Quick and wasteful. [viktor offers. maybe more so it sounds unstable, unpredictable, aside from moral questionability. without all the details he can't say but he thinks he can gather a basic understanding of pal's distaste from that.
ah, now this sort of house is more viktor's speed, and he leans forward a little, lips quirking at the cagey bit.] Ah, so you are like any academic institute of note with projects? Ha, I have promised you a break in questions and you tell me this, that's rather cruel. [he shakes his head but keeps his word, though he makes a mental note of several things he'd like to ask. how a top necromancer was decided, how private this library and its knowledge was, a whole slew on psychometry itself.
instead he gestures vaguely.] Yes, you've shown more self control than I would have. Let me first say this so you can understand before anything else- in my world magic is feared and often reviled. There was a great war many years ago that saw magic decimating cities, and since its practice has been crushed or hidden away largely.
[he shrugs one shoulder, putting his finished cup to the side for rio to nose at. it's such a stark difference in how their worlds used or viewed magic, from what he can gather, it seemed important to impart] So, what would you like to ask?
[Hah- this is fun, he's having fun. Occasional grim subject matter notwithstanding, including this tidbit about the fear of magic in Viktor's home. He thinks immediately of the Empire's enemies, the Cohort's endless war outside the Nine Houses' system that he, personally — isn't involved in. The other side of the fence, he supposes, and given how he's just mentioned parts of necromancy that are gross and violating, he isn't sure he could condemn someone with a fear of magic.
Hmm. Hmm!]
You can't give me this kind of question-asking freedom, or that next turn will never come around. Let's see: first, how did you crack magic into technology?
[This is now a numbered list, and so he holds up fingers for each one:]
Second, what are the other applications? You mentioned teleporting ships, what about something smaller?
Third— no, let's call it fourth now, we'll count related-but-distinct as separate. Fourth, did you manage to bring any here?
[For fun and profit he would go up to six questions, you know, to be thematic about it, but he'll settle on these. He gives Viktor an expectant look in the exact manner of an audience waiting in anticipation for the first notes of concert; give him that cool detail, bud.]
Yes, I suppose there is that. [viktor offers with a faux sigh, amusement coloring the edges of his tone. the first question has him consider a moment how to explain it, always harder in this world where the rules of magic change so drastically.]
Largely it was a matter of finding a way to stabilize arcane energy and use rune work to ah... encourage a synergy between the machine in question and the arcane. There are highly unstable crystals that house such energy, which were our main focus when doing the work. I would explain it as...
[he leans forward a bit, starting to gesture not unlike a professor passionate about their subject.] Your thanergy, it is at its core arcane, a source of power, yes? Like power it needs conduits and pathways to be used to its full potential rather than decaying or fizzling out. Those are natural in necromancers - Hextech finds ways to replicate that natural affinity and allow the power source to flow. It takes a great deal of very complex circuitry and, perhaps more so, an understanding of the language of the arcane itself. Its ebb and flow, how it shapes itself when it forms a spell.
I believe it's a possibility with nearly any source of arcana, though obviously I have only dealt with the magic of my own world. [he rubs the side of his neck, not sheepish exactly but aware he got into a bit of lecture there. and that was only the first question, pal is right he might end up just rambling away instead of getting his own answers.
ah well, it's a pleasant time regardless. he does attempt to speak more concisely.] Our latest projects were a much smaller scale- one was a pair of gauntlets for miners with several properties- shielding from cave-ins, enhanced strength and taking the strain of the labor to ease fatigue. My next hope had been a water and air purification system.
[a little wistful there, that's a dream he was never sure they'd actually manage to get funded. certainly not in his short lifetime. the last question makes him shake his head, blissfully unaware that a certain jinx not only has one of the stable crystals but a weapon she made from it. ignorance is very much bliss in this case.]
No, I am afraid not. I believe I could replicate it with the blood magic here but I do not know enough of it to make the attempt, or know if it was an attempt worth making. [he offers a smile, amused and understanding of the interest, given his badgering before.] I admit I hope one day perhaps I could get my hands on one of the crystals, since items sometimes wash up on shore. No luck so far, but if I do I will be glad to show you the capabilities.
[Viktor is a genius, noted and memorized. Palamedes can't help but tilt forward himself automatically, in rapt attention while Viktor explains. Being a necromancer, taking the thing he can do naturally and moving it outside, independently, for use by others is not something he's ever thought of, all things considered — it's like a window has opened in a musty room, letting in all kinds of new ideas and, well. Even more questions.]
I'll be first in line to see what it can do. Likewise, if your gauntlets wash up on the beach. It really is incredible, just to hear about — complex machinery is outside my wheelhouse, and you've practically built yours on your own. That's amazing.
[He taps the sides of his cup of still unfinished tea, thinking. The blood magic of Trench is a thing he has yet to master, or even entirely research, but...]
There are always bloodstones to pick at, see what happens. Was that before your time? The widespread affliction has passed, I'm fairly certain, the one where the magic in our new and confused blood pools and hardens in the joints. I have a pouch of them tucked away somewhere.
[Ssssssip. Yes he does have a bag of rocks pulled out of a friend, these things happen. As far as he knows, the bloodstones are decorative - at most, an enhancement to an existing object is what the magic they're made of can achieve.
But Viktor knows how to make technology happen, and so why not? Why not!]
What do you think? Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself.
The idea itself came from Jayce, my partner in this. He's always been the one better with the arcane elements as well. [viktor informs, a bit amused to be the one making sure jayce gets his fair share of the credit for once. oh, how jayce would badger poor palamedes if he was here about every aspect of his magic and how it worked. on one hand he is glad the man is not victim to the whims of this dangerous place, on the other he knows jayce would have an absolute ball learning about the magic of so many different worlds.]
Bloodstones? [oh boy, viktor is leaning in again, very much fascinated by this new information.] Yes, that was before my time.
[what does he think? he thinks palamedes has just made trying to harness hextech with blood magic much more of a reality.] Would you mind allowing me to study them? Are they of each blood type? What I think is if they are blood magic in a condensed form it should be possible to create a similar system for them.
From what I understand each blood type has particular properties, such as my own paleblood is often tied to tricks of the mind, powers that manipulate perception or even emotions. So if each blood type governs particular areas each stone would likely be a rune in and of itself, as well as a power source. Of course it would make it easier to pinpoint certain obvious effects, but a combination of types might wield more powerful results.
[he's almost talking to himself at this point, sorry, except his attention suddenly turns pal again as he says,] You are making this a very interesting evening, Palamedes. I wish we had met earlier.
[Palamedes nods, putting a pin in Jayce, the arcane elements guru as well, for later. The name only coming up now suggests this Jayce, like Camilla, is unfortunately absent from Trench; he'll keep an ear out, next time people start crawling out of the sea.]
It'd be insane of me to bring them up and refuse to hand them over — of course you can study them. Our biggest concern is their limited quantity, unless there's some way to induce the magic pooling artificially. That would be my last resort, because it hurt like hell to get at them. Look—
[He ducks down to, of all things, tug his pant leg up high enough to reveal a scar faded to months-old on his ankle, clean and steady, but long enough to suggest that a really goddamn big rock came out of there, among others. That shit hurted, and so on.]
My case was mild, even, if you believe it. I have two types on hand: the darkblood, from me, and plenty more paleblood, from a friend. There's a possibility someone will have other types to sell for a ridiculous price, so at least we have two to start.
[Which is doubly convenient, actually, as they can likely apply at least some of the stone study to Viktor's other highly researchable problem. He leaves this implied as he covers the scar again and sits back up. The frenzied thrill of having a means to start looking into each of these things, even if the bloodstones don't pan out, is excitement enough. Then Viktor has to go and say this nice thing about him during it? Dang.
He can't help but chuckle, pleased as anything, but the ticking clock time bomb nature of Viktor's illness does not escape him in the weight of "earlier," so — so. He exists momentarily in the fascinating experience of being revved up for wild science and turning gears with care for the more urgent issue, at the same time. It's not a new feeling.]
Yes, terrible oversight of mine, mucking around in Gaze most of the time. You did just offer me a table, though, so fair warning: now I'll turn up at any hour, especially the odd ones.
[viktor makes a little face, mostly imagining how taking those stones out might have been. he hopes medicated or numbed enough the pain was middling, but he's not sure he can give the trench that much credit.
still, pal gets a grateful smile, immediately back on the science.] Surely there must be a way to create stones like that artificially outside the body. It would certainly be a matter to look into, should this research bear fruit.
Two types is perfect- you are a darkblood, then? I am afraid I am stealing a few questions here, mostly I have been curious the differences between the types and heard little about darkblood. Does it also have a change in color and texture?
[he'd feel a little bad for stealing some question time but ah well, he'll make it up somehow. preferably with results in this bloodstone research, he already has several ideas floating around his head and the urge to start working the moment they conclude their discussion.
which he'd rather not end too quickly, even for work. a novel feeling.] I'll have a key made up and you'll see for yourself my hours are no better. Oh, do you know a boy named Allen Walker? He also has a key for this place, he's been helping me research purification, so if you see a white haired young man around that would be him.
[Never ask him, it involved necromancy tricks and a series of scalpels in an abandoned hovel. Nothing about the removal of these stones was entirely safe or advisable, but hey: he's got materials now.
And it's perfectly fine that Viktor is muscling in on Palamedes' turn to ask questions, even if he raises an amused eyebrow at the comment. They share the same sentiment of not rushing to the end, so please, bounce questions at him for as long as feels right.]
Pouring enough blood into a container and forcing it to crystalize might be possible, though we'd need volunteers. Or, forgive my phrasing, more liquid assets to buy bottled blood with, and I've seen the sizes of the vials they peddle in the market — unsatisfactory by any measure. The volume we'd need is staggering...
[Time for Palamedes to get a side gig to support bloodstone research. Maybe at last, his penchant for writing melodramatic novels will come in handy. It's something to keep on reserve just in case, at least.]
Darkblood the substance, though, smells like dust and books. I can't complain. Allegedly it doesn't exist until magically willed outside the body, like what you saw happen to me earlier, but... I mean, come on. I have a heartbeat. I can suspend my disbelief only so far, you know?
[Goofy! Imaginary glitter blood that smells like dust and tastes like berries, what is that!]
It is dark though, that's an accurate bit of nomenclature. As politely as I can ask, do you know what blood type your friend is? I promise I'm not tapping anybody for resources.
[Second weird necromancy promise of the evening; it's fine.]
Camilla was a coldblood before she disappeared; I've got nothing to show for that, though. You might know more about the other types than I do.
[viktor has to give a small snort at 'liquid assets,' nodding along to the logistics with a sigh.] It is always about funding regardless of where you end up, it seems. Still, maybe we could manage some volunteers if we have anything to show for working with the stones you have.
[he considers making a morbid joke about finding a way to convince his lungs to hack up blood in an easier way to collect, deciding against it for the moment. he's never looked into actually buying blood, though he's seen enough from lumenwood and the ministers to know it borders on being like the chem market back home.
that description makes him chuckle, especially because yes, he isn't sure he believes in this weird schroedinger's darkblood situation.] It does add a mystique, and I've read enough books on the arcane to know half the battle is aesthetic.
[dry. can't blame them, if you're going to have magic or something called 'darkblood' might as well make it sound as intriguing as possible.]
Allen? He is a paleblood as well I believe- in truth most of who I've met are. The only contact I made with the network involved a shared paleblood hallucination, so they're largely the ones I've met.
I'm afraid the most I heard about was vilebloods. Apparently there is a stigma against them? [he shakes his head] Unsurprising, whenever there's a large grouping there's always one cast out for good measure.
A schedule for presenting a project to rope in more support? I know that one, although the academic economy of the Sixth is a little different.
[Mostly consisting of impressing people who award credits and so on, or at least, it was like that before he won the highest honor and got more or less total freedom to muck around as desired. Still: sure, yes, that might work. There are probably people here who will jump at the chance to donate their blood for whatever reasons they might have.
Maybe the aesthetic will help. Palamedes doesn't want to mire in the issue of keeping it ethical before they've even looked at a single stone, especially not right this second when the ideas are fresh and invigorating, so - the bureaucracy can come later.]
Knowing the variations of the paleblood experience will be a help, we should chart some of that. Maybe do a survey? And rummage around in the Archives for any firsthand accounts of bloodstones used for non-decorative purposes — I should be writing this down.
[To that end he tugs his cloak out of the way to get at his satchel, which he roots in for a pocket notebook and a faintly ridiculous pen, to begin scribbling. Let him just catch up the past ten minutes of ideas here, it will take considerably less time to jot down useful shorthand... okay.
He glances up in the middle of writing down darkblood facts, for shared benefit. Circling back here, ahem,] Do you think I have mystique?
[Hahaha. Ha. He's playing in the space, it's part of the scientific method.]
Ha, worse where I was from. We were reliant on sponsors so the amount of eh... 'schmoozing,' that is the word? The amount of that we had to do was criminal. Evening upon evening of trying to convince the rich their pocket change was worth investing in ground breaking technology. [he rolls his eyes, there is absolutely a rant here just waiting to really get going.] That was Jayce's area mostly, thank goodness.
At least here I doubt we'll need to kiss up at upperclass parties so much as make a well thought out post on the matter.
[he gets up to grab his own notebook, mostly to find the notes he's taken on paleblood as he's been trying to learn. he has to stop though when he sees that pen, lips quirking despite himself because ah, that was quite the pen. he tries not to sound too amused as he says,] A survey is an excellent idea, along with asking after anyone's experiences with these bloodstones. Eventually we'll want to have an understanding of the unique facets of each blood type- ah, so much to consider here. For example, does the person the bloodstone came from affect its potential power? It's longevity? Do the unique abilities and magic of the individual stay within the blood or is the blood merely a vehicle and power source for those abilities likely within the dna of the person?
[nerds. he has a habit of twirling at his his hair when he's thinking so he starts doing that, explaining why his hair is kind of cow-lick mess in areas. he blinks back to it when asked about mystique, lips quirking again despite himself. pal is endearing, what can he do.]
Hm. [he puts his hand to his chin as if considering this very seriously.] Eh, yes and no. You have a particular academic air that lends well to a certain mystique, and being able to say you are necromancer from a House of repute certainly helps. I'm afraid the general friendly nature rather takes away from it though. Also your choice in pens might take a point or two away.
Most of the time the other Houses are trying to stick their noses into what we're researching in the Library — irritating, but not as bad.
[Hmm, class politics — that's more of an inter-House politics thing, if Palamedes were to think of a one-to-one comparison. The Sixth is functionally a meritocracy and a big library and nothing else, and he himself has a reputation of, eh... "I wouldn't have known that was the Warden if no one told me," more or less, at inter-House functions.
All told, he would rather not kiss ass for supporters, he would not be good at it. And sidebar, but he makes a mental note to engineer more reasons for Viktor to say words like "schmoozing," for reasons.
He wiggles his sparkly pen at him, for emphasis and agreement, and flips to a blank page which he titles "SURVEY" to begin a more organized track for that idea.]
Yes, good, hold on. I'm getting this down too. You're brilliant, and we may need to consider more than one survey. [scribble scribble] If I can wrangle another stone sourced from darkblood, we can compare that to mine, see if necromancy is a contributing factor — but I would want to authenticate it first, and ideally, have two externally-sourced stones...
[This is becoming some amalgamation of a conversation and talking out loud to themselves and occasionally bumping into each other's ideas, which frankly, Palamedes thinks is ideal. It's best to have too many ideas and pare them down later, so the amount of paper they're mutually going to fill just sitting here is not only a nonissue: it's great.
Anyway, wow, he has plenty of mystique with this pen. He looks up from his notes again with another brief flash of a grin, for the pen or Viktor playing along or that thing he does with his hair, it could be any. He wiggles the pen again.]
Would you believe I stole this? Not on purpose. [not entirely on purpose.] A local shop was asking for guestbook signatures, and I may have walked off with it.
Ah, needling questions and thinly veiled visits? That would sound familiar. [again very dry. he sounds a little wistful again when he says,] This library- ah, Library- [have to say it in that capitalized way it seems, important correction.] - of yours sounds compelling enough I can't blame them. I would love to see the kind of knowledge you have preserved there.
[especially with thanergy, necromancy, this psychometry. given how hard it is to fine any works on the arcane in his world the Library sounds a lot like a dream come true.
he opens his own notebook, though it's to find the pages he has on observations about paleblood, kept open to offer for pal's perusal when they reach the proper point. it's invigorating to be sharing an idea again like this, more so with someone who keeps up and expands upon each thought he throws out. not unlike jayce, and he really did imagine jayce would be a rarity in his life. he couldn't be happier to be wrong, honestly.]
The absolute ideal would be to find a darkblood without any natural magical talent from their home as well to act as a basis for what darkblood itself works like when no overpowering internal factors are present. More than one survey is likely a better estimate, it would be best to keep any posts we make concise as to attract as much attention as possible. Too much jargon and er... 'fluff,' it might keep people away.
[his fingers itch for a chalkboard or his own pen, deciding to let pal take the lead on notes instead with his impressive pen. it does make him look up at his lab and say,] I really need to finally find a chalkboard for this place. It simply isn't the same having a session like this without one.
[ok, that answer to the pen agenda makes viktor give a little bark of a laugh, the kind like he's surprised himself with it.]
Well truly it would be easy, given it is so dull and easy to forget is there. [he puts a hand over his chest.] Your discretion is safe with me. I am not a snitch, as they say.
Maybe one of these days. The Sixth can't be cagey forever. [And Viktor, unlike nosy interlopers, is the type of person Palamedes would be inclined to tell about all of the Library's studies - someone interested in the study, and not the ability to say they know. It's very nuanced. And ah, it sounds halfway like he has designs on freely zipping back to the Sixth, so by way of explanation:] I never forget anything I've read — so one day, sure.
[He nods along to Viktor's survey suggestions, adding to the notes - and making a preemptively exasperated face about "too much jargon." Someone else will have to edit their survey for them, he can already feel it — someone with a taste for terseness. Just keeping it realistic.]
We'll have to keep careful records - maybe a follow-up survey? The time spent in this place would have to factor in to the magical saturation of the individual's blood, have you dealt with corruption?
[He's going to need a bigger notebook. It occurs to him that this step, the surveying, should happen after the initial bloodstone tests, and so they are truly getting ahead of themselves, but he makes himself a note to bring the stones next time and circles it a hasty few times. There - perfect.
Then, chalkboards-] On wheels? I was just lamenting not having one the other day. Those are a little too big for me to walk off with unnoticed, or I'd start a life of crime. You could pretend not to know me in public.
[Ha ha. How much does a chalkboard cost. He will find out. For now he nods at Viktor's open notebook, holding out a hand.]
May I? Why don't we trade, you can start us on a list of supplies we'll need to experiment with the stones. You're the crystal expert.
You really are signing up for an endless string of questions. [viktor points out, even if he's not going to pretend that pal's memory on the matter isn't exciting.] Are they 'cagey' because they feared their ideas and research stolen?
[or maybe dangerous, forbidden research is the angle. given hextech started with breaking the ethos and two separate breaking and enterings he can't say those are always bad. if anything heimendinger often bemoans him for leaning on the side of taking risks.
but they have plans to make, including the unfortunate work of having to deal with the public.] At least the surveys made over the omni will have that backup recording for our notes. That and given the gossip you find on the network people might just be bored enough to indulge us.
Personally? No, I have not dealt with corruption. That is an excellent point, corruption levels will no doubt effect the blood and gem in question. If not the gem then the magic it produces, which could be dangerous. With any luck it would be possible to purify a bloodgem if that were the case, which... hm, that would also be a boon to my research into purification.
[ah the best research, when you can cross pollinate one with the other. he looks quite pleased about it, always satisfied when the natural flow of the world begins to piece together to make a cohesive whole like this.
a nod and he points to one of the large walls.] I've only ever found small tablets, I've been trying to see if I could find some of that paint that will make a wall a similar texture and able to be wiped down. At this rate the Arcane Scholars might deserve a little heist.
[stealing a chalkboard isn't that much worse than breaking into the dean's office, right?
he pushes himself up to take the notebook, offering his own and tapping at the open page as he does.] This reminds me, I have a great deal I've observed personally and secondhand on paleblood here if you would like. Hardly comprehensive, I'm afraid. [and he's happy to go back to his seat by rio, the girl making a little curious sound as she noses at the new notebook, viktor letting her as he fishes out a pen of his own, far more boring sadly. simply cannot keep up with that aesthetic flair.]
Luckily there's plenty I can just build us, parts are much easier than machines around here.
You've caught me: I like the questions. But — call it overprotective. Sometimes, we're just busy — if I have to finish a project, I don't want to stop and parade it around for attention, you know?
[His projects are very good? But his integrity values quality over attention, and so it goes.]
We can add corruption to the survey. One of them, who knows yet. Still, good point. [Corruption, and reversing it in crystals. A crystal doesn't have... a mental state, like a corrupted Sleeper, but Palamedes has learned to lean into the occasional storybook logic of this place when it suits him, more or less. Imaginary blood: silly; crystals that can be soothed out of corruption, like a friend with a cup of tea: why not!
As he hands his notebook over, he says, faintly incredulous:] There's a paint for that? [That's the dream? And then,] Is this because I confessed to my pen theft? I'll pencil in having a heist for after I've fetched the bloodstones from back in Gaze.
[This is not a joke. Now then, time to read about palebloods... He respects the sanctity of someone else's notebook, so instead of writing in Viktor's he merely takes up clicking his pen over and over every time he reads something intriguing (so, nonstop). Ah, but that said-]
You can write in that. [Palamedes' notes are carefully delineated lines of tidy handwriting then bombarded with hastier scrawlings, crammed into wherever he found room to get down Any Idea. On some of the pages, if Viktor flips through the rest, there are doodles of Sleeper squids labeled with such descriptors as "wet" and "why a squid???" and "gross."
It's eclectic. He's still thinking about a chalkboard heist.] I've been tacking sheets of paper onto my walls.
Oh, very much so. [viktor has to snort at that, couldn't have put it better himself.] Hence why Jayce took care of the parties and I stayed happily in the lab. Imagine how much work would be done if we had some peace.
Given corruption is largely seen as mental or tied to the soul it may open up some interesting facts about the more physical aspects. [a pause] Another thing we'll need to word carefully, I've found people are eh... what is the term? 'Hush hush,' on these matters.
[which makes research a pain in the ass, but he supposes that's just the nature of people at work. he can't help flipping through the notebook a bit, trying not to get too deeply engrossed in anything he sees but chuckling at 'why a squid?' why indeed. given the whole deer aesthetic he's seen he's wondered why it wasn't that.]
Oh yes, I wonder if we could at least find the ingredients on this omni. [he derails entirely for a moment to consider the logistics of just making chalkboard paint, eying the wall he's been considering as he does. he's still regarding it when he replies,] I'm afraid it showed me the truth about your character. If it makes you feel any better I've broken into a few Academy rooms myself in the day. If you share your spoils I'd even consider distracting the guards.
[this is also not a joke. frankly they have more than enough chalkboards, in his opinion. eat the chalkboard rich, etc.
viktor's journal has very cramped handwriting, as though he expects paper to be scarce and he's loathe to waste any of it. a few schematics, largely common lab items only using lunar energy and how that would function, a kind of odd one for what looks like either a three taloned metal claw or a laser. tons on corruption and beasthood, the odd but concerning droplets of blood on the page.
funnily enough there's an excerpt on psychometry, detailing it as a possible power gained from paleblood or bloodmagic in general. some is written in whatever other language he speaks (arcane's version of czech,) and there's some scathing comments on a margin about the moss king.
he blinks when told he can write in it, feeling a little sheepish because he... probably would have without permission. in his defense this has reminded enough of working with jayce he's back to the habits he uses there, just expecting he's allowed to add to notes because why would he not? whoops.
supplies: gets written at the top of a clean page and he starts filling out some basic materials they might need, humming as he does so.] I was considering just writing on mine. If I didn't occasionally have company I would have. [he glances up] You don't think chalk is as hard to obtain as the boards, do you?
[Palamedes scoffs, nodding in understanding; yes, not having to rub elbows is fantastic. He avoids rubbing elbows as often as possible.]
Anonymity for the more uncomfortably personal questions is an option, but I admit I don't trust it very much.
[People go on the omninet and tell lies all the time? No, that's a last resort kind of option if he's ever encountered one. Something else to be ironed out later, in the actual action stages of this endeavor. He's easily sucked into thumbing through Viktor's notebook once he's read that first paleblood page, voraciously consuming all the diagrams he honestly doesn't fully understand and, mm, carefully not so much as brushing a fingertip over the errant drops of blood.
Not because it's blood, no; because sometimes he can't turn the psychometry off, when the association is strong enough, and blood coughed up onto this notebook is the exact kind of thing that will leap into the forefront of his thanergetic awareness at a touch. Mmph.]
Give me ten minutes in a classroom and I can have a month's supply of chalk for you, guaranteed. If I'm already there to make a run for it with the chalkboards, I might as well. [Still not a joke, however,] It is cheaper, though.
[They can probably do some legal purchasing, just to save time. Hell, in this part of town there's likely someone selling chalk not a few blocks away. He pauses in his notebook devouring to fix Viktor with a look of serious consideration that is, of course, entirely put-upon; he's already completely on board to steal a chalkboard, but doing the bit is the done thing.]
You're good at distracting guards? [hmmmmm!] Sure. Let's rob a lecture hall.
Agreed, it would be too easy to skew the data, and even if they didn't we would need to treat the information as suspect in case it was. [his tone is distracted, mostly because he's making mental lists in his head of what they need and what he can easily get himself and keep off the list.
some less important than others.] Do you have a preference when it comes to tea? I'd stock the place with coffee but I've found that hard to find. [and if pal is going to work here he gets a say in the beverage choices. viktor nukes it with so much sugar it doesn't really matter anyway.
plenty of coughing fits tied to those drops of blood, if he can read as much, which is maybe less worrying than other ways he could be bleeding on his notes.
finally viktor looks up to squint at pal, making sure that they really are on the same page about not really joking about this. hm, this is more chaotic than jayce was usually on board for, isn't that fun? besides-] They have plenty attached to the walls themselves, they'll hardly miss one chalkboard.
Oh yes, incredibly so. They take one look at the crutch, decide I'm not a threat and then it's a simple matter of pattering on like an absent-minded academic in dire need of an escort if only to shut me up. Works every time. [he nods, a crooked grin as he agrees.] Let's spread the wealth, I would put it.
[Oh - beverages, who'd have thunk. Genuinely, this is not a supply Palamedes would have considered, which speaks volumes to his uncanny ability to focus on work and nothing else, hunger included. Camilla usually reminds him to eat more than a few bites...]
Tea - no, anything will do. And powdered milk, if you can find any. [Don't judge him for this, or for how much of it he will dump in any kind of tea, indiscriminately. He turns another page, hums distractedly, yes yes a chalkboard-] Two, if I can manage it. Wheeled only, wall space is valuable.
[One must be practical about a heist, all things considered. He gives Viktor a look that is exasperated on his behalf — successful or not, he can't imagine it's ideal, playing the fool like that. But it's a solid plan, which leaves only Palamedes' part: actually getting two chalkboards out of there unimpeded.
He has an idea. It's a stupid one, which means it will probably work.]
My chalkboards are yours. I've read — and I will practice, rest assured — that an interesting facet of the darkblood, hmm, skillset is actual telekinesis.
[or: local man pushes chalkboards out window and prays]
Between the both of us, it should be one and done. If we're caught, the phrase to abort mission is... [chalkboard - no. he glances at the perfectly normal wall-] 'wet paint.'
[it's easier to remember these things when doing it for someone else, that's for sure. viktor nods along, a little note on the powdered milk.] I hadn't even thought of powdered milk as an option, that is... far more efficient. [his favorite drink is a milk with certain spices in his world, pal is enabling him.
viktor perks up at that, not only is it useful for their plan but it's an interesting facet of darkblood.] Would you mind terribly if I observed some of that practice? I will even be glad to offer general encouragement.
[a touch dry, yeah he just wants to see some cool blood magic and take about a million notes on it. he's trying not to spiral into all the uses a darkblood gem that could mimic telekinesis in a machine could do. he needs to stop getting so ahead of himself.
he nods along, this is a little ridiculous but also not all that odd for the academic world he's been a part of. graduate students especially have done worse and often.] Very well. I'll go to some more lectures and scope out the place, I think I already know the perfect auditorium for it. There's usually at least two rolling chalkboards there, wasting away.
['Efficient' is such an on-brand word for something like food, a thing one needs to live, it makes Palamedes chuckle. Near-saturating cups of tea with powdered milk is probably his only food-related indulgence, which obviously should be done efficiently, of course.]
I'm going to have to bleed all over some things, so I was going to do it at my place in Gaze. [Where he's had an easier time making a blood magic mess, first, and also not outdoors, where the monsters are.] You're welcome to join me, but don't wear anything you don't want to get errant darkblood on.
[And so — this is a plan, then? They have an entire plan to tool around with darkblood magic and then break into a lecture hall? God, but it has been ages since he's done something stupid and fun; nothing personally against these scholars, either, besides that they have boards and he does not.
He sits up straighter from being hunched over the notebook, running through it mentally again — yes, it's surely a good plan. Hmm!]
This is the part where Camilla would tell me, 'Warden, don't get cocky,' so remember that: we'll save it until our glorious victory. I fully intend to brag.
[In memory of Cam, who would know better and still let him do this.]
As opposed to the errant paleblood I regularly get on my clothes. [just a little dark humor, as a treat.] Would you like me to bring incense? I try to keep a steady supply.
[since the smell of blood attracting beasts and all. honestly he's pleased at a chance to see pal's house, mostly for the chance to see more notes and the telekinesis bit, but also because... well, he's not really the sort used to being invited over to people's houses. sad putting it that way, maybe, but as it turns out making work your life and generally being ignored before that does not give a person a rousing social life.
it suited him fine, but it also means this rather easy back and forth is a little novel. the fact it's fun even more so. it makes him unfortunately realize how much jayce's growing distance in their own world actually did affect him, who knew people thrived on companionship one way or another? the spirit of collaboration and all that.
he immediately brushes those sort of thoughts aside, they do have a heist to pull off. the notebook gets offered back with a list written out, 'chalkboards' added to the bottom mostly because it amused him. it really is mostly scrap parts he can use to make bigger machines, simple things too like petri dishes, vials, lenses. a pretty short list mostly, he's been collecting or will collect a lot of what they need soon enough.]
This is the part Jayce would beg me to just let him go buy it for us. [his lips quirk at the thought, like the futility of it is funny.] Very well, celebrating is saved for a success.
[he is curious though.] Would this Camilla have tried to stop you?
Fair point, [he concedes, although darkblood is closer to spilling ink all over something in actual practice. Fair point, anyway; blood sometimes happens.] Incense would be helpful, thanks — what snacks are you partial to? We'll make it an evening.
[An evening in the way that this impromptu tea-and-being-nerds session has become an evening, except intentional this time. Palamedes has no intentions to play formal host, or anything - he wouldn't really know what to do - but snacks are a fair exchange for the use of incense. Blood, snacks, incense: the ideal hangout.
And, well — the Sixth bunker (maybe also bring a lamp, he'll think about this) is emptier without Camilla, and while most people Palamedes considers friends here also reside nearby in Gaze, having someone over hits different than lurking on other people's couches. Not including right now; this isn't lurking. Snacks are the point, and he'll endeavor to not show off so much magic that he knocks out on the floor.
Maybe. Probably. Who can say.]
Next time, assure him this is the spirit of innovation. [theft,] And no, she wouldn't have. She'd roll her eyes and give me grief about it for the rest of our lives if I messed it up — I once got lost when I was five and she has yet to let it go — but no. She'd want to come too.
[And she has swords, which would help in the distraction arena at the very least.]
[viktor waves a hand at the thanks, consider the snack question.] Hm, I am not picky, really. I suppose if there's anything you're used to from your world I would enjoy getting a chance to try it. If we are to be thrown into a hellish beastscape we should at least attempt a little cultural exchange.
[dry but sincere enough, he does think it would be interesting to see something palamedes may consider more familiar. piltover was always so boring with it's food but zaun? growing up in the undercity gave him an iron stomach for most food. if it isn't slimy, moving, or maybe just a little toxic it isn't proper undercity cuisine.
'spirit of innovation' makes him snort softly.] Ah, that is my favorite excuse to use with him in these matters. That and 'no progress happens without a little risk.'
She sounds like she would have been the one getting us out of a mess, which will not happen because our plan is quite solid. [uh huh. a shame though, the more he hears the more he'd like to meet this woman. he wonders how often people who vanish end up returning, if that is ultimately a good or bad thing for the person.
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ah, now this sort of house is more viktor's speed, and he leans forward a little, lips quirking at the cagey bit.] Ah, so you are like any academic institute of note with projects? Ha, I have promised you a break in questions and you tell me this, that's rather cruel. [he shakes his head but keeps his word, though he makes a mental note of several things he'd like to ask. how a top necromancer was decided, how private this library and its knowledge was, a whole slew on psychometry itself.
instead he gestures vaguely.] Yes, you've shown more self control than I would have. Let me first say this so you can understand before anything else- in my world magic is feared and often reviled. There was a great war many years ago that saw magic decimating cities, and since its practice has been crushed or hidden away largely.
[he shrugs one shoulder, putting his finished cup to the side for rio to nose at. it's such a stark difference in how their worlds used or viewed magic, from what he can gather, it seemed important to impart] So, what would you like to ask?
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[Hah- this is fun, he's having fun. Occasional grim subject matter notwithstanding, including this tidbit about the fear of magic in Viktor's home. He thinks immediately of the Empire's enemies, the Cohort's endless war outside the Nine Houses' system that he, personally — isn't involved in. The other side of the fence, he supposes, and given how he's just mentioned parts of necromancy that are gross and violating, he isn't sure he could condemn someone with a fear of magic.
Hmm. Hmm!]
You can't give me this kind of question-asking freedom, or that next turn will never come around. Let's see: first, how did you crack magic into technology?
[This is now a numbered list, and so he holds up fingers for each one:]
Second, what are the other applications? You mentioned teleporting ships, what about something smaller?
Third— no, let's call it fourth now, we'll count related-but-distinct as separate. Fourth, did you manage to bring any here?
[For fun and profit he would go up to six questions, you know, to be thematic about it, but he'll settle on these. He gives Viktor an expectant look in the exact manner of an audience waiting in anticipation for the first notes of concert; give him that cool detail, bud.]
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Largely it was a matter of finding a way to stabilize arcane energy and use rune work to ah... encourage a synergy between the machine in question and the arcane. There are highly unstable crystals that house such energy, which were our main focus when doing the work. I would explain it as...
[he leans forward a bit, starting to gesture not unlike a professor passionate about their subject.] Your thanergy, it is at its core arcane, a source of power, yes? Like power it needs conduits and pathways to be used to its full potential rather than decaying or fizzling out. Those are natural in necromancers - Hextech finds ways to replicate that natural affinity and allow the power source to flow. It takes a great deal of very complex circuitry and, perhaps more so, an understanding of the language of the arcane itself. Its ebb and flow, how it shapes itself when it forms a spell.
I believe it's a possibility with nearly any source of arcana, though obviously I have only dealt with the magic of my own world. [he rubs the side of his neck, not sheepish exactly but aware he got into a bit of lecture there. and that was only the first question, pal is right he might end up just rambling away instead of getting his own answers.
ah well, it's a pleasant time regardless. he does attempt to speak more concisely.] Our latest projects were a much smaller scale- one was a pair of gauntlets for miners with several properties- shielding from cave-ins, enhanced strength and taking the strain of the labor to ease fatigue. My next hope had been a water and air purification system.
[a little wistful there, that's a dream he was never sure they'd actually manage to get funded. certainly not in his short lifetime. the last question makes him shake his head, blissfully unaware that a certain jinx not only has one of the stable crystals but a weapon she made from it. ignorance is very much bliss in this case.]
No, I am afraid not. I believe I could replicate it with the blood magic here but I do not know enough of it to make the attempt, or know if it was an attempt worth making. [he offers a smile, amused and understanding of the interest, given his badgering before.] I admit I hope one day perhaps I could get my hands on one of the crystals, since items sometimes wash up on shore. No luck so far, but if I do I will be glad to show you the capabilities.
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I'll be first in line to see what it can do. Likewise, if your gauntlets wash up on the beach. It really is incredible, just to hear about — complex machinery is outside my wheelhouse, and you've practically built yours on your own. That's amazing.
[He taps the sides of his cup of still unfinished tea, thinking. The blood magic of Trench is a thing he has yet to master, or even entirely research, but...]
There are always bloodstones to pick at, see what happens. Was that before your time? The widespread affliction has passed, I'm fairly certain, the one where the magic in our new and confused blood pools and hardens in the joints. I have a pouch of them tucked away somewhere.
[Ssssssip. Yes he does have a bag of rocks pulled out of a friend, these things happen. As far as he knows, the bloodstones are decorative - at most, an enhancement to an existing object is what the magic they're made of can achieve.
But Viktor knows how to make technology happen, and so why not? Why not!]
What do you think? Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself.
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Bloodstones? [oh boy, viktor is leaning in again, very much fascinated by this new information.] Yes, that was before my time.
[what does he think? he thinks palamedes has just made trying to harness hextech with blood magic much more of a reality.] Would you mind allowing me to study them? Are they of each blood type? What I think is if they are blood magic in a condensed form it should be possible to create a similar system for them.
From what I understand each blood type has particular properties, such as my own paleblood is often tied to tricks of the mind, powers that manipulate perception or even emotions. So if each blood type governs particular areas each stone would likely be a rune in and of itself, as well as a power source. Of course it would make it easier to pinpoint certain obvious effects, but a combination of types might wield more powerful results.
[he's almost talking to himself at this point, sorry, except his attention suddenly turns pal again as he says,] You are making this a very interesting evening, Palamedes. I wish we had met earlier.
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It'd be insane of me to bring them up and refuse to hand them over — of course you can study them. Our biggest concern is their limited quantity, unless there's some way to induce the magic pooling artificially. That would be my last resort, because it hurt like hell to get at them. Look—
[He ducks down to, of all things, tug his pant leg up high enough to reveal a scar faded to months-old on his ankle, clean and steady, but long enough to suggest that a really goddamn big rock came out of there, among others. That shit hurted, and so on.]
My case was mild, even, if you believe it. I have two types on hand: the darkblood, from me, and plenty more paleblood, from a friend. There's a possibility someone will have other types to sell for a ridiculous price, so at least we have two to start.
[Which is doubly convenient, actually, as they can likely apply at least some of the stone study to Viktor's other highly researchable problem. He leaves this implied as he covers the scar again and sits back up. The frenzied thrill of having a means to start looking into each of these things, even if the bloodstones don't pan out, is excitement enough. Then Viktor has to go and say this nice thing about him during it? Dang.
He can't help but chuckle, pleased as anything, but the ticking clock time bomb nature of Viktor's illness does not escape him in the weight of "earlier," so — so. He exists momentarily in the fascinating experience of being revved up for wild science and turning gears with care for the more urgent issue, at the same time. It's not a new feeling.]
Yes, terrible oversight of mine, mucking around in Gaze most of the time. You did just offer me a table, though, so fair warning: now I'll turn up at any hour, especially the odd ones.
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still, pal gets a grateful smile, immediately back on the science.] Surely there must be a way to create stones like that artificially outside the body. It would certainly be a matter to look into, should this research bear fruit.
Two types is perfect- you are a darkblood, then? I am afraid I am stealing a few questions here, mostly I have been curious the differences between the types and heard little about darkblood. Does it also have a change in color and texture?
[he'd feel a little bad for stealing some question time but ah well, he'll make it up somehow. preferably with results in this bloodstone research, he already has several ideas floating around his head and the urge to start working the moment they conclude their discussion.
which he'd rather not end too quickly, even for work. a novel feeling.] I'll have a key made up and you'll see for yourself my hours are no better. Oh, do you know a boy named Allen Walker? He also has a key for this place, he's been helping me research purification, so if you see a white haired young man around that would be him.
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And it's perfectly fine that Viktor is muscling in on Palamedes' turn to ask questions, even if he raises an amused eyebrow at the comment. They share the same sentiment of not rushing to the end, so please, bounce questions at him for as long as feels right.]
Pouring enough blood into a container and forcing it to crystalize might be possible, though we'd need volunteers. Or, forgive my phrasing, more liquid assets to buy bottled blood with, and I've seen the sizes of the vials they peddle in the market — unsatisfactory by any measure. The volume we'd need is staggering...
[Time for Palamedes to get a side gig to support bloodstone research. Maybe at last, his penchant for writing melodramatic novels will come in handy. It's something to keep on reserve just in case, at least.]
Darkblood the substance, though, smells like dust and books. I can't complain. Allegedly it doesn't exist until magically willed outside the body, like what you saw happen to me earlier, but... I mean, come on. I have a heartbeat. I can suspend my disbelief only so far, you know?
[Goofy! Imaginary glitter blood that smells like dust and tastes like berries, what is that!]
It is dark though, that's an accurate bit of nomenclature. As politely as I can ask, do you know what blood type your friend is? I promise I'm not tapping anybody for resources.
[Second weird necromancy promise of the evening; it's fine.]
Camilla was a coldblood before she disappeared; I've got nothing to show for that, though. You might know more about the other types than I do.
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[he considers making a morbid joke about finding a way to convince his lungs to hack up blood in an easier way to collect, deciding against it for the moment. he's never looked into actually buying blood, though he's seen enough from lumenwood and the ministers to know it borders on being like the chem market back home.
that description makes him chuckle, especially because yes, he isn't sure he believes in this weird schroedinger's darkblood situation.] It does add a mystique, and I've read enough books on the arcane to know half the battle is aesthetic.
[dry. can't blame them, if you're going to have magic or something called 'darkblood' might as well make it sound as intriguing as possible.]
Allen? He is a paleblood as well I believe- in truth most of who I've met are. The only contact I made with the network involved a shared paleblood hallucination, so they're largely the ones I've met.
I'm afraid the most I heard about was vilebloods. Apparently there is a stigma against them? [he shakes his head] Unsurprising, whenever there's a large grouping there's always one cast out for good measure.
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[Mostly consisting of impressing people who award credits and so on, or at least, it was like that before he won the highest honor and got more or less total freedom to muck around as desired. Still: sure, yes, that might work. There are probably people here who will jump at the chance to donate their blood for whatever reasons they might have.
Maybe the aesthetic will help. Palamedes doesn't want to mire in the issue of keeping it ethical before they've even looked at a single stone, especially not right this second when the ideas are fresh and invigorating, so - the bureaucracy can come later.]
Knowing the variations of the paleblood experience will be a help, we should chart some of that. Maybe do a survey? And rummage around in the Archives for any firsthand accounts of bloodstones used for non-decorative purposes — I should be writing this down.
[To that end he tugs his cloak out of the way to get at his satchel, which he roots in for a pocket notebook and a faintly ridiculous pen, to begin scribbling. Let him just catch up the past ten minutes of ideas here, it will take considerably less time to jot down useful shorthand... okay.
He glances up in the middle of writing down darkblood facts, for shared benefit. Circling back here, ahem,] Do you think I have mystique?
[Hahaha. Ha. He's playing in the space, it's part of the scientific method.]
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At least here I doubt we'll need to kiss up at upperclass parties so much as make a well thought out post on the matter.
[he gets up to grab his own notebook, mostly to find the notes he's taken on paleblood as he's been trying to learn. he has to stop though when he sees that pen, lips quirking despite himself because ah, that was quite the pen. he tries not to sound too amused as he says,] A survey is an excellent idea, along with asking after anyone's experiences with these bloodstones. Eventually we'll want to have an understanding of the unique facets of each blood type- ah, so much to consider here. For example, does the person the bloodstone came from affect its potential power? It's longevity? Do the unique abilities and magic of the individual stay within the blood or is the blood merely a vehicle and power source for those abilities likely within the dna of the person?
[nerds. he has a habit of twirling at his his hair when he's thinking so he starts doing that, explaining why his hair is kind of cow-lick mess in areas. he blinks back to it when asked about mystique, lips quirking again despite himself. pal is endearing, what can he do.]
Hm. [he puts his hand to his chin as if considering this very seriously.] Eh, yes and no. You have a particular academic air that lends well to a certain mystique, and being able to say you are necromancer from a House of repute certainly helps. I'm afraid the general friendly nature rather takes away from it though. Also your choice in pens might take a point or two away.
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[Hmm, class politics — that's more of an inter-House politics thing, if Palamedes were to think of a one-to-one comparison. The Sixth is functionally a meritocracy and a big library and nothing else, and he himself has a reputation of, eh... "I wouldn't have known that was the Warden if no one told me," more or less, at inter-House functions.
All told, he would rather not kiss ass for supporters, he would not be good at it. And sidebar, but he makes a mental note to engineer more reasons for Viktor to say words like "schmoozing," for reasons.
He wiggles his sparkly pen at him, for emphasis and agreement, and flips to a blank page which he titles "SURVEY" to begin a more organized track for that idea.]
Yes, good, hold on. I'm getting this down too. You're brilliant, and we may need to consider more than one survey. [scribble scribble] If I can wrangle another stone sourced from darkblood, we can compare that to mine, see if necromancy is a contributing factor — but I would want to authenticate it first, and ideally, have two externally-sourced stones...
[This is becoming some amalgamation of a conversation and talking out loud to themselves and occasionally bumping into each other's ideas, which frankly, Palamedes thinks is ideal. It's best to have too many ideas and pare them down later, so the amount of paper they're mutually going to fill just sitting here is not only a nonissue: it's great.
Anyway, wow, he has plenty of mystique with this pen. He looks up from his notes again with another brief flash of a grin, for the pen or Viktor playing along or that thing he does with his hair, it could be any. He wiggles the pen again.]
Would you believe I stole this? Not on purpose. [not entirely on purpose.] A local shop was asking for guestbook signatures, and I may have walked off with it.
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[especially with thanergy, necromancy, this psychometry. given how hard it is to fine any works on the arcane in his world the Library sounds a lot like a dream come true.
he opens his own notebook, though it's to find the pages he has on observations about paleblood, kept open to offer for pal's perusal when they reach the proper point. it's invigorating to be sharing an idea again like this, more so with someone who keeps up and expands upon each thought he throws out. not unlike jayce, and he really did imagine jayce would be a rarity in his life. he couldn't be happier to be wrong, honestly.]
The absolute ideal would be to find a darkblood without any natural magical talent from their home as well to act as a basis for what darkblood itself works like when no overpowering internal factors are present. More than one survey is likely a better estimate, it would be best to keep any posts we make concise as to attract as much attention as possible. Too much jargon and er... 'fluff,' it might keep people away.
[his fingers itch for a chalkboard or his own pen, deciding to let pal take the lead on notes instead with his impressive pen. it does make him look up at his lab and say,] I really need to finally find a chalkboard for this place. It simply isn't the same having a session like this without one.
[ok, that answer to the pen agenda makes viktor give a little bark of a laugh, the kind like he's surprised himself with it.]
Well truly it would be easy, given it is so dull and easy to forget is there. [he puts a hand over his chest.] Your discretion is safe with me. I am not a snitch, as they say.
no subject
[He nods along to Viktor's survey suggestions, adding to the notes - and making a preemptively exasperated face about "too much jargon." Someone else will have to edit their survey for them, he can already feel it — someone with a taste for terseness. Just keeping it realistic.]
We'll have to keep careful records - maybe a follow-up survey? The time spent in this place would have to factor in to the magical saturation of the individual's blood, have you dealt with corruption?
[He's going to need a bigger notebook. It occurs to him that this step, the surveying, should happen after the initial bloodstone tests, and so they are truly getting ahead of themselves, but he makes himself a note to bring the stones next time and circles it a hasty few times. There - perfect.
Then, chalkboards-] On wheels? I was just lamenting not having one the other day. Those are a little too big for me to walk off with unnoticed, or I'd start a life of crime. You could pretend not to know me in public.
[Ha ha. How much does a chalkboard cost. He will find out. For now he nods at Viktor's open notebook, holding out a hand.]
May I? Why don't we trade, you can start us on a list of supplies we'll need to experiment with the stones. You're the crystal expert.
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[or maybe dangerous, forbidden research is the angle. given hextech started with breaking the ethos and two separate breaking and enterings he can't say those are always bad. if anything heimendinger often bemoans him for leaning on the side of taking risks.
but they have plans to make, including the unfortunate work of having to deal with the public.] At least the surveys made over the omni will have that backup recording for our notes. That and given the gossip you find on the network people might just be bored enough to indulge us.
Personally? No, I have not dealt with corruption. That is an excellent point, corruption levels will no doubt effect the blood and gem in question. If not the gem then the magic it produces, which could be dangerous. With any luck it would be possible to purify a bloodgem if that were the case, which... hm, that would also be a boon to my research into purification.
[ah the best research, when you can cross pollinate one with the other. he looks quite pleased about it, always satisfied when the natural flow of the world begins to piece together to make a cohesive whole like this.
a nod and he points to one of the large walls.] I've only ever found small tablets, I've been trying to see if I could find some of that paint that will make a wall a similar texture and able to be wiped down. At this rate the Arcane Scholars might deserve a little heist.
[stealing a chalkboard isn't that much worse than breaking into the dean's office, right?
he pushes himself up to take the notebook, offering his own and tapping at the open page as he does.] This reminds me, I have a great deal I've observed personally and secondhand on paleblood here if you would like. Hardly comprehensive, I'm afraid. [and he's happy to go back to his seat by rio, the girl making a little curious sound as she noses at the new notebook, viktor letting her as he fishes out a pen of his own, far more boring sadly. simply cannot keep up with that aesthetic flair.]
Luckily there's plenty I can just build us, parts are much easier than machines around here.
no subject
[His projects are very good? But his integrity values quality over attention, and so it goes.]
We can add corruption to the survey. One of them, who knows yet. Still, good point. [Corruption, and reversing it in crystals. A crystal doesn't have... a mental state, like a corrupted Sleeper, but Palamedes has learned to lean into the occasional storybook logic of this place when it suits him, more or less. Imaginary blood: silly; crystals that can be soothed out of corruption, like a friend with a cup of tea: why not!
As he hands his notebook over, he says, faintly incredulous:] There's a paint for that? [That's the dream? And then,] Is this because I confessed to my pen theft? I'll pencil in having a heist for after I've fetched the bloodstones from back in Gaze.
[This is not a joke. Now then, time to read about palebloods... He respects the sanctity of someone else's notebook, so instead of writing in Viktor's he merely takes up clicking his pen over and over every time he reads something intriguing (so, nonstop). Ah, but that said-]
You can write in that. [Palamedes' notes are carefully delineated lines of tidy handwriting then bombarded with hastier scrawlings, crammed into wherever he found room to get down Any Idea. On some of the pages, if Viktor flips through the rest, there are doodles of Sleeper squids labeled with such descriptors as "wet" and "why a squid???" and "gross."
It's eclectic. He's still thinking about a chalkboard heist.] I've been tacking sheets of paper onto my walls.
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Given corruption is largely seen as mental or tied to the soul it may open up some interesting facts about the more physical aspects. [a pause] Another thing we'll need to word carefully, I've found people are eh... what is the term? 'Hush hush,' on these matters.
[which makes research a pain in the ass, but he supposes that's just the nature of people at work. he can't help flipping through the notebook a bit, trying not to get too deeply engrossed in anything he sees but chuckling at 'why a squid?' why indeed. given the whole deer aesthetic he's seen he's wondered why it wasn't that.]
Oh yes, I wonder if we could at least find the ingredients on this omni. [he derails entirely for a moment to consider the logistics of just making chalkboard paint, eying the wall he's been considering as he does. he's still regarding it when he replies,] I'm afraid it showed me the truth about your character. If it makes you feel any better I've broken into a few Academy rooms myself in the day. If you share your spoils I'd even consider distracting the guards.
[this is also not a joke. frankly they have more than enough chalkboards, in his opinion. eat the chalkboard rich, etc.
viktor's journal has very cramped handwriting, as though he expects paper to be scarce and he's loathe to waste any of it. a few schematics, largely common lab items only using lunar energy and how that would function, a kind of odd one for what looks like either a three taloned metal claw or a laser. tons on corruption and beasthood, the odd but concerning droplets of blood on the page.
funnily enough there's an excerpt on psychometry, detailing it as a possible power gained from paleblood or bloodmagic in general. some is written in whatever other language he speaks (arcane's version of czech,) and there's some scathing comments on a margin about the moss king.
he blinks when told he can write in it, feeling a little sheepish because he... probably would have without permission. in his defense this has reminded enough of working with jayce he's back to the habits he uses there, just expecting he's allowed to add to notes because why would he not? whoops.
supplies: gets written at the top of a clean page and he starts filling out some basic materials they might need, humming as he does so.] I was considering just writing on mine. If I didn't occasionally have company I would have. [he glances up] You don't think chalk is as hard to obtain as the boards, do you?
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Anonymity for the more uncomfortably personal questions is an option, but I admit I don't trust it very much.
[People go on the omninet and tell lies all the time? No, that's a last resort kind of option if he's ever encountered one. Something else to be ironed out later, in the actual action stages of this endeavor. He's easily sucked into thumbing through Viktor's notebook once he's read that first paleblood page, voraciously consuming all the diagrams he honestly doesn't fully understand and, mm, carefully not so much as brushing a fingertip over the errant drops of blood.
Not because it's blood, no; because sometimes he can't turn the psychometry off, when the association is strong enough, and blood coughed up onto this notebook is the exact kind of thing that will leap into the forefront of his thanergetic awareness at a touch. Mmph.]
Give me ten minutes in a classroom and I can have a month's supply of chalk for you, guaranteed. If I'm already there to make a run for it with the chalkboards, I might as well. [Still not a joke, however,] It is cheaper, though.
[They can probably do some legal purchasing, just to save time. Hell, in this part of town there's likely someone selling chalk not a few blocks away. He pauses in his notebook devouring to fix Viktor with a look of serious consideration that is, of course, entirely put-upon; he's already completely on board to steal a chalkboard, but doing the bit is the done thing.]
You're good at distracting guards? [hmmmmm!] Sure. Let's rob a lecture hall.
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some less important than others.] Do you have a preference when it comes to tea? I'd stock the place with coffee but I've found that hard to find. [and if pal is going to work here he gets a say in the beverage choices. viktor nukes it with so much sugar it doesn't really matter anyway.
plenty of coughing fits tied to those drops of blood, if he can read as much, which is maybe less worrying than other ways he could be bleeding on his notes.
finally viktor looks up to squint at pal, making sure that they really are on the same page about not really joking about this. hm, this is more chaotic than jayce was usually on board for, isn't that fun? besides-] They have plenty attached to the walls themselves, they'll hardly miss one chalkboard.
Oh yes, incredibly so. They take one look at the crutch, decide I'm not a threat and then it's a simple matter of pattering on like an absent-minded academic in dire need of an escort if only to shut me up. Works every time. [he nods, a crooked grin as he agrees.] Let's spread the wealth, I would put it.
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Tea - no, anything will do. And powdered milk, if you can find any. [Don't judge him for this, or for how much of it he will dump in any kind of tea, indiscriminately. He turns another page, hums distractedly, yes yes a chalkboard-] Two, if I can manage it. Wheeled only, wall space is valuable.
[One must be practical about a heist, all things considered. He gives Viktor a look that is exasperated on his behalf — successful or not, he can't imagine it's ideal, playing the fool like that. But it's a solid plan, which leaves only Palamedes' part: actually getting two chalkboards out of there unimpeded.
He has an idea. It's a stupid one, which means it will probably work.]
My chalkboards are yours. I've read — and I will practice, rest assured — that an interesting facet of the darkblood, hmm, skillset is actual telekinesis.
[or: local man pushes chalkboards out window and prays]
Between the both of us, it should be one and done. If we're caught, the phrase to abort mission is... [chalkboard - no. he glances at the perfectly normal wall-] 'wet paint.'
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viktor perks up at that, not only is it useful for their plan but it's an interesting facet of darkblood.] Would you mind terribly if I observed some of that practice? I will even be glad to offer general encouragement.
[a touch dry, yeah he just wants to see some cool blood magic and take about a million notes on it. he's trying not to spiral into all the uses a darkblood gem that could mimic telekinesis in a machine could do. he needs to stop getting so ahead of himself.
he nods along, this is a little ridiculous but also not all that odd for the academic world he's been a part of. graduate students especially have done worse and often.] Very well. I'll go to some more lectures and scope out the place, I think I already know the perfect auditorium for it. There's usually at least two rolling chalkboards there, wasting away.
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I'm going to have to bleed all over some things, so I was going to do it at my place in Gaze. [Where he's had an easier time making a blood magic mess, first, and also not outdoors, where the monsters are.] You're welcome to join me, but don't wear anything you don't want to get errant darkblood on.
[And so — this is a plan, then? They have an entire plan to tool around with darkblood magic and then break into a lecture hall? God, but it has been ages since he's done something stupid and fun; nothing personally against these scholars, either, besides that they have boards and he does not.
He sits up straighter from being hunched over the notebook, running through it mentally again — yes, it's surely a good plan. Hmm!]
This is the part where Camilla would tell me, 'Warden, don't get cocky,' so remember that: we'll save it until our glorious victory. I fully intend to brag.
[In memory of Cam, who would know better and still let him do this.]
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[since the smell of blood attracting beasts and all. honestly he's pleased at a chance to see pal's house, mostly for the chance to see more notes and the telekinesis bit, but also because... well, he's not really the sort used to being invited over to people's houses. sad putting it that way, maybe, but as it turns out making work your life and generally being ignored before that does not give a person a rousing social life.
it suited him fine, but it also means this rather easy back and forth is a little novel. the fact it's fun even more so. it makes him unfortunately realize how much jayce's growing distance in their own world actually did affect him, who knew people thrived on companionship one way or another? the spirit of collaboration and all that.
he immediately brushes those sort of thoughts aside, they do have a heist to pull off. the notebook gets offered back with a list written out, 'chalkboards' added to the bottom mostly because it amused him. it really is mostly scrap parts he can use to make bigger machines, simple things too like petri dishes, vials, lenses. a pretty short list mostly, he's been collecting or will collect a lot of what they need soon enough.]
This is the part Jayce would beg me to just let him go buy it for us. [his lips quirk at the thought, like the futility of it is funny.] Very well, celebrating is saved for a success.
[he is curious though.] Would this Camilla have tried to stop you?
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[An evening in the way that this impromptu tea-and-being-nerds session has become an evening, except intentional this time. Palamedes has no intentions to play formal host, or anything - he wouldn't really know what to do - but snacks are a fair exchange for the use of incense. Blood, snacks, incense: the ideal hangout.
And, well — the Sixth bunker (maybe also bring a lamp, he'll think about this) is emptier without Camilla, and while most people Palamedes considers friends here also reside nearby in Gaze, having someone over hits different than lurking on other people's couches. Not including right now; this isn't lurking. Snacks are the point, and he'll endeavor to not show off so much magic that he knocks out on the floor.
Maybe. Probably. Who can say.]
Next time, assure him this is the spirit of innovation. [theft,] And no, she wouldn't have. She'd roll her eyes and give me grief about it for the rest of our lives if I messed it up — I once got lost when I was five and she has yet to let it go — but no. She'd want to come too.
[And she has swords, which would help in the distraction arena at the very least.]
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[dry but sincere enough, he does think it would be interesting to see something palamedes may consider more familiar. piltover was always so boring with it's food but zaun? growing up in the undercity gave him an iron stomach for most food. if it isn't slimy, moving, or maybe just a little toxic it isn't proper undercity cuisine.
'spirit of innovation' makes him snort softly.] Ah, that is my favorite excuse to use with him in these matters. That and 'no progress happens without a little risk.'
She sounds like she would have been the one getting us out of a mess, which will not happen because our plan is quite solid. [uh huh. a shame though, the more he hears the more he'd like to meet this woman. he wonders how often people who vanish end up returning, if that is ultimately a good or bad thing for the person.
ah well.]
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