts: 931
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2005 3:48 am
Location: Have gun, will travel
Contact:

Post by Pamela »

A brief stroll on the grounds, and Gertrude ventured into the dining room. She looked up from her meal at the sound of thunder, smiling. She’d long had a perverse delight in thunderstorms, even as a child, even as she jumped, laughing, at one bolt which shook the very manor. Her mood seemed to lift at the disturbance of the heavens, and she eagerly brought forward her own notebook at meal’s end for the next set of lectures. She joined in the round of applause, waiting to hear what had excited Hazan so about this specialty.
His only real danger is if stupidity is contagious and lethal. In which case, we’re all dead…-Gertrude
User avatar
Nathan of the FoS
Fiendish Enforcer
Fiendish Enforcer
Posts: 5246
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 3:39 pm
Location: San Francisco CA

Post by Nathan of the FoS »

"The study of shadow magic is one of the areas of greatest continuing interest for the Fraternity; since the inception of its rigorous study, largely spearheaded by our own fraternity, we have gained a great deal of interesting and useful knowledge about this phase, or as some would have it, this plane of reality. Such researches, of course, are founded on a corpus of work built on discoveries of past masters of the arcane, including one present with us this evening," (here Loder bows to Tarnos Shadowcloak, who appears to be thinking of something else and does not acknowledge the salute), "as well as on the discoveries now being made day by day by such diligent and, if I may make the pun, enlightened researchers such as Esteemed Brother Hazan, Exalted Brother Roeccha, and many others. I myself have made a careful study of this branch of magic and have endeavored to distill five principles of shadow magic which I believe may be useful in guiding future endeavors in this field."
[b]FEAR JUSTICE.[/b] :elena:
User avatar
Moral Machivelli
Rat Blinder
Rat Blinder
Posts: 413
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2005 3:54 pm
Location: Not Here...

Post by Moral Machivelli »

As everyone is looking at the podium, no-one seems to notice Buchvold's Belated arrival. He takes one of the few un-occupied seats remaining, and tries to look inconspicuous as he starts to take notes.
User avatar
alhoon
Invisible Menace
Invisible Menace
Posts: 8804
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2003 6:46 pm
Location: Chania or Athens // Greece

Post by alhoon »

Draxton was paying attention with mild interest. Shadow magic could shape worlds after all. Although he would have prefered a course on enchantment, this was a very interesting topic.
"You truly see what a person is made of, when you begin to slice into them" - Semirhage
"I am not mad, no matter what you're implying." - Litalia
My DMGuild work!
User avatar
Rotipher of the FoS
Thieving Crow
Thieving Crow
Posts: 4683
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2003 4:18 pm

Post by Rotipher of the FoS »

Seated in back as per usual, the VRS spy turns to observe Torrens' and Quiret's spellcasting -- a solo agent, he seldom has the chance to explore the potential which accompaniment affords a bard, both in music and for arcane purposes -- and makes a mental note to add this particular effect to their dossiers' respective spell-rosters. Crow's own skill with sound-manipulation lies along somewhat different lines, but his fingers idly pantomime Torrens' deft handling of the penny-whistle, nevertheless.

Then Loder's speech begins, and the dark-curled bard permits himself to blend in, becoming just another face in the audience. For the moment, Crow takes the opportunity to relax: it's not lectures that the spy is here for.


[OOC: That was Sculpt Sound they used, right? Just curious.]
"Who [u]cares[/u] what the Dark Powers are? They're [i]bastards![/i] That's all I need to know of them." -- Crow
User avatar
Nathan of the FoS
Fiendish Enforcer
Fiendish Enforcer
Posts: 5246
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 3:39 pm
Location: San Francisco CA

Post by Nathan of the FoS »

OOC: Yep, sculpt sound it is.

"The first principle which I would touch on is this: that the Plane of Shadow and the place referred to by spiritualists, mediums, necromancers, and other dabblers in the profane arts as the Other Side, or the Ethereal Plane, are not synonymous, and, in fact, are more distinct from each other than either is from this, our own so-called Material plane. We know, of course, that this material is merely Shadow coarsened sufficiently that our five senses can perceive it; the Plane of Shadow may be thought of as a more pure or more fine essence, otherwise essentially similar to our own phase of existence."

After a tolerably abstruse philosophical discussion of the fine distinctions between Shadow, Material, and Ethereal, Loder says, "There are, therefore, four additional and subsidiary principles which follow. One: nearly all effects which rely on access to the Ethereal can be duplicated by access to the plane of Shadow, without manipulating those threads of Life and Death so carefully scrutinized by the Watchers in Shadow. Spirit is Ethereal; Mind is of Shadow. The power of Mind may and must subjugate Spirit for the greatest manipulations of the so-called Material. Two: All material things have both a spiritual and a mental component, and careful analysis allows these three things to be parsed and manipulated separately. Three: By subjugating Spirit and Matter to Shadow, we thereby greatly increase the energies available for manipulation of this highest and finest of substances. Four: As all things are reflected in Shadow (or, we should say, as the material can and must reflect Shadow), all things which have occurred, and which will occur, are there present, just as they are in the realm of Spirit.”

Loder speaks for perhaps five minutes on each of these topics, then falls silent, looking out over the audience. His voice low, with a showman’s flair for the dramatic, he says, “It is this fourth feature of Shadow which we will now have the privilege of hearing discussed by the past master of this theme. Brothers of the Fraternity, Father Tarnos Shadowcloak.”
[b]FEAR JUSTICE.[/b] :elena:
User avatar
Moral Machivelli
Rat Blinder
Rat Blinder
Posts: 413
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2005 3:54 pm
Location: Not Here...

Post by Moral Machivelli »

Hmm wha...

Buchvold looks slightly suprised. He was unaware that this was shadowcloak's area of experties.

This should be interesting

The Borcan takes out a second notebook, and looks very ready for dictation.
User avatar
Glim
Conspirator
Conspirator
Posts: 49
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 5:29 am
Location: The Netherlands

Post by Glim »

So this was Father Shadowcloak. Shadiir has never seen the Umbra in person, but has sent him a letter or two, wishing to see some theory explained, and has received one reply from the busy man. The letter, back then, betrayed a wise and cunning man.. a possible teacher perhaps?

The whole lecture has introduced him to a whole new perspective on Shadow, and now the renown Umbra will elaborate. This calls for more notes! he thinks, as he flips to a new page in his notebook.
Last edited by Glim on Mon Oct 16, 2006 6:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
alhoon
Invisible Menace
Invisible Menace
Posts: 8804
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2003 6:46 pm
Location: Chania or Athens // Greece

Post by alhoon »

That would be interesting. Draxton found Loder's speach to be one of the most interesting in this gathering. And even better, Father Shadowcloak would speak too.
Draxton smiled. He was pleased with the intellectual puzzles and challenges the discussion about the shadow put in his mind. Let's see if he could set up something to research a couple of spells once he had the time, back in Richemulot.
"You truly see what a person is made of, when you begin to slice into them" - Semirhage
"I am not mad, no matter what you're implying." - Litalia
My DMGuild work!
User avatar
Nathan of the FoS
Fiendish Enforcer
Fiendish Enforcer
Posts: 5246
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 3:39 pm
Location: San Francisco CA

Post by Nathan of the FoS »

The Shadowcloak stands, nodding absently to Loder, and comes to the podium. The dim lighting of the room accentuates the weird, unhealthy, gray tinge of his skin; despite the relative lack of light he does not remove the dark glasses which obscure his eyes.

He stands silent for a few moments, as if organizing his thoughts, and then begins to speak--not in High Mordentish, as has been customary up to this point, but in Draconic, peppered here and there with technical terms, mostly in Darkonese but with a word with Vechorian or Gnomish roots occasionally tossed into the mix.

"Consider a field of abitrary dimensionality, all dimensions defined as inherently mutable and capable of undergoing any distortion or transformation which induces no change in the connectivity of the dimension. Consider within this field a body or bodies with similar characteristics, said bodies remaining static with respect to their identity, or continuity. Theoretical considerations therefore provide for determination of any state of the bodies, provided continuity has been maintained, in any dimensional state satisfying the above conditions. Let the dimensionality of the field be equal to six, three spatial, two qualitative, one temporal..."

OOC: Everyone roll a Knowledge (arcana) check and inform me of the result to see what you understand to be the gist of the Shadowcloak's lecture; Glim, you can take a +5 circumstance bonus because your character is a mathematician by training.
[b]FEAR JUSTICE.[/b] :elena:
User avatar
Pamela
Sorority Shadow
Sorority Shadow
Posts: 931
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2005 3:48 am
Location: Have gun, will travel
Contact:

Post by Pamela »

Gertrude listened with interest to the metaphysics being described. Her interest however was less with the mechanics of the planes than the beliefs of the speaker. The dismissive, grudging acceptance of the theory of a separate Ethereal Plane; the slurring of the supporters of this plane as ‘dabblers’; the blithe acceptance that the material plane was better connected to that of Shadow, while giving short shrift to the Ethereal’s relationship to their own; the unspoken assumption that the Ethereal was inferior…. Utter tosh, she thought, and listened with growing but well-contained amusement.

When the matter of mind over matter and spirit arose, the Zherisian was hard-pressed to not roll her eyes. Whatever her problems with her native faith, she still recognised the wisdom of the concept of the senses being balanced. Temples and churches generally favoured the spirit; the Fraternity, the mind. Neither seemed sensible to her in their determination to subjugate the whole being to one facet of one’s existence. May as well determine that sight should be favoured over taste, and cut off one’s nose to spite oneself, she thought to herself.

The professor was also skeptical of the idea that the Watchers in Shadow were more concerned about interactions with the ethereal plane rather than their own. It was like imagining that prison wardens were less concerned about escapes than about those trying to sneak in contraband. She nodded at the reference to archetypes but it annoyed her that there was no reference to the necessity of balancing one’s mastery of Shadow with that of the Ethereal. How could anyone hope to conquer the Watchers by becoming completely dependent on Shadow? If conquest was even possible, it would only result in subsumption. And that fate was anathema to her.

And yet what are you seeking? It was a question that had haunted her for twenty years. She was still no closer to an answer. She’d studied the various faiths, sects, and secret societies, seeking an answer which didn’t require that she leave her mind at the backdoor. She had thought the Fraternity had provided her with an answer. It was important to acknowledge the role of Shadow in their world, and the idea that it could be mastered had been appealing. The Fraternity was willing to interact with the world in the pursuit and fulfilment of their ideals, to cross borders and class- even if it is a bit slow on certain other boundaries, she thought with some chagrin. The Divinity of Mankind had been willing to espouse many theories, but its authority rested in the hands of those who seemed content to let the world do what it would while they focused on their individual perfection. She’d lost her stomach, and her faith, for that kind of mealy-mouthed approach.

She was relieved when the Shadowcloak rose, and joined in the applause, hoping that he would dismantle the erroneous theory that had been presented, or at least shed light on another way to approach the problem.

Bloody sun, he’s going mathematical on me… She tried to keep her eyes from glazing over and to focus on the direction of the theory presented.
His only real danger is if stupidity is contagious and lethal. In which case, we’re all dead…-Gertrude
User avatar
Moral Machivelli
Rat Blinder
Rat Blinder
Posts: 413
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2005 3:54 pm
Location: Not Here...

Post by Moral Machivelli »

Buchvold takes down notes as fast as Shadowclock talks. His interest in the lecture, and his clear comprehension of it's subject matter are quite obvious, though he pauses in occasional places. The two brothers sitting by his sibe might have noted a crocodile smile on the Borcan's face

If they were not staring at Shadowcloak, that is.

OOC :wink:
Post Reply