Date: 2025-01-06 01:05 am (UTC)
obscuris: (004)
From: [personal profile] obscuris
Would you say then that the progression of... instability, for want of a better term, is a steady one? Accelerating? Might it be possible for us to calculate a timeline, some estimation of the future?

[ Barnabas had not managed to travel far before he'd been stopped, so it doesn't take them long to return to the entrance. From there it's a simple matter to find the aforementioned information, laid out nearly for easy perusal. Barnabas singles out the notes on the Singularity and begins to page through them. ]

And perhaps, if you'd be so inclined, you might also indulge me. I've not encountered magic like yours before and would be interested in knowing more.

Date: 2025-01-11 02:36 pm (UTC)
obscuris: (051)
From: [personal profile] obscuris
[ Barnabas hums to himself as he listens to Istredd's suppositions and information and continues through his notes. So, an instability in this realm introduced through a means yet unknown but perhaps exacerbated by the continued practice of summoning. All centred around this Singularity, which does exist in a state of flux, but which is waxing when it should be waning.

Hmm. Rifts in space. ]


Is it specifically the spell used to call forth the Summoned that would worsen the situation or would any spacetime magics do? I would presume that your Chaos magic or mine own Aether would not have such an effect but it is best to be sure.

[ Though, now that Istredd has mentioned it, he should have given thought to this world's magic to begin with. He supposes he has been... distracted, but that is no excuse. And, it is something he can rectify now. He holds out one hand to call the aforementioned books on Academic magic to him, still flicking through Istredd's notes with the other. It is times like these that he misses being a king. Would that he could have someone else to do this for him. ]

Date: 2025-01-19 10:52 am (UTC)
obscuris: (017)
From: [personal profile] obscuris
[ The books that appear are not insignificant in size. He puts aside the notes for now and sets all but one of the books down on a nearby table to begin perusal, and makes a note to himself to ask on the possibility of taking the information away to page through at leisure.

Based on the name of the magic he should have had some inkling on what to expect, but even so the very structured nature of the magic in the book surprises him. Aetherial magic seems largely a question of will; there are no steps on how to cast beyond visualisation. Certain elements are disposed to certain magics, but that's because each element has its own specific nature: you wouldn't expect speed from a user of earth magic because that is not the nature of earth, and so on. It is interesting enough. Perhaps he might turn his mind to it. It might grant further insight to their current mystery. ]


We are brought here against our will. [ His words are slow, meditative, as though he is merely thinking aloud. ] And this very action seems to have some detrimental effect on this realm. However once here this... Singularity latches onto us Summoned and in turn provides us with certain boons. A measure of symbiosis? It takes from us some necessary resource in return for some measure of power. And now, either we Summoned are no longer enough to support Singularity, or something else has happened to tip the balance.

[ He breathes a laugh. ] Or perhaps this would always happen and we cannot say whether we had any effect on the timeline of events whatsoever.

[ He will admit that this is not his area of expertise. Cidolfus would be better to have on hand, but for some reason Barnabas has the feeling that Cidolfus would not readily answer his summons.

Well. Not his summons. ]


Has Cidolfus furnished you with further findings?

Date: 2025-01-28 05:39 pm (UTC)
obscuris: (020)
From: [personal profile] obscuris
A vision of the future. Then perhaps all this worry is for naught.

[ He speaks, and his eyes continue to roam the page but his mind is caught on Istredd's talk of gods. To become gods, or at least this realm's version of them. If it is a question of power then why wait? Within the ranks of the Summoned there are those that already could rise to the occasion. Wanda being one of them. Himself another.

No, Istredd did mention an ascension of some kind. Transcendence. Now that bears investigating. ]


Either way, all we can do is watch and wait.

[ He finally closes the book and sets it down with the others. He will admit that he had expected Istredd to pass on Cidolfus' words unthinkingly. A scholar, and clearly possessed of a great deal of learning, but perhaps not with a great deal of care. Certainly he hasn't spent a moment wondering just what Barnabas might want with all this information.

But truly, he should have known. ]


There is little need for an apology. That a friend of Cidolfus should prove so loyal is hardly a surprise. Or much of an issue. You have already provided me with much, and I would thank you for it.

yes, wrapped!! :)

Date: 2025-02-04 05:48 pm (UTC)
obscuris: (023)
From: [personal profile] obscuris
I will bear that in mind.

[ He has no desire to see them dead. Or rather, their deaths serve no purpose for him. Still, a ceasefire seems somewhat ambitious; Cidolfus never did learn how to leave things well enough alone.

Still, all that aside the journey still proved useful. He has more questions, but he also has a fair few answers. The moniker of magical expert was aptly aasigned. ]


Then, I will spend some time reading. I leave you to the rest of your day.

[ He collects the books off the table, and then with an incline of his head—an acknowledgement at most; the only one Barnabas would bow to is not here—he heads towards one of the reading areas scattered around and gets settled in. ]