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[magicalarchaeologist]

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Nocwich - The Assignment

[thedevilwhorose]

So how is she in a fight? Do I need to be concerned?

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ Istredd is struggling on his end, just having found out something that is chilling him to his bones. ]

She is good in a fight but if she's outnumbered, she could be in real danger. I am concerned, although she would hate me for saying so.

Nov. 14th

[thedevilwhorose]

Whatever you do whatever happens if that kid gets put into the dungeons get him out. They're not going to listen to me I can't do it myself and I'm afraid he's going to say something he shouldn't

[magicalarchaeologist]

What? Why would they put him in the dungeons? Where are you?

Negotiations, Day 3

[thedevilwhorose]

[It's a mix of 'make your own ravens' and Lucifer's mounting stress between everyone he's had the displeasure of encountering and the negotiations that had Lucifer, at one point, in Istredd's domain.

Crafting animals even for him isn't easy and it would take time, so these are more animate objects than creatures.

But the next time Istredd comes to his domain it will be full of ravens.

The pettiest conspiracy.]

Backdated to early January 1st

[familysucks]

Istredd. You had interest in the timing of Solvunn's major rituals. Consider this your notice.

Do let me know how it pans out in Thorne.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Did they do something involving the sea?

the boy got grounded

[thedevilwhorose]

[Istredd will feel a sharp, brief spike of panic

it's settled relatively quickly]

So the kid got "put in timeout" for trying to use his definitely-now-confirmed emotion-transfer-whatever ability when guards pulled him aside for questioning but he's fine.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Trying as in he intentionally attempted it, or that it was an accident?

after Geralt's "drop off"

[thedevilwhorose]

what is this creature and why is it in the room

[magicalarchaeologist]

Apparently they're emotional support animals. I woke up to him on my chest, no idea how he got in.

early May

[thedevilwhorose]

For the record I was right and Jack did not have any indication of you having feelings for me nor know now that we are in a relationship.

So [there's a snap across their link] I was not the last one to know.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Oh you need to be right this much? EYE ROLL TO INFINITY.

network;

[mobezon]

Istredd. I believe you may have gotten my letter for a standing invitation. I'd understand if you would like to keep what happened in the pit in the past.

Did I tell you I was in the middle of an interview detailing my life that came into vampirehood when I first arrived? Giving you parts to preserve at your domain to record what happened to us tickled me. I know. Coping. I already have in mind what book to add. Please, come if you wish, and if not my doors remain open to you in the future regardless.

[magicalarchaeologist]

I'll be there, Louis.

An interview of your life would be very interesting, I'd expect.

not too long after execution

[carmesi]

I saw you went in to talk to Josselyn.
Could we put together what all those who talked to her managed to get out of her? I think—

I think it'll be good not just for us to know what happened, or what to expect. Understanding the why this happened at all.
I think it might help those who were taken.

[like istredd himself, but wanda knows he's got a strong mind and a strong will. she's more worried for... the younger ones, those who still find a hard time pulling out of the darkness even now.]

Make it so that the findings are shared with those who are ready to know about it. I'm sure the both of us can make a mental block on the communication so it doesn't intrude on anyone who doesn't want to read about it.

[a simple hex to divert their minds, distract them from it all, so they can pretend it was never there to begin with. thus, no threat of being reminded of the situation.]

[magicalarchaeologist]

We could do that, yes. Kyle, Lucifer, and I already talked about what we learned from her separately. I wrote it down in the library although it's only readable right now to people who know where to look for it.

[ Meaning she could easily find each of their conversations if she wanted to. ]

I hadn't considered telling everyone but I suppose that would only be fair. Hiding that kind of information isn't helpful.

early June pre-Nocwich (no rush lol)

[thedevilwhorose]

[Istredd will, unfortunately, be hit with an unprecedented wave of mixed emotions from Lucifer. Sorrow, regret, a complete and utter annoyance at Fate and the Singularity and Life.

You know. Completely normal things from the devil.

But hey. He couldn't hide it from Istredd even if he tried.

But he's also Not Talking About It in the immediate timeframe.]

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ It throws him completely off because while he is used to Lucifer sharing feelings, both reluctantly and intentionally, this is a mix that he has never felt from him. Istredd is in the middle of teaching and his spell goes awry, although he manages to get it under control two seconds later, but he rarely wavers so it does get some momentary confusion from his class.

He shakes it off and says even experts can have an off moment. It can be a part of the lesson. Istredd gives it time before he reaches out since he knows his partner, and when he does brush up against Lucifer's mind in the bond, it's tentative. ]

Where are you?

loosey goosey May madness

[thedevilwhorose]

It shouldn't be that unexpected to hear from Lucifer from the actual terror that had slammed through their link, unable to be stifled.

Meet me in our room.

Immediately.

He does not care what Istredd is doing, he will bodily pull him out of a lesson if he must.

Lucifer had dropped out of the Horizon as soon as Dersti had her snack. He doesn't imagine Dean actually died in his domain and could have easily been back to continue to thrum with that constant burning, toying with Lucifer's weakness like a cat with a bit of string.

He waits, unsurprisingly pacing. He'd kept still and disinterested with Dean, it needed to spool out of him.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd has only felt that terror twice, when he was taken and when Lucifer couldn't find him in the bedroom. He's thrown off entirely by it and doesn't even walk toward their bedroom from the library, he portals directly to it out of deep concern. Something terrible must have happened and he can't imagine what. His instinct is to be worried for Lucifer, not for himself, so he is afraid of any number of things being wrong when he steps out of the portal into their room.

"Lucifer, what happened? Are you alright?" He can almost still feel that terror in the back of his throat, and Lucifer pacing only makes him more nervous.

Action

[a_better_man]

[It had taken him a bit of time, but in the last two months or so Mat's buckled down on his studies. He's returned to his regular lessons, and has been approaching them with more gravity. There's far less sarcastic comments and flashy little tricks.

He's trying.

And while there's been little advancement, he's certainly refined the skillset he already has. His control is better. He can maintain things for longer. The things he crafts from ice, while small, have greater and finer detail.

Still, his performance isn't meeting the potential he has. But he's determined. He brings that determination to class with Istredd today, looking younger than usual with his face still clean shaven. In the heat, it's just more comfortable.]

Alright, magical master, what's on the agenda today?

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ Istredd has been impressed and proud of his students lately, they've really dedicated themselves more than he expected. He is hardly the taskmaster that his own mentor was, but he's a bad person, and Istredd tries to be gentler and more patient. It seems that most people came out of the Pit looking for ways to control themselves, and for some that meant strengthening the pieces that had gone weak.

Mat is much better than he was right after, trailing ice everywhere he went, and he seems determined to find that power within himself. Istredd wouldn't say he's not meeting his potential, it's just an unraveling. The first step is to lack fear. Once that happens, it all gets easier. They were taught to always fear magic in the Brotherhood, but he'd rather not live in fear. And he doesn't want that for them either. ]

I think you might be ready to push a little harder, Mat. You've been making great strides lately, so it may be time to get past the comfort zone. What do you think?

[ Istredd is a teacher but he doesn't make demands. He is asking Mat's opinion because he understands that his hesitance of magic comes from very real fear, but he isn't going to manage to get past it if they stay in the same place. He won't push him though, it is Mat's decision. ]

w h a t why would I wait to wrap something up first / Aug, pre-Nocwich Weekend

[thedevilwhorose]

[Istredd will, whenever he returns to the room, find a Certain Familiar Book smack-dab in the middle of His Actual Bed, zero explanation given. Just a book.]

HA ilu

[magicalarchaeologist]

It takes him almost no time at all to realize since he is very familiar with book spines and the way one smells, and the memory is particularly sweet to him. Istredd smiles as his fingers stroke along the cover, older than the shinier books he saw in Hayle, but he likes them old and obscure. Even the fiction. A burst of pure unfiltered love shoots through the bond and he holds the book to his chest, not unlike how he did in Nott itself.

He might not ever read this, but he also doesn't need to. Symbolically it is a vitally important text. Istredd did know where this book was and had considered looking for it sentimentally. The fact Lucifer did do exactly that makes him feel warm and fuzzy to a ridiculous degree.

Where are you?

Istredd can, as uausl, simply find him, but he prefers when Lucifer willingly tells him so he gets a head's up.

[thedevilwhorose]

I'm proud of you, buddy.

Well.

Mostly for cutting him off.

Little less proud for the 'you were right' part, but. Still.

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ Istredd is currently attempting deep slow breaths to calm down. This does not help. ]

He was distracting from the important parts of the post. Neutralizing him was the only way to get back to the topic.

First week of October

[blackeyedprince]

Judging from the ease he throws himself into dangerous, even potentially deadly situation, nobody in their right mind would suggest that Kell is a coward. There are things that he fears. There are thing that he dislikes, that annoy him or disgust him. And then... there are other things... Things he'd rather not think about, things he tries his best to push so far down his mind they barely resemble anything at all. He can put a great deal of effort into his avoidance. He can find himself enough occupations so he's left with no time and no space for thinking. So he can skillfully weave his day away from those thorny, prickly issues he'd rather not see and not notice. He's such an expert at this, he can fool even himself at times.

But with his book finished, printed and delivered to the shops, Kell has nowhere to run. He must, finally, face the issue that he hasn't talked with Istredd for a while. He knew something was wrong, something had happened. So maybe he is a coward after all. For pretending that he does not see the empty chair at meals or avoiding Horizon altogether. For stubbornly clinging to the notion that older, wiser and more dependable mentor figures cannot possibly get hurt in utterly crazy circumstances they just went through. Trying to erase any hint at a thought that not only something bad could happen to Istredd, could happen to Lucifer, or Kyle. But that something already did.

With heart heavy as if another mountain descended on him, Kell drags himself to stand in front of the door to Istredd's and Lucifer's room in hope that either of them is inside. Stands there like a complete moron in the empty corridor, just lucky no castle staff or other Summoned pass to inquire why is he staring at the closed door with a such dread. Before finally bringing himself to knock.

"Istredd? It's Kell." A pause, brief enough so he does not turn around to flee. "Can I come in?"

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd had a very difficult September. Most people were not aware, especially not those who went to the Summoned meeting, where he appeared very collected and competent. Much of his attention was spent preparing for it and he's seen an uptick in visits to the library since, which he encouraged, with more books being filled in for him to peek at. He had a terrible few days in the start, then a very nice distraction for the meeting, and then he really crashed for a time.

He told Lucifer he just needed time to grieve and handle it, and that is exactly what he did. Changing the outside of his Horizon to a lighthouse helped since for a time the tower was on fire and that was his mind unable to get past it. Now on the other end of that, having corrected some bond issues with Lucifer, he is settled into his new normal. The new normal of being here believing it to be his only option and no home to return to.

It could be a lot worse.

Istredd knows Kell is outside the door. He senses him. He planned on goingt to him but the boy just stood there instead so he waited. He is reading a very special book and sets it down when Kell finally speaks, the door opening automatically.

"Of course, Kell."

Istredd and Lucifer's room is slightly different now given that they permanently share one bed, but Istredd's side of the room still exists, it's just been turned into more of a desk/studying/sitting space. The book in his hands is simple and old, older than anything else he owns, that they got in Nott. It's fiction too, his least favorite, but he's determined to finish it because it was a gift.

"It's been awhile, please come in. Sit."

circa early Oct

[thedevilwhorose]

He's grinning where he leans against the empty classroom's doorway. Lucifer has gone back to some of his combat lessons in the last few days. Istredd's still not great, but there's some hope that he'll come back around out of it.

(Again.)

"Okay," he says with some amount of surety, "we need to do this."

He promised.

[magicalarchaeologist]

After the Summoned meeting that Istredd allowed to distract him, he did fall into depression for a short time, but as he said, he eventually pushed through. It would have been worse to push it aside because it would have come back. Instead he has let it hang on him but healed more by the day. It's easier for him to see the good parts, like Triss being alive and Ciri staying out of Vilgefortz's grasp, rather than focusing only on the worst.

He probably will be on edge for a bit longer but he got through the worst of it. And Lucifer did help by being a quiet support system. They've been bleeding into each other still, but better than that initial few days.

Istredd raises his eyebrows at Lucifer's appearance and then he frowns at the reminder. He made Lucifer promise but like expected, there is a reluctance in him, not enough to avoid it though. He sighs and rubs a hand through his own hair. "Yes, fine. Probably not here."

early dec

[stations]

Hey
I know I just got back, and you're probably super busy, but I was hoping I could talk to you about... well, a couple of things, probably.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Hello. Of course, Jack, and welcome back again. What's on your mind?

mid december

[ushiri]

[ Dropped off in a basket outside of Istredd and Lucifer's room is a basket. Inside is:

An arcana deck, for Istredd
A bag of flower seeds, for Lucifer
A bag of sugar candies for them to share, shaped like skulls

The note says Happy Holidays, from Kyle ]

not here

[thedevilwhorose]

[wtf Kyle

yes, he gets the purpose, Istredd but he doesn't get why him

probably because if he just got Istredd something Lucifer would likely be weird about it, obv

he's not getting you anything Kyle]

after the Nether just quick adding to my other tags

[thedevilwhorose]

Hey, I managed to snag you some books. [Re: Lucifer's sense of humor that Istredd is well established with.

There is nothing of value to these books. They're barely holding together, though enough that they made the trip. Whatever ink remains isn't legible, no signs to if they were once a cooking book or fiction or what, the titles smeared away. BUT HEY. HE GOT YOU BOOKS. A WHOLE THREE OF THEM. :) At least they're not toxic.]

lol

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ They may be barely holding together and illegible, but they are, of course, an absolute treasure to the nerd. He is very delicate when he takes them and probably will look into restoring them to the best of his ability. He beams at Lucifer. ]

You found those in the Ashlands? [ Who knows what they used to be. A fascinating mystery! ] Thank you, love.

- december

[glaciare]

( The package left outside of Istredd's door is simple, but inside is a pair of plain gloves, made from pure cotton -- archivist gloves. The embroidery around the cuffs is in a blue that matches the color of Istredd's eyes: books, open and shut, with swirls coming off of them akin to stylized magic. )

Thank you for your friendship and your work as my mentor in both magic and Thorne itself. I am forever grateful.
Yours in magic,
- Jill Warrick

mail delivery • from solvunn

[carmesi]

[the package is non-descript, but it's definitely big enough to pique the curiosity of the recipient as to open it as soon as possible. it's definitely been checked through, tied up back into its box after the fact. inside, an amount of homemade goods have been stacked atop each other: candles, soaps, and moisturizing lotions. this would already spell out who it is from, if a similar package has been received, in the past.

a neat box lies at the bottom, though, and once unwrapped, it'll reveal a quaint and heavy book holder designed as an owl. wanda imagines that, just like his horizon, istredd must have way too many books in his own room or desk, in thorne.

a small note sits under the box.]

Happy Winter Solstice.
𝓦anda 𝓜aximoff

Delivery!

[soothsighs]

Dearest Istredd,

It is a source of comfort to me to know thee and thy vast depths of knowledge are close. I wish thee only the best for the coming year, and peace of heart in the aftermath of our return to the island.

Warmest wishes,

Urianger Augurelt

( Istredd's package contains a pair of gloves not dissimilar to this, however the pair Urianger had commissioned are a touch more elegant, and feature gold stitching with a subtle embossed swirl of stars across the back of each hand. The inside is lined with a silky kind of fur; Istredd will be able to keep his hands warm while conducting Precision Reading and Research. Happy Dimming! )

nebulous time before february, bike stuff

[ushiri]

I might need to borrow you next month for some enchanting, if you have time.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Of course, whenever you need. What for?

ikorr heist time

[ushiri]

[ after seeing this - ]

I saw your note about Babis.

Have you made any headway with the rune?

[magicalarchaeologist]

Himeka drew it and tried to do a ritual, which I did NOT TELL HER TO DO, and nearly suffocated from some kind of strange substance. I managed to get her out, but needless to say, the rune has power. Probably divine power. No one recognized it from Solvunn though that I asked.

If Soroya and Babis are both correct about what this artifact could be, we really need to find it safely.

shortly after his outburst

[thedevilwhorose]

[Istredd will get a mental example of emoji-based cellphone texting.] That's your runes. Something else is here and they're sure enjoying themselves.

It has an arcana, which might follow into your theory of the gods here being former Summoned.

[magicalarchaeologist]

I knew there was a god here, as soon as I saw the rune. We theorized there were two people who may have had to put the work in for the ward and blood signature, but if one person had help from a god, it would be easy. There may be only one culprit.

You did get direct information out of a god, that's not common.