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Crystalline Conundrums - (Journal OOC welcome) - SunTzu7 - 06-02-2015
So this branches off the end of the Gogonji Gambit event, the conclusion of which saw Newton in possession of three Soul Crystals ostensibly drained of any worthwhile purpose.
Lacking anything even remotely resembling a starting point, anything resembling a precedent, or anything resembling common sense in the matter, we join her in her ludicrous quest to try and reactive the stones for great justice. Or something along those lines.
Day One
Decided to keep a record of my attempts to be an actual Scholar for a change of pace. The problem presented before me are three Soul Crystals that have been drained of their soul energy and are therefore inert. Of the three in question, one is that of a Black Mage, which presents its own ethical dilemma with regards to the nature of Black Magic itself. One is that of a White Mage, which is also appropriately forbidden in nature. And the last, and most interesting to me personally is that of a Scholar.
If nothing else, I'd like to get the last of these functioning at least. I have no way of knowing at present how much of the Scholar's art Chachanji's brother will retain without access to this Crystal, but it seems a shame to separate someone from their companion without at least some attempt to restore it. Perhaps he'll be able to call his fairy companion on his own. I'm not sure.
To begin, I suppose it best to go over a few simple basics. A Soul Crystal, to give it the common term, is a multi-aspected Crystal brimming with all six elemental energies. Through processes heavily guarded and in some cases lost to antiquity, these Crystals can be utilized to store ancient techniques and arts through the experiences of their practitioners.
To quote my own example, I can use the abilities of a Scholar because when I hold my own Soul Crystal, I can feel the memories of the Scholar who used it long ago in the distant past. My own fairy companion Hope was first contracted into this world from the aetherial plane by this Scholar of eld as well. So long as I hold the Crystal, I can use the Scholars arts as if I was a master. Though the theory remains strong in my mind afterwards, I cannot utilize them practically without contact with the stone. And to my irritation, I personally need a link to Hope in order to use Scholastic arts. What I wouldn't give to go wit
The last letter suddenly trails off in a line, as if the writer had been struck on the head while in the process of writing it.
I have been gently reminded that I'm getting off track. So to summarize, the Crystals are something of a shortcut, allowing access to arts without the necessary years of study involved.
At the suggestion of some of my friends, I first attempted the simple solution, namely to channel as much aether as I could possibly muster through the stone in an attempt to reactivate it. Coralhaus was witness to my failure in that regard, as even breaking all three of my internal Aetherdams, I could not bring even the slightest inkling of light to the crystal.
There was the possibility that I was simply exhausted from the various exertions of the day and the significant amount of healing involved afterwards, so having rested a night, I tried again in the morning with the same results. Arcanists, and Scholars in particular are host to remarkable quantities of Aether thanks to our ability to store reserves and call upon them at will, so I draw the following conclusion:
No amount of my personal aether, or the personal aether of another, will activate the crystal.
Which is a shame. Would it kill life to hand me the easy solution every once in a while? Apparently so.
In retrospect, it isn't particularly surprising. These crystals have absorbed Aether for centuries, millennia in some cases. In comparison, putting my own Aetheric reserves into a crystal is like trying to water the Sagolii Desert with a thimble. On a hot summer day. With the Lord of the Inferno breathing down your neck.
Not a particularly scientific conclusion I admit, but what can you do.
The next question I had to ask was whether I could gather enough Aether from the environment to activate them. In the end I relented on this matter, partly because as Hope so rightly pointed out, only a complete monster would drain the aether of the land for purely selfish purposes like activating a couple rocks.
But mostly because getting that aether is really hard. I'd heard rumblings of some kind of discovery from Sharlayan in that direction, research in gathering energy from the vast quantities of aether crystallized in the land from the Calamity. But sadly, I can't find anything further along those lines from my available resources.
The irony is that an appropriate tool for the job is sitting right on the bleeding desk, namely the Black Mage crystal. But it's something of a self defeating situation to use the Black Mage crystal to draw enough aether from the land to activate the Black Mage crystal to draw aether t
The same curious incident as last time with regards to the writing appears to have repeated itself, the t suddenly concluding in a sharp line to the right.
On task. I'll spend the rest of the day in research with the available material here, but I think on the whole I might have to get some expert consultation going.
The journal ends there for the day, except for a short, scribbled note at the end reading 'Limsa Lominsa in the morning. Possible help?'
RE: Crystalline Conundrums - (Journal OOC welcome) - SunTzu7 - 06-09-2015
Day Two
I have arrived in Limsa Lominsa after having thought my options over the previous night. This bares the markings of an intellectual problem, and in such matters my best recourse is to consult actual academics. With that in mind, I travelled to the Arcanist's Guild in Limsa Lominsa to consult with the deputy Guildmaster. Her name is...
Several misspellings of the name follow, with a neat line through each. Eventually, a small scribbled note to 'Fix this later' is added.
Mistress Thubyrgeim is a noted scholar with a small s, a master of academic principle, and above all else, an enthusiastic student of difficult arcane problems such as this one. Her advice will be invaluable I imagine.
Getting a meeting was no problem as an old student. I don't flatter myself much to say I was never an outstanding student. I didn't find my calling in academia until I unlocked the full potential of my Scholar crystal, and in the basics of Arcanist practice, I am actually average at best. Some people are more suitable to put their aether into healing channels than destruction, and I am one of those. Shame really. I've been accused of pyromania before, but not being able to practice the discipline that truly involves burning many things makes it a poor accusation. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
To wit, my previous engagement with the guild granted me an audience, during which Thubyrgeim was able to both deal effectively with my problem, as well as deal with new students eager to master the summoning of their Carbuncle familiars. Sometimes I miss the Carbuncle that I had as an Arcanist, but it appears impossible to summon both fairy and minion at the same time. I still get him out for a round of fetch now and...
On task before I am struck again. The Acting Guildmaster recalled the name of a scholar with a small s who was very familiar with Scholar with a capital S...
Okay from now on, scholars are going to be academics. This is getting confusing.
She knew of an academic who was familiar with ancient Nym and with Scholars, having come into possession of an ancient tablet long ago. While she attempted to arrange a meeting with said Scholar, she had a suggestion with how I could spend the rest of the day. Apparently the actual Guildmaster, frequently absent due to field studies, was in the region for a brief investigation of some sort. Perhaps I could learn something from encountering him? Apparently, she had sent the fabled Warrior of Light on a similar excursion when his travels brought him here to learn Arcanistry.
I confess myself somewhat bolstered by the idea that I am, indirectly, following in the footsteps of the venerable Warrior of Light. I am going to end my journal here for the day. Apparently he's out in Upper La Noscea somewhere. Will set out on my search as soon as possible.
A line is drawn under those words. When next the journal resumes, the text is far smaller and neater, almost certainly in a different hand than that which wrote the first section.
My Scholar asked me to update her journal, shortly before collapsing onto her bed at the Mizzenmast. I have attempted to poke her awake to no avail. Unfortunately, she commanded me before falling unconscious, thus I must make an attempt.
Our journey took us to familiar, yet strange territory. The Wanderer's Palace in the distance was a reminder of where the Scholars of Nym were once contained when the plague broke out. Disturbing memories haunt that place. Fortunately, we had no need to go there, our search contained on the other side of the lake. A great skeleton of an ancient beast rose up against the backdrop of Upper La Noscea. It was in a small hut that we received details of where our meeting with the Guildmaster was to be held.
Apparently, the Guildmaster was conducting a geological survey of some kind near to our location, in a place called O'Ghomoro. This news appeared to cause my Scholar some distress.Â
The explanation, which was delivered at great length because my Scholar cannot use one word where seventy will do, was that O'Ghomoro was the location of the Primal Titan, and all his Kobold followers. It was called something different in my day, and the Kobolds rarely bothered Nym, but that is beside the point. This sent my Scholar into something of a panic about 'Tempering', a process she was decidedly unhappy about. After ten minutes of panic, followed by some swift corrective action on my part, she calmed down enough to state that Titan was at least a Primal that did not use the process. The worst that could happen was that he could bury us forever under a mountain of rock or send us deep into the depths where none would ever find us or...
I am certain at this point that you get the idea.
Eventually rallying herself, we approached O'Ghomoro. The Guildmaster appeared to have entered the mine complex deep within, infested by Kobolds of all manner of ability, from crushing pickaxes, to earth breaking magics, to synthetic creatures that exploded at the smallest provocation.
My Scholar was unhappy about this for some reason.
We decided that a stealthy approach was the best solution, and made great progress under the cover of shadows. Strange lights are abundant, and even my glow did not attract much attention. A measure of confidence having returned to her, my Scholar made some comment about smooth sailing, and asking what the worst thing that could happen was.
In my defence, how was I to know that she was unaware that O'Ghomoro was very much an active Volcano? This latest problem on a heap of her own problems caused her to give a shout, that shout surprised me and well. A burst of aetheric sparks in the gloom brought the attention of roughly the entire population of the mines.
A fierce fight ensued and while a capable Scholar might have used tactics to elude her pursuers, at this point my Scholar had reached the breaking point and decided that the only reasonable response was fury and explosions. Her wish was granted when our fight accidentally stumbled on a factory that the creatures used to create the exploding creatures from earlier.
When we emerged from the depths, charred and scorched by our ordeals, she took the note from the Guildmaster out with intent to tear it into as many pieces as possible, as if such a retribution would travel to the man responsible himself. Unfortunately, in so doing she found the reason that we were unable to locate him.
On the back of the note was a postscript, noting that he had completed the geological survey a day early thanks to the assistance of his protege. Apparently someone called The Warrior of Light had encouraged her to join him in his fieldwork and as a result it had been finished early. He would in fact be waiting for us at the Guild the next day.
The language that flowed from my Scholar at this point is unprintable.
With that, we returned to the inn, where I am sure that my Scholar is contemplating terrible things.
A new line is drawn under this, with a postscript added later which reads 'Why did I ask Eos to write this? This is all in Nymian or something. Completely illegible. Waste of paper.'