07.14M: Into the (Fox's) Den

The goings on of courts
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BringMeThatHorizon
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07.14M: Into the (Fox's) Den

Post by BringMeThatHorizon »

Continued from the Onsen meeting.

Jaeger and crew are guided by Kanget, still rather nervous and apprehensive despite Jaeger offering an apology along the way. Eventually, however, they all end up outside the wooden doors to Jaeger's own private quarters. There's a sort of apprehension to Jaeger as they approach, he's still a bit shocked by the surreptitious placement of at least a reproduction of one of the items he'd stolen in the past. And true to form, entering showed exactly what he was fearing and expecting.

The room was large and spacious, but this space was juxtaposed by how much was within it. Walls of trophies, knick-knacks, furniture and tables, a large canopy bed draped in cloth with skulls adorning the posts. Chairs draped in rich cloth, globes and astrolabes, books, gems, jewelry, valuables that a man like him clearly had no use for. Jaeger himself followed the trail with his eyes, starting from one end of the room and going about clockwise, counting off objects in his head as he started to unravel the pattern. It was his life's story unveiled before him, every heist, every pocket picked, every monster slain, every trophy. It was all too personal, too revealing, too much of an expose for such a coy, private person. But there it was, engineered around him like some bizarre testament.

"This...Is a bit much," He mused, taking a few steps into the room and stopping at a large astrolabe. "Haven't seen this in years. Messy heist, knicked from a mage's tower. Took me days to try and figure a way in through all the traps and defenses- but we got him. Fool turned out to be stealing children from villages for sacrifices to some dark god, couldn't be convinced that it was wrong. I was only there to knick some trinkets...and then I felt his last breath on my face as my sword cleared through his chest, he turned to face me just a split second before I could slip it in his back. It wasn't my first kill, it wasn't my last, but there was something about it that stayed with me."
Me? I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly... stupid.
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Re: 07.14M: Into the (Fox's) Den

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Alys looks around curiously, but nods at Jeager's words. "I would generally say it is the kills that do not stay with you that you might need to worry about. Still, it sounds like that one was at least better justified than some of mine..."
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Re: 07.14M: Into the (Fox's) Den

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Lyra looks around the room as well, noting some of the more interesting items and privately imaging what stories might be associated with them. "I'd likely have done the same," she comments. "My decor wasn't quite so personal...maybe my past just isn't as interesting."
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Re: 07.14M: Into the (Fox's) Den

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"Well, I've been a part of a few interesting heists- I guess you can see that pretty well." He scoffed in amusement, picking up a gemstone about as large as his palm. Blood red, cut with care and precision. The pride of a royal, stripped away one fateful night.

"I guess...You could say I've been something of a folk thief. Mostly stealing from malevolent rulers or nobles, fighting the good fight using morally ambiguous means. And now I'm probably on the level of a trickster god...if I were to return home with this power, I could strip entire kingdoms of all their wealth in days and run the corrupt monarchs into the ground on my own." He mused, set the gem down and headed over to the most centrally placed and impressive-looking seat. The male sat himself astride it languidly and took in the moment. This was how he lived now. A thief prince in a magic kingdom.

"So, when can I get started mastering my new abilities? The shadows were new, I assume that may have something to do with the powers I've been given. How can I find out for sure?"
Me? I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly... stupid.
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Re: 07.14M: Into the (Fox's) Den

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Alys looks at Jaeger, and after a few moments there's a definite sense of some sort of Power around her - though there's no visible change. "Shift now, while I am Looking, and I can tell you what sort of power your shapeshifting is."
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Re: 07.14M: Into the (Fox's) Den

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"Alright," He nodded. The male didn't move from where he was lounging but instead closed his eyes for a moment to focus. Focus might have been the wrong word for it, as the act of shifting to this form was reflexive. He knew exactly how he looked as a human, roughly six foot two inches in height, a thin and athletic build, angular features that were vaguely eastern without being too distinct. Hair that was choppy and layered, deep blue, muscles and scars that seemed to stay with him no matter how many times he tried to change them- as though each one was somehow etched into this 'default' human shape he took. But unlike the norm something else, coiling around him from behind him at the edge of his awareness. His own shadow, as before, began to dance along his vulpine form and cover it in a layer of shadow- veiling him as the magic took shape. Even the shadow of the chair itself seemed to pull and dance along him as it covered his form, then faded away in an instant to reveal the human Jaeger where the fox had only just been sitting.

Jaeger opened his eyes as the shadow vanished back from where it had come. He flexed his fingers to test that nothing seemed off, then examined himself from his languid position.

"It seems like that's how it goes now? How strange, I can feel the shadows seethe around me. I wonder if that's the rub? Have I some form of power over shadow, now?"
Me? I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly... stupid.
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Re: 07.14M: Into the (Fox's) Den

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Alys laughs, the sense of Power around her fading. "Power over shadow and Shadow, both, apparently. The former - along with your shapeshifting - appears to be intuitive use of local magic; the latter is, of course, Pattern. A sorcerer will be best able to help you start mastering the first... or at least better able than I would be. For the latter..." Alys looks to Lyra, clearly expecting her to fill in the rest of the answer to Jaeger's original question.
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Re: 07.14M: Into the (Fox's) Den

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"Power over Shadow...well you can do a lot with that. So every different world out there, each reality, is a Shadow; an alternate version of reality each with it's own laws of nature and magic. Power over Shadow would allow you to seek out a person, place, or thing you desire and travel through time and space to where it exists. The actual process is not as easy as all that and can even be dangerous, depending on how quickly you try and change the Shadow. Effectively all of existence is sort of laid out like a sphere. Amber is at the center, like a singular light source in a room. The further you move away from here, the "light" in this analogy, the more things are cast into shadow and easier to manipulate.

So as you travel away from Amber, the manipulation of Shadow would allow you a degree of control, depending on your skill, over the laws of whatever land you find yourself in. You can essentially subtly sift through subtle variations of whatever world you find yourself in and choosing the version that most benefits you. And since there are effectively limitless possabilities out there, you can theoretically do just about anything.

There's likely a lot more to it and I haven't really tried it personally so I'm not the one to try teaching you though others here certainly can. I've only travelled back and forth to the world I came here from."
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Re: 07.14M: Into the (Fox's) Den

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"Then I'm in need of a sorcerer, as it were. 'Cuz I've not a single idea how to use any magic save the one that comes natural." Jaeger shrugs, reaching up to scratch at the hair on his chin and readjust himself in the seat. Now that he was absent a tail he had to balance differently. It was singularly the most annoying part, having to change his entire stance and balance based on whether or not he was in his true form.

"I've not a single clue where to start, but this shadow magic sounds like as good a trick as any to add to a thief prince's repertoire."
Me? I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly... stupid.
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Re: 07.14M: Into the (Fox's) Den

Post by ShadowOfPreservation »

"Well for magic I'd actually suggest talking to my husband. Rasanam is quite experienced with it and is a great teacher on top of that. Plus he has a lot of experience with shapeshifting magic so that could be useful as well. As for Pattern, I want to say Harrune would be the best to speak with but he's quite busy so someone else might better fill that role." Lyra glances over at Alys to see if she has any better suggestions.
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