[Shiho's Search For Training Start] * Everybody split up to go find training or various other things... * It's maybe eight in the morning, the streets are busy, and you've just split up near the inn. * Shiho heads for the garrison, in search of archer-type people. * The garrison and training grounds are currently occupied by a fairly large group of people in irridescent scale mail with lances, jumping insanely high and landing point-first on training dummies. They are definitely not archers. * Shiho looks for an office or headquarters of some sort. * There is an office in the garrison on either edge of the training fields. * Shiho heads for one of those, then. :P Can I help you? Hi. I'm interested in improving my skills as an archer, and was wondering if you might know where I can recieve training? Archery? * Shiho nods. We don't practice much archery here. The garrison's manned by the Watch, the Dragoons, and the Magic Knights. * Shiho nods. "Would you know of some place in town where I might find someone to teach me?" Huh. You might try the elves. They're real big into archery. * Shiho nods. I will. Thank you for your help. No problem, miss. * Shiho heads to find the elves, where she undoubtedly will be turned down any training ain archery :P * The Elven embassy is depressingly easy to find, as it's the only place in the city that has a sizeable grove of trees poking above it. * Shiho walks through the grove and enters the embassy! :P * The embassy is green, green everywhere, with occasional golden carved wood. * Elf sneers a bit at Shiho. Can I... 'help' you? Hi. I'm interested in approving my skills with the bow. The officer at the garrison told me I might find someone here who could help. You want to "improve your skills with the bow." Yes. Archery. You don't have the time, human. Well, no, I don't intend to fully master it yet. I'm going to have to leave in a few months. I just want to improve a bit. You lack dedication. You'll never master the bow. No human will. ... I'd have to disagree. Really? What experience do you have that lets you have an opinion on this? I suppose none. But I also know that nobody should be underestimated regardless of who they are. I'll be worried about underestimating you when I'm old and feeble, in five or six hundred years, human. That's about what I figured. * Shiho turns and leaves. * Shiho realizes she's hit a dead end as far as archery is concerned. * Shiho spends several minutes considering how she could most benefit the group, and decides to check out the University. * Hogwart's University has two main entrances. One is a pair of immense gates, currently closed, and the other is a smaller door, marked 'open' * Shiho heads for that door, as she doesn't see any reason not to. Can I help you? * Clerk is currently busy sweeping up some torn bits of paper that are scattered all over the floor. Yes... This is the school of wizardry, correct? Yes, this is Hogwart's University. * Shiho nods. "I'm interested in enrolling. How long are courses?" Introductory courses range in length from one season to one year. * Shiho nods. "Erm... How much does it cost?" That depends on how well you do on the entrance exam. Entrance exam? There's also the option of working the cost off while you go to school by making potions and doing work for the faculty. The entrance exam itself is a way of directing people to the courses that would best suit them, and determining how gifted a student is. The most gifted students recieve scholarships. Hm. Well, I suppose I should see how I do on the entrance exam before anything else. When can I take it? The test may be taken at the convenience of an appropriate faculty member. In this case... me. And since I don't have anything better to do, we could do it now. * Shiho nods. "Alright. Thanks." * Clerk pulls out a large crystal from the desk drawer. Place your hands on the crystal and concentrate on pushing your energy into it. * Shiho does so. Now, what sort of magic interests you? Now, what sort of magic interests you? Perhaps Necromancy, the study of life and death? * Shiho thinks on that a bit, particularly on what her magical friends are and are not capable of. No, deffinately not that one. Perhaps Transmutation, the art of changing things? I suppose what we need mos- ah, what I'm interested in is a means of attack. Aaaaaah, you lean towards Invocation, called by some the 'Arts of Boom' * Shiho chuckles. No. Do not laugh. Focus on the crystal. Focus on the thought of battle, of blowing your opponents into small pieces and laughing at the joy of it all. Focus on the ability to make things explode in many and interesting ways. ... But that isn't exactly what I'm looking for. Ach, now we're talkin! * Shiho tries not to look up. "... Daphne?" * Clerk shushes Daphne. Why then do you seek the path of Invocation? Truly, Invocation is suited to making things explode, and not much else. * Daphne shushes relucantly, and looks around idly for a bit. Invokers are the battle wizards, and most of them revel in it. Yes, but I'm not seeking to become a homicidal maniac. I intend to use it for protection from outlaws or goblins, or... whatever those things were. Power is power. What you use it for is your business, for now, take the test. You must concentrate. If you must concentrate on using it to protect your friends, so be it. * Shiho nods and does so. What is important is that you focus! Focus on the feeling of your blood pounding in your ears as magic surges through you and you kill another enemy. * The crystal begins glowing slightly. Focus on the joy of having power and not being afraid to use it. Focus on the look of fear on your enemy's face as they hear your name and realize that their life has already ended. * The crystal begins to glow a little brighter, and then the light gives out. * Shiho blinks. And that concludes the test. That's it? Well, you won't be anything exceptional. You don't have an inborn talent for magic, but you've got more talent than most people. * Shiho nods. * Daphne flashes a thumbs-up at Shiho. You're probably a very focused person, and that helps. In any case, you're not powerful enough to qualify for a scholarship. How long an introductory course would you like? But you said I could work it off instead, correct? Yes, you can. It's very difficult work, however. * Daphne hums. "If I may be so impolite as to butt in, is that test free?" That depends. Do you intend to enroll in an introductory course? * Daphne shrugs. "It'd prolly be a better use of my time than drinkin' m'self into a stupor every day. So, sure." I could probably benefit from doing a bit of magical research anyway. Very well. Have a seat. * Clerk digs out a sheet of paper and hands it to Shiho. Please sign at the bottom. * Shiho looks it over. * Daphne has a seat. * The paper is a clear and unambiguous contract indicating that Shiho will be working for 3 months for J.R.Facultymember in exchange for an introductory Invocation course. * Shiho shrugs and signs at the bottom. * Clerk takes the paper back and files it. Very well, miss Shiho, your course starts tomorrow morning, at sunrise. Be here. * Shiho nods. Please place your hands on the crystal, miss, and concentrate on channeling your energy into it. * Daphne does so. *concentrate* What kind of magic are you interested in studying? Necromancy, the study of life and death? Transmutation, the art of changing all things? Perhaps Invocation, called by some 'The arts of boom'? Summoning, the hardest and most dangerous art, but also the most powerful? Perhaps Divination, the art of knowledge? Would summoning be the blowie-uppey one ye' mentioned? That would be Invocation, the aforementioned Arts of Boom. * Daphne grins. "Well, I like the sound of that." * Shiho frowns a bit. * Daphne looks at Shiho. "Whas' wrong?" * NinjaDebugger peers at the crystal. * Clerk peers at the crystal. Hmmm... Concentrate, girl. If you don't focus, you won't succeed. * Daphne focues. *focusfocus* Nothing. It's just if I knew you were going to go for Invocation, I'd have chosen to learn something else. Focus on the power flowing through your veins, burning its way through you and out your fingers to incinerate your enemies. Focus on the fear in the eyes of all those who cross your path, knowing that at any moment they could die by your magic. * Daphne pictures blowing up some random mook what took her whiskey, bit by bit, starting with the sensitive areas, and focuses intently on that image. * The crystal does not respond. * Clerk peers more closely at the crystal. Not even a glimmer? Focus harder, girl. You have to have _some_ potential. * Shiho blinks. * Daphne focues harder, scrunching her face up with effort. * The crystal explodes, showering the room with sharp crystal fragments. Everybody is scratched in numerous places, though not badly, luckily. AUGH! * Clerk falls backward. Bloody hell! * Shiho throws up her hands. "Gah! What the hell just happened? * Daphne picks a bit of crystal out of her arm. "That was bad, wasn't it?" * Clerk pulls his hands away from his face. What did you do? I, uh, focused. If something else happened, It wasn't voluntary on my part, I assure ye'. * Daphne mulls over that for a bit, tho. I've never seen anything like this happen before. I've never even heard of anything that can shatter that crystal just by focusing through it. Oh lord, I hope I don't have to replace it. * Daphne licks her lips. "Uh, well." What did you _DO_? I... hm. * Daphne bites her lip, and then turns to the clerk. "If you don't mind, I have a theory I want to test. Do you have any really simple spells, maybe pranks or something harmless like that? Y'know, something that'll make me float, or sneeze, or itch?" In light of previous experience with that device, I am forced to conclude that any magical potential you possess is so alien that we would not be able to teach you. If you possess magical talent at all. You can't have overloaded the crystal, that's happened before, and the result is a known quantity. * Shiho rubs her arms where she was cut and looks up. "Wait, how can someone not have any potential?" Most people outside of Colorford don't possess any significant magical potential. She's just got a little less. * Clerk shrugs. I'm not a researcher, so I'm not particularly interested. If you're interested in work, I'm sure at least one researcher would pay you for your time, though. * Daphne sighs. "Alright. Sounds good to me, ah guess." Are you sure about that, Daphne? * Clerk pulls out a contract. Please don't rip this one up... * Daphne turns to Shiho. "Shiho, when we're done here, there's something I wannae talk to you about." All right. Eh? Oh, sure. ::takes the contract and examines it:: It specifies that in return for your participation as a research subject, you'll be compensated with twenty pieces of gold. Alternately, you could obtain one minor magical item, or a small collection of potions, scrolls, and other mundane magical items. * Indeed, the contract specifies just that. * Daphne nods and signs. Thank you very much! * Clerk files the contract away. Sure. And sorry 'bout the crystal. Report here tomorrow morning at sunrise, and I'll have a researcher ready for you. * Daphne nods.