Nur and Alvah talk dufiro
On a fine crisp autumn night, as the sun's last rays filter through the forest Alvah is walking from one of the outer farmsteads with an oxen loaded with 8 barrels of mead. She could easily have just transported them but this night it felt lovely to have some heavy work to do and the weather made a nice long walk pleasant. An hour from the Village a sheet of fire bridges between trees ahead of her. A moment later a wall of rock bridges another pair. To her right a wall of water fills a wide gab. Lastly she feels warm air surround her playfully, tossing her slightly into the air. As she looks about a misshapen gnome walks up from behind. Leaping on the wagon with the mead he chuckles. Producing a large battered tankard he raps it three times and the tankard fills. “Assa wench, if ye name me not, I shall wall you up in a tall tower there to spend an age of the world making me tacos with fresh tortillas!!! . Think you dare try naming me?
Amber Bronkhorst
A slight smile appears on her face when seeing the three elements blocking her way and feeling the air twirling around her. Alvah steps to the oxen to calm them first shushing soothing words and stroking their heads. Seeing the misshapen gnome on her cart she can't help but have a slight smile on her face and a raised eyebrow. "I might have taken a wrong turn. Ended up in a bloody fairytale. So i get three guesses as well? and hey at least i know how to make taco's and tortilla's. Gold out of straw not as much... " She pets the necks of the oxen looking around "good to see you four again, Sindri, Menos, Mayaan, Choros. Had a nice adventure with Nur?" She then turns and looks at the misshapen gnome.
Michael James Watson
"Is that who you think I am? That whinkled wanderer of the chaos wastes?"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah looks at him then shrugs "it is as good as guess as any right? Since he took these four with him on adventure. And seeing them returned in a good state.. yeah that is my guess. "
Michael James Watson
"Pity. I could go for some tacos...I suppose I could conjure some but conjuration doesn't mean quality." He slips from the wagon and shifts to his normal colorful self. "As you can see they are back. They have been stabilized and advanced. It took some doing. Few Dufirosm have transverse a pattern. The Guard in Cicero has visited the realms to brag and cash in debts owed him. He is angling for a Strength ritual. He'll get it too but he likes Cicero well and doesn't want to leave service. Funny. He was annoyed to be placed in him originally"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah smiles wide "Well if you want fresh taco's you could always ask me. I don't mind making them for you. No need to get a whole rumpelstiltskin thing going." she winks to Nur and then looks at her elemental friends agian. "Good to hear. and happy that having traversed the pattenr with me didn't harm them or get them in trouble. " Hearing about the Guard she laughs "Well isn't that the way of Dufirosm? If you got something brag about it. and i'm happy that he turned around then and wants to stick with Cicero. Is it still possible for the Guard then to go for the Strength ritual? Even in service?"
Michael James Watson
"Yes, he can switch to Strength and remain Cicero. But you have little trouble with Cicero and its mostly the Guard's fault"
Amber Bronkhorst
"You mean that they have been bonded together for a while and Cicero might show some signs of a dufiro?" Alvah thinks for a second. "it is really Cicero and Guards decision what to do with that right? Or is there more i should know?"
Michael James Watson
"Well, the bonding is part of it. Its a voluntary thing between seminars and Dufiro but it created an exchange between them. Usually, for a Guard, its part of their defensive sense. Allows them some type of communication and understanding between each other. Its usually a very minor thing. The problem is they had this bond when you walked the pattern, rather the sigil, and the pattern sort of flooded you all with power in order to dismantle the sigil. The power released flattened a mountain range, discorporated an Azcala badass, and flipped you,Cicero, a guard dufiro, 4 defenceless elementals, and itself half way to Mandalay to invade a protected shadow. The elementals barely held it together long enough for me to get them home. You got good and scrambled. The pattern burned itself into Veksvale. And lastly, snake and Dufiro had something orgasmic happen. The Guard held Cicero together despite its delusions of grandure. "
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah frowns hearing what walking the pattern/sigil hybrid did to her friends. She looks at each of them one by one. "Yes that Cicero and the Guard had something going i saw when i went to Vek via the pattern. But i was fine the pattern had healed me i think. I'm sorry that it was such a strain on you four and Guard and Cicero. " She looks at Nur and with a awkward grin she says "At least they all have something to brag about, right. They were there with me. But in all seriousness, is it going to have lasting consequences for the 6 of them? "
Michael James Watson
"lasting effects? Hell yes. The elementals took their advancement as if the were shot from a cannon. They can only advance so far because they need to learn Vomos and Gorbash. As for raw power, they have enough to take a Spirit Race but they haven't developed the maturity." "The Guard was a well respected Guard. It has enough juice to take Strength soon. He had just gained guard when I summoned him. As for Cicero, he is half way to being an Elemental himself. I suggest a Change Elemental. They are rare but respectable. How has it changed you?"."
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah nods thoughtfully. "Well you are teaching me the languages we can learn together. I would love to be able to communicate on different levels with them. For now it was more instinctive and intentions. " She smiles hearing about Cicero. "Well that is up to Cicero is it not? Though it would fit him absolutely. " Hearing Nur ask about herself she falls still. Alvah then shakes her head "Nothing changed really. I am still me. But i did not want to stop and think about to much either. It was not a fun experience for me either... " She then thinks "Wait didn't i still have that dufiro of life with me how are they doing?"
Michael James Watson
he frowns,"that one moved a long before you entered Zunala."
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah nods "Well good to know. " She turns to take the leads of the oxen again. "It is getting dark, and i don't know about you but i don't like the cold to much. We can talk while we walk. Its an hour still to the village." She looks at her feet. "And honestly Nur.. i don't think it changed me much. It showed me things when walking it. I told you that right? When walking through the forest here for the first time i seemed to be able to see things as if through Menos his eyes. Really seeing the trees and earth and all. Thats it."
Michael James Watson
"I am willing to bet the effects were more subtle. Some c people walk patterns many times as and hardly get better at it"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah smiles "This pattern is a bit easier for me to walk. But tjen again i have only my first pattern experience and the broken pattern of Vulsara base. Though after what we went through it is not weird this pattern is easier for me." She looks at Nur and tilts her head witj a questioning look on her face "You think more subtle... then what do you think might have changed? Given your knowledge and experiences and your familiarity with me. What is your guess?"
Michael James Watson
"Vulsara has a broken pattern as well as the Pattern that Vance rescued? Interesting... Very interesting... As for what might have changed, I have not really tried finding out. It would be a tad invasive and Vek might not approve. One thing I always wondered about was your formidable psychic armamentarium. IT was substantially high as a child but I attributed that to your passage through the sigil. There is a good chance you have better access to it after walking a friendly pattern. Or you might get better throughput of energy into your magic. I hadn't checked if your eye had picked a color. " He takes a big drink and taps on the keg to refill his mug. "I have noted that as you speak the Dufiro languages more they start picking up energy. That's what's supposed to happen; they are magical languages after all. They have their basis in the inherently magical nature of the Dufiro and as you get better at the languages you gain more ability to funnel their magical nature. It effects how the magical languages are used in your other magic. But you use Amber magical symbology to funnel magical energy. There is a good chance having a friendly pattern means you have a stronger throughput of Amber magic. I should tell you, that learning Vomos and Gorbash and Relek is easy. But as you learn more you'll have to visit certain Dufiro realms. Kolbashic can not be learned anywhere but one of the primary habitations of the greater Masojas. You'll need to meet an Illuminar to get really good at the upper levels
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah smiles "The languages i shouldn't rush, i understand there is power and magic behind them so before moving further to the higher level languages i'll first make sure to be good and fluent in the ones i know. " She frowns looking at Nur filling his mug again. "I hope you are not emptying that barrel... Oh and about Vulsara not broken pattern i meant wild pattern it is the pattern Vance rescued." Leading the oxen further she looks up a soft sigh but her face stays relaxed. She is not going to let it scare her anymore. "I guess there is still alot to find out. Living and growing up under dad his protection wasn't bad. It was the right move at that time. But it did stop thw discovering of abilities and possibilities. Alot to catch up to. So far everyone i talked to about magic and power said what you said. That for my age i have a formidable psychic armamentarium... what it means no clue. But they seemed eager to teach me." She counts on her fingers "Brand, Bleys, Fiona showed interest by now and then slipping me snippets of possibilities and half info, Arlo but i have the feeling he just wants to keep a finger on the way i use it and temper it. And dad just wants me back with him to train cause i am not ready." She laughs heartily "And i can only agree with him... so little i know, and least of all bout myself. But i might walk the pattern here soon. It might help like you said... at least it can't hurt. "
Michael James Watson
He taps the keg again. "This is a Mug of Stealth. Its a fairly common item created by binding a Spirit of Blending to a favorite mug. Its a minor item. I'll help you make one. I have tomes for a dozen young blending spirits that would leap at the chance to be a stealth for you. Hell, I know a lot of Avasa of Blending that might accept the shame of becoming such a low item in order to be an Amberite's mug. The mug steals a quantity of the product of a keg, bottle, etc, it runs through the spirit's magical essence, then the material is returned to the original container. At that point the spirit can replicate it. Nearly all Spirits of blending started as water elementals. Its a natural life path. Avasa of Blending can do the same but create ever-full containers since they can produce a product they sampled indefinitely"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah looks curiously at the mug and nods "Would love to have one of those. So yes please on the teaching." She then does a silly grin and holds up a finger "Amberite AND reducer of a mean masoja of Death."
Michael James Watson
"Each addition adds to your name. The Masoja of Binding that happens to be serving time in my mug loves that i find rare vintages he never imagined. He is currently whispering his appreciation of the raw power of this Veksdale mead. Compliments to the chef one might say. He is adding 'Taster of Veksdale meads that were shared with the Dufrieanalat. ' If you take a drink of my mug he will add 'and with Avaxala of Azcala, Alvah of Amber, or Alvah of Veksday, daughter of Delwin Talgwir, son of Oberon of Amber. ' Names are long at his level and tell a story. When you have your summoning tome written, it will tell much about you"
Amber Bronkhorst
"Heh that is a load to remember, but i see how it does tell a story and why dufiro want their stories be known. The longer the name, yhe bigger the story , higher respect. More doors open up. Yeah i can see that. Your name would also be your reputation then." She nods slowly as she keeps slowly walking. "So you don't write your own summoning tome? Someone else does it? Do you have one?"
Michael James Watson
He goes serious for a moment, then motions making the oxen stop. He looks seriously at you. Then smiles. "No, one does not write their own summoning tome. And yes I have one. In some shadows all the amberites have summoning tomes or rituals or connections. Most so bad that they have to be in the same shadow to even feel the tickle of a summoning.” He takes out a smoke that puts off pink smoke, “ The writing of tomes is done by Avasa and Masoja of Knowledge. Its a big part of their life and power. Its also one of the few secrets among the Dufirosm; who wrote your tome. You get a new tome each race you take on, the most current has the most power to compel you. But you may not take a new race unless several tomes are written. One will go to the great library run by the Masoja of Wisher, another usually to the library of the Masojas of Knowledge. One kept by the writer. One given to the Dufiro. He then can contract with creatures as Spirits of Paper, younger Knowledge dufiro. Paper Spirits write most the elemental books since there are so many. There are several types of books and you'll run across many of them. Some dufiro, once they change race, have large numbers of tomes of their lesser races made. This lets them be summoned but not necessarily compelled. “ “A book has 3 parts. Calling Name. Summoning Name. Binding Name. The books won't work unless all the parts are done. The calling name is in Vomos. The summoning name is in the race of the Dufiro. The Binding name is always in Kolbashic. If you do not speak fluent kolbashic, you can not bind a dufiro against its will. You really shouldn't even start summoning till you are fluent in everything. Many libraries have partial books. They have no power but can help in getting to know of a Dufiro you met some other way. Never, ever, joke about a Dufiro's book. Even questioning a dufiro about someone elses book is considered tricky, suspicious. Asking for a book is like asking for someone's private trump line. Be careful. Now, many avasa and Masoja specialize in acquiring tomes on request. Tomes are advertising of a sort. And beware of Rage or Rot Dufiro. They are living out a punishment and can be cruel even for their nature. But they can also be useful if you want a tome of a Dufiro who won't give you one. Just be careful”
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah stops the oxen, stroking their heads to keep them calm. She listens calmly to Nur his explanation nodding now and then that she understands and hears his warnings. After Nur is done she is silent for a moment leaning against on of the oxen while petting its back. A slight frown on her face as she processes the information gained. "Wow that is... alot of info. Bu i think i understand. " She smiles reassuring to Nur "Do not worry, in all my awkwardness i do fully understand the importance of the tomes and the need and reverence held to these customs and rules, unwritten or written." Alvah looks down smiling "There is actually a beauty to it all. A dance of knowledge and information, of formality and politeness." She smiles up. "But then again i approach everything as a dance." "When does one know a book has to be made? Or has that a natural flow in establishing? I also ask for the four elementals.. i do want to make sure they gey all they need to grow and learn."
Michael James Watson
"I wrote your elemental's books. I will give you a set someday. I will write their spirit books. I will give you one of each of them as well. As for when you need one? Well, you had a life Dufiro bound to you for most your life. You have garnered considerable elemental force. As an Amberite you gain elemental force. As an azcalan you gain elemental force. In truth, nearly any spirit race would love to offer you inclusion. For living creatures like you and I it is a big step to open yourself up to being bound, in order to gain Dufiro powers. Still, you would make an impressive Spirit of Song, or Illusion. They are often performers. But I think you should live a few more years and maybe see if the Avasa of Cleanliness, growth, maybe Guard would take you in. As an Amberite they would be delighted. There are Amberite Dufiro, but they are none you have met. And if you meet them it would be a dangerous thing. "
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah blinks. "Oh i did not mean for myself... i don't know if i will take that path or even could. First it might be smart to learn where my high psychic armamentarium comes from or at least what it means for me. Like that using raw power... evwn you and dad didn't think ir possible. But i did it at 6 years old on instinct." She looks a while at Nur. "Be honest do you hope for me to eventually take that path? When i am older and perhaps wiser... don't hold your breath on the last one though. " She smiles her cheeky smile. "Amberite Dufiro who would be dangerous to meet, you have me curious but i won't ask for names, you won't share them anyway. " She winks.
Michael James Watson
Nur nods, "Yes, and maybe when you see them just knowing where their power is based is good information. The one i know of is an amberite born of Oberon and a queen of the Djiinn. It did business with air oriented elementals all the way up and has a certain skill at granting wishes from the Wisher dufiro. I suspect two others, Cymnea and Finndo, who may have had enough contact with the Dufiro to have made a bit of the passage"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah listens wide eyed at Nur. "Seriously... hmm... alright good at least to keep in the back of the mind." Alvah looks at Nur taking a small step closer and looking him right in the eyes. "But Nur, what do you hope for? Do you hope for me to take this path? Join the dufiro. " A slight smile then on her face she relaxes a bit more but her eyes still focused on Nur. "If you do not want to answer that. Why did you ask me a while back if i had spoke to Brand? Or why did you said earlier something about chosing an eyecolor?" Playing with her nails she raises an eyebrow looking at Nur. "I have plenty questions and hope to at a point get answers.. especially when they are going to help me explain my power... "
Michael James Watson
"In truth, i don't know if i want you to join the Dufiro. It would take a lot of discipline and the ones that might appeal to you are dangerous. I fear that if you take the path you have the races of Rage ahead of you. Perhaps that time will be short. But it suits your temperment. But if you wait a few hundred years, that will path, and beside, having ppowers of the ragers can make a dufiro powerful"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah nods slowly "Well yeah i can easily see that happening though , rage. Vek has a theory about my rage though. He said something, because i do not have the strength and the endurance to fully use my knowledge in mental and physical conflict." Alvah shows a slight shrug. "i don't know if there is truth in there.... i do not think i have a good understanding of conflict... you would think i would have done better in Rasak then. " She then turns to pet the oxen and looks over her shoulder. "So why did you wonder about the eyes? did you mean that in a shapechange sense? i could choose to have one eyecolor now if i wanted.. but... this is also me. "
Michael James Watson
"Do you know why you have differant colored eyes?'
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah turns fully to Nur and shakes her head "Well dad said it had happened when the masoja of change kept me together and worked to fix me. After that raw power outburst."
Michael James Watson
Nur nods, "Thats pretty much it. It blasted your shapechanging power and it caused your facial form to flow like water. Ask Vek about the Face Dancers of Chaos. The masoja couldn't quite fix everything. And it had to leave a bit of itself behind to keep what she couldn't fix, from keeping changing. It picked one eye color. Not your natual one. Iif that chunk was removed, as I thought walkign the pattern might do, that eye would start shapeshifting its collor on a minute to minute basis"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah raises an eyebrow then grabs her dagger and looks in the reflective surface at her eyes what color they are. "Well that is nothing bad right? But is the masoja okey? Missing a piece of herself now? " She looks at Nur and smiles... "So are yoi going to say i'll have a moodring like eye if that piece of the masoja leaves me? " She can't help but laugh softly. "Well so i learn more about myself. "
Michael James Watson
Nur shrugs, "At this point I don't know. The Dufiro is fine. They heal well. At this point you almost certainly could control it or it wouldn't spin. You have assayed pattern and sigil. Learned sorcery and shapechange, and other things. Things you did not have as a child. Maybe now you could handle what you couldn;t handle then"
Amber Bronkhorst
"Perhaps, i learned alot of control. Well so far things seem fine. Had talked with Vek about my eye colours and my shapechange forms it is not something i always have to focus on. Sometimes speed is more important then trivial details. " Shw winks "Well it does make me wonder. With learning all these things. Do you think i might have lost a part of my instincts i had as a child? Have no clue of that raw power deal is something i could still do. Though at the same time the sigil and pattern would be bad." Alvah shrugs "Feels like i was stronger as a child then i am now. Or i jist have to rediscover that power..."
Michael James Watson
"You can still funnel raw power. Any holder of a major inscription can. Its just dangerous. There is a chance you won't be abld to stop it.
Amber Bronkhorst
Nodding "Hmm yes i know i might be able to, but wonder if i still can at that force, anyway Fiona showed me and wanted to make a day out of it, going to Rasak and just ruin some landscaping... but then her legs got burned off by the pattern." She smiles slightly with a shrug. "Still curious to try though but not alone. Need someone to knock me out if i go to far or can't control. Hmmm i might still ask Fiona.. she seemed... eager. But then again i think all red heads seem that way, at least Bleys was forthcoming about it." Taking the leads of the oxen again she smiles at Nur. "Was just wondering what is stronger, instinctual powers or trained powers... i think for both there is an argument to make. Though if someone would tell me now of a child that had done the things i did untrained i would be curious but mostly cautious and worried. For child and surroundings."
Michael James Watson
Nur sighs, "You had the power the moment you walked the sigil. It was in you to direct the forces. Your attack on the dufiro was instinctive and channeled the power of the construct of Azcala. It scared the peewadding out of Delwin, obviously. But from a practioner's point of view; it was sloppy, splashy, uncontrolled, desperate. All powerful ways to use the raw power but almost as dangerous to the wielder as the enemy. You could have destroyed both of you. When you learn to channel raw power you will do less damage, usually. But only because you are not throwing your life away to create power output. You understand?"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah looks back at Nur and nods slowly as he speaks she smiles reasuring. "I understand, and i understand the danger that i had caused to myself. Being all honest the only reason i survived was because you got to me in time. Not because of anything i did. Well then at a later date i might go see if the offer of Fiona still stands. Like you said. Learning control is better especially with something as volatile. Now i have to get walking it is getting late and the autumn nights get cold here. Are you going to walk up with me to the village? More barrels are there. Of different farms. Different honeys from different parts." She looks at his tankard and smiles "The masoja of binding might appreciate it as well. "
Michael James Watson
He laughs, "He has had enough. I can feel his belches in my ears.. I'll let you go on. You should know how to control the raw power but don't get fixated on it. Its use, however controlled will take a toll on you. Its like hitting yourself in the head with a hammer; It feels so good when you stop." He turns into a pillar of fire and rushes off into the night sky, a comet in reverse.
