Post by A®heim on Jan 6, 2010 0:45:29 GMT -5
Name: Magnus "Maggie" (Neunn) Sententia
Race: Rishii
Age: 78
Height: 2' 4"
Weight: 22lbs
Birth place: Rishi
Appearance:
img89.imageshack.us/img89/5556/magnussketch.jpg
(Image by Miss Annoying, beloved illustrator)
A weathered, dusty fellow, Magnus' feathers are almost constantly ruffled by the loose robe he wears and the constant use of them for things other than flying (reading, shelving books, conjuring tornadoes, amputating gangrene-infected limbs, etc.). These same feathers are a ruddy brown color, speckled with many other shades and a light dusting of grey around the edges in his age.
Standing at just over 2' 4", his stature is nothing significant even for a Rishii. His face is owlish (pun intended) with bright amber eyes generally perched up by a small pair of wire-rimmed spectacles that often serve to magnify them to an even greater size. It should be noted that these are for his nearsightedness, from afar his vision is excellent. He wears the standard robes of the order, light brown and ringed with an adorned hoodstring, that have been slightly modified to better fit his unique body shape.
Personality: If there's one thing Magnus likes, it's facades. Most that meet him for the first time get the impression that he is a weathered old bird who likes books and nothing and no one else. Gruff, brutally honest, and irritable have all been used to describe him. However, those who have known him long enough to break the facade know that underneath he does care for the order, right down to the blasted kids that pester him day and night. It doesn't actually take much to break this facade, but few dare to try; a great deal of mystery surrounds this figure and from it, strange rumors. Oddly enough, this has less cause from any mysterious personalities or lifestyles and more from the fact he spends nearly every minute of his life in the massive maze of shelves within the tower archive and is thus rarely seen or spoken to unless specifically sought out.
Profession: Infomancer
Skills:
Data Networking
Multi-Lingual
Diplomacy
Medicinal Alchemy
Previous Faction: N/A
Mastery Level: Master
Staff
Worn with age, but built to last, Magnus' staff is generally seen leaning against the Mythic's desk. Unable to fly while holding it, he generally only carries it to council meetings or while taking a leisurely stroll through his library. Actually a Rishii elder's staff, it was constructed long before he joined the order. Built from pieces of scrap metal collected from traveler's scrap piles left behind on their primitive world, the hollow chamber on its end (constructed from the heat-resistant metal of a thermal exhaust port) contains a small exonium stone which emits a subtle glow from a cracked glass lens. Since joining the Stellar Mythics, he has replaced the stone with the tip of a magnalui spine. The exonium stone remains on a repulsor display atop his desk where it provides a spot of warmth in the icy tower library.
Sword
Many regular visitors to the archive jokingly refer to Magnus' ornate letter opener that sits atop his desk as his Mythic sword. While this has spread many rumors that Magnus was once a Battle Mythic, or a Rishii Helldiver, this "sword" is no more than a letter opener given to him by a thankful spacer on Rishi in return for medicinal care. At the mention of his blade, Magnus will only sigh and shake his head from behind his spectacles. Despite this, he harbors a secret fondness of the whole satire and has careful carved "tabellae patefacio" into the base of its stand.
Mythos Abilities or practices:
Ventakinesis
Mental Link
Mend Flesh (only used if possessing no immediate medical supplies)
Time Flash - minor version of Time Step lasting only split seconds.
Specialized Skills:
Telekinetic: 6
Telepathic: 6
Body: 3
Sense: 4
Protection: 3
Healing: 6
Destruction: 2
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 2
Intelligence: 8
Speed: 5
Leadership: 3
Unarmed: 2
Melee Weapons: 5
Ranged Weapons: 2
Mythos Attunement: +3
Bio:
Hatched atop one on the towering spires the RIshii construct their nests on, Magnus was originally named Neunn. It wasn't until he had joined the Mythics that his current name was selected. With his home being relatively close to a Republic colony, his tribe had a fair amount of contact with outworlders and traded with them regularly. Since he was old enough to comprehend such interactions, Magnus was fascinated by the ways of these foreigners and had traded away nearly every one of his possessions at one time or another in exchange for incredible (albeit useless) trinkets.
Among these treasures was an oven lighter (exchanged for a small exonium pendant he had crafted), a digital camera (which was hurriedly discarded after trapping a portion of his soul within it), a dehydrated melon (2 weeks in the colony medical center), and an ornate letter opener in the shape of a tiny sword (exchanged for the shiniest gemrock in his collection, later discovered to be a 28 karot diamond). In addition to these, he graciously accepted any technical refuse the colonists wished to throw out.
In Magnus' own village, he was slowly rising through the ranks. By the age of 12, he held the position of the village innovator. It was the duty of this Rishi to take the uncertain path of experimentation whenever possible in hopes of discovering new methods to assist the tribe. As an innovator, Magnus wasn't only responsible for tinkering with the refuse of the colonists, but to experiment chemically as well. Local plants, minerals, and other natural sources would all be analyzed and, if possible, utilized to make potent medicines, poisons, drugs, dyes, etc.
At age 29, his medicinal prowess had him moved up to the position of village doctor. There he treated many a sick Rishii and even several outworlders who had come about ill fate in the forests below their village. Through these few patients, he nearly perfected his Galactic Basic as well as several of the native languages of those he treated. Through all this, he never lost his fascination for the outworlders and the astounding places they hailed from and had visited. Every colonist Magnus found himself in conversation with would be asked to tell of his/her travels--the places they had seen, the people they had met, their adventures, their love life, everything they would share he would want to know. It was that very thirst for knowledge that sealed his fate.
Twas a dark and stormy night...yesterday, and the tribe was busy repairing the wind-damaged shelters of their village. Magnus, beginning to grey around the edges of his feathers, was sub-level cleaning up debris and reinforcing any withered support columns when he came across a sorry sight. A strange creature he had never seen before lay half-buried under some loose brush. It was small with a reptilian head and leathery wings, the curious robe-like garments it wore were soaked in blood from several deep gashes across its slender body. It's outfit would have otherwise been quite amusing--the robe's tails fell across the wings clumsily and the multi-steepled crown-like headdress was comical on it's tiny head. He had hopped over to the poor creature to examine it more closely when, to his disbelief, it stirred, opened its slitted eyes, and gave a feeble squeak. Taking the creature back up to his home in the spires, he was further startled to hear it speak to him through his mind. Magnus used every medicinal salve he could conjure up to assist this being and, as it recovered, he learned much about who it was and what had happened. She was a Qom Qae, and more importantly, a Stellar Mythic.
What she projected into his mind weren't words, persei, but feelings; images backed by emotion to indicate what she wished to share. Still, she mentioned little at first of this order, describing only her and her partner's request to travel to several systems and make an analysis of them. He got an image of herself and another similar creature nodding to each other and turning around. He felt the sudden mask of fear as the skies darkened and the wind picked up. Her panic rose in him as he felt her struggle against the overpowering gusts, clutching onto the branch for dear life, and the stab of distress when her partner was carried away screeching never to be seen again. Touched by her plight, he put all his efforts into nourishing her back to health.
Several weeks later, she had nearly reached full recovery. The left wing was still broken and it would be another couple months before she would fly again, but otherwise she was perfectly healthy, albeit a little grief stricken over the loss of her partner. Magnus, however, had only questions crowding his mind. He evaded every tactic the Qom Qae, who's "name" (more of an idea that accompanied the being) he learned to be "Seeker of Wisdom", and continued to press her for more information regarding the order she had mentioned belonging to. Finally relinquishing, Seek, as she preferred to be called for short, dropped a flood gate in Magnus' mind and let pour in nearly everything she knew about the Stellar Mythics. Images of similarly robed beings of all races, massive corridors flickered by him, a tower pierced the sky.
He never remembered passing out. The Qom Qae had shaken him awake, projecting thoughts of apology and shame. Magnus took no such offense however, and thanked her for sharing with him such a wealth of information. What she offered next came as little surprise to him; when he had joined the mental link, much of his memories flowed back into her respectively. She saw his obsession with knowledge and his skill at acquiring it. He would make a perfect replacement for her lost partner.
Making his farewells to his family and tribe, he departed the planet on Seek's ship at the age of 54. During the journey, she shared much with him about the order he was to be initiated into, the responsibilities it entitled, and the skills he would be honed in. See, when she had looked into him, underneath all of the desires for knowledge, she saw an untapped power: a power, subtle but potent, he would never be able to unlock living in a cave on a cliff. She did not tell him of this discovery, however. The young Rishii would learn in due time.
Arriving on Aiaru, the first thing Magnus saw was The Tower. It was rather hard to miss, actually; a pure white spire that dwarfed the tallest of his homeworld by several times over. Being led through the corridors was difficult. He wanted to stop and look at every piece of art, experiment with the equipment, and talk to every passerby. Seek finally managed to tug his attention into a large circular room at the base of the tower. In the center of this room sat a young man wearing the same robed outfit as everyone else seemed to in this order, only with a golden trim and multiple adornments. The Qom Qae alighted before the desk and bowed deeply motioning Magnus to do the same. The human (the first, Magnus noted, he had seen in the tower so far) looked up from a large text he was studying and smiled slightly. When he stood, Magnus saw him to be lanky and slim, but he couldn't help but feel some great amount of power was hidden in that physique. The man carried a staff, as did nearly everyone else, but it was a mere branch, unremarkable and unshaped.
He addressed the pair in a manner that far surpassed his apparent age (an illusion he would later learn) and his air was one of seniority and wisdom. Magnus instantly felt admiration for such a figure. First he welcomed the Rishii warmly to the order, he then turned his attention to Thirst and his expression was grave. He apologized for what had happened to her partner, the loss of a Mythic was a sad event indeed. She radiated feelings of regret and compassion of her loss, but that quickly morphed into gratitude. The High Elder raised a single eyebrow and asked her to explain. Both him and the Qom Qae locked their eyes and stood staring deeply into them for several seconds before the High Elder nodded. He thanked Magnus for what he had done for the order and for pledging his service thus. At Seek's request, he did not mention that supressed power to him.
Magnus was granted membership into the order for "exemplary assistance" but was deemed unable to undertake the standard lessons as these were normally begun at an extremely early age. Instead, the Elder's reviewed his memories and talents eventually assigning him as a Tower medical assistant. He remained in this position for 3 terms (18 years) in which time he revealed all he could of Rishii medicines and techniques all the while learning those of the other doctors. Dozens of different species meant hundreds of different methods, but Magnus found that his natural affinity for languages allowed him to understand and remember these methods much more easily than his peers.
During his time with the Mythics, he took part in few if any of the lessons and rarely even leaving the left the tower, preferring to spend his days with the infirms as he had on Rishi. This familiarity provided some comfort at the very least, though many differences were apparent such as the incredible diversity of species that came in daily and the rather unorthodox injuries. One day, a human with a sore throat. The next, a selkath with one of its arms turned to putrid rot by a swarm of zyphters. From the other healers, he added endless recipes and techniques to his arsenal, fusing them into new even more potent salves and concoctions. However, he found himself at a constant shortcoming with the Mythos abilities of his order. Despite his inability to heal through this power, he instead devoted every bit of his studies to alchemy.
Seeker of Wisdom remained a close companion of Magnus during his studies. The Qom Qae even once found herself at his bereth once again after contracting a fairly common, but deadly, illness from her recent travels in the Culsu swamp. When he had diagnosed her, he requested special permission to personally acquire the needed remedy from the swamp itself. He denied any sort of escort, even an airspeeder (which he was never very good at flying anyways) insisting that if he traveled lightly, alone, and under his own flight capabilities, all possible delays could be surpassed or avoided.
Packing a light pouch of emergency supplies and sliding the diminutive dagger he used for his botany into a sheath slung across his back--a fair sized weapon for the being small even for his kind--he had set out from the upper gallery in the direction of the swamp. He had left behind his staff and robe, as they burdened him too much for flight. With any luck, the excursion would be short enough that he wouldn't need them; the robe providing protection from the elements and his staff providing a light source.
He traveled the many miles to the swamp at a fair rate considering he traveled as the crow flies (or as the Rishii flies, in this case). Upon his arrival, the search for the remedy--the root of the cynosorchis cuoris, a brilliant orchid-like flower that grows in the high treetops of the Cuslu--began at the leisurely pace he accomplished everything. It wasn't the he did not care about his dear ill friend, he was simply a firm believer in the "slow and steady" maxim. Locating the plant wasn't particularly difficult: from the treetops (which were no significant difficulty getting into for an avian), the flower stood out in stark contrast from the faded, mossy bark of the tree it grew from.
((Then suddenly a huge cow flew out of the lake and ATE him! Oh, crap! I just killed the main character! Whatever shall we do now!!!!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!)) <--- I left my computer for 20 seconds, and this showed up. I have no idea where it came from but I don't have the heart to remove it.
Drawing his "blade", the plant was pulled and the root carefully removed from the base. Hardly a milligram was required for the poultice, but extra was taken of this relatively scarce ingredient for future application. Considering his daring, perilous mission complete, he had begun to prepare for takeoff when he heard voices below. Several figures, all but one in tattered and mud-stained cloaks, came creeping out of the underbrush. Magnus could see the uncertainty of youth in the cleanly one's face the moment he could get a glimpse. The others had rugged yet harried expressions with rigid jaws and bloodshot eyes. Remaining absolutely silent, he continued to watch this strange group from the tree limb, setting down his knife and the leather pouch he had stored the root in.
The longer he watched, the more he realized who these people were. Potissimus Egregius Unum... He had heard of this group and knew of their crimes against the order, but he had never seen one before, certainly not from a stone's drop away. Or a leaf--he made sure to remain completely still. The young one was a new "recruit" of the Unum and the more Magnus had watched him, the more he felt he had seen the kid somewhere before. They had begun to speak again and a feather head tilted slightly to listen.
They were admonishing the fresh meat for breathing to loudly. It was an ambush in the making. The details became hushed so the Rishii listened closer.
And the branch creaked. Three pairs of eyes snapped to him. Three weapons were drawn; everything from a broadsword to a carbine.
At this moment, Magnus' lack of robe or staff, and his pack obscured from view by the branch saved his life. And the rarity of his species meant the trio stared at him for a moment, he staring back at them with a wide-eyed and frightened expression.
"Damn owls getting us all jumpy..."
The weapons lowered and the Unum lackeys turned to continue through the brush. Magnus wasted no time in snatching up the pouch and taking to the skies. He had been very lucky on that excursion, in more than one way. He would be sure to report these events to the High Inquisitor post-haste. Exactly this he did, after concocting the remedy for Seek who fully recovered soon afterwords. The High Inquisitor warmly thanked him for the information in regards to the Unum, but even the new mythic could see the concern that played across his words. Magnus soon found out why.
Two new infirms came into the medical ward that night on high alert. One he immediately recognized as the young Selonian who spent many hours studying in the ward. The other he also recognized: the Unum initiate.
He tended to Fides first, his injuries were far more serious; a gaping hole in his gut as if a sword had been plunged in...and twisted. The damage was far too severe, how could they think the kid could be revived? He suddenly realized he was not here to do a surgical procedure, he was here to do an autopsy. He had seen the Selonian often: he had so much potential to be a great healer, and more than enough heart to back it up. His heart was somewhat more fragmented now.
Needless to say, by the time he was to treat the second, less lethally injured patient, he was feeling far from saintly. That's who they had been ambushing: Fides was logged to be tracking down a marked Unum with another of his peers. It had all been a ruse, and now this breathing bleeding form had taken a life and expected his own to be saved in return. The kid stirred and his eyes fluttered open, Magnus quietly regarded him in disgust, but all the same began to take inventory of his wounds mentally preparing the proper cures. The Forsaken seemed like he was trying to say something, but was obviously too weak to do so. Magnus wouldn't have denied that he didn't really care what such a being had to say.
A week later, the heretic had recovered enough to walk. If he could walk, he could talk, and he would talk. This was fine with Magnus; get what information you can out of the agent and give him a painless end in return. It was sensible, it was fair. However, no matter how they tried to convince him, the kid wouldn't speak a word for fear of retribution. The final decision outraged Magnus.
This traitor, this murderer, was going to be given full pardon and heavy protection in exchange for any information regarding the Potissimus Egregius Unum, their current headquarters, and their recent movements. An expedition had been sent out to try to find Fides' partner, who had gone missing shortly after the ambush. The recovery squad hadn't returned either.
The night before the "trial" was to take place, Magnus had worked bitterly in the ward mixing some more salves for his unwanted patient's wounds. Said infirm lay asleep on the bunk nearby. During his work, Magnus overheard the patient begin to mutter. This wasn't particularly surprising; if this kid was new to the Unum, he was likely still experiencing some of the rigorous side-effects of the etherium. The Rishii had been subjected to the drug after he had joined the order in an attempt to foster any possible connection to the Mythos he may have had. Nothing had come of it but some wicked nightmares and glowing eyes from the build-up of tactum lucidum.
He had simply ignored it at first, until the mumbling became more coherent. He learned that they had indeed been the team assigned to lure and ambush the young Mythics, but that he had assumed prior anyways. However, the kid continued explaining how much of a fool he had been, falling into yet another trap; how he was never meant to defeat the Mythics but draw them to a greater ally. He had been bait, a fool, and a fool was a weakness. He would show them, once the short-sighted Mythics accepted his sob-story in the morning he would join the ranks of informants within the tower that allowed such operations as these in the first place.
All this was gathered over a period of nearly 2 hours, but Magnus had listened rapt the entire time. He wasn't repenting, he was simply taking advantage of their mercy. His clawed hand had stopped on a vial as he searched for the next component of the salve. Written on it in his messy scawl was "concentrated zyphter venom."
The autopsy report stated heart failure and the trial was canceled.
Several years passed in a chaotic whirlwind. The Unum was growing bolder with each passing day. They were ore organized, more powerful, and most importantly: more persuasive. Friend, foe, and friend turned foe all turned up in the ward and Magnus was becoming physically and emotionally exhausted. The young battle mythic who had gone missing had been found and was already back out on the field. Some kids never learn. The Rishii, for his part, put his language and medical talents to use and devoted much of his time instructing new recruits as medical personnel. The Order needed it now more than ever.
Down time was rare, but when he could find it, Magnus would often use it in the Tower's massive library delving into the limitless knowledge within it. He read up on the history of the Order, of the Unum, of distant alien medicines, and of average galactic wheat prices. On just one such of these days, he found himself with a little breather after a large attack on one of their convoys by some hired guns of the Unum. The bigger messes had been sopped up/set/salved and several of his medical assistants offered to keep an eye of the patients while Magnus got some much needed rest.
Yeah right.
He was heading through the aisles to reshelve an illustrated history of the Morequai (as well as several other he had come across laying around, apparently he was one of the few members who could comprehend the Dewey-decimal system) when he stumbled upon a horrific sight. A girl, no older than 12 and clad in the familiar robes of the Order, lay gasping on the stone next to a weathered tome. He dropped the books he was carrying and half-flew to the girl's side. Panicked eyes pleaded Magnus for a barely noticeable second before continuing at an unnatural speed around the room. He also realized that this wasn't mere shuddering--the child was nearly vibrating! And there was worse.
He could see it right before his eyes! The girl's figure was slimming, arm and leg muscles slowly but steadily entroping. This was unlike anything ever seen in medical science; no seizure caused such an entropy, zyphter venom simply turned everything to mush including the epidermal layer. The Rishii wracked his memory for anything to stop or reverse the slowly and likely horrendously painful death of the child before him. Nothing came, so he went to plan two: learn it.
Magnus snatched up the tome and began to speed-read the page it had fallen open to. It seemed to be some sort of complex ritual or something similar. It was fairly complex and scrawled in various handwriting around the page were various warnings and ominous notes. For the first time, he didn't want to understand something, not something as terrible as this.
The girl had given a silent cry of pain. His inhibitions shattered and he held the tome before him, imprinting the instructions into his mind. He knew he was getting himself into something he shouldn't, but he couldn't stand by while someone so innocent suffered. He was a doctor. The instructions were difficult to understand, not because they were written in some ancient language, but because they spoke of alien concepts to Magnus. These were guidelines for a Mythic, a wielder of the divine Mythos, not some alchemical tagger-on. All the same, he extrapolated what he could and guessed the rest.
Nothing happened.
He tried again.
Still nothing. The girl's eyes rolled back and she shuddered again. He looked to her with pity and something clicked. A door he had subconsciously held shut slammed open and suddenly the instructions were clear as day! The power he needed was all there, he just needed to tap the correct sources. So he did.
The world pressed in around him as if trying to smother the life from his body. Immediately he felt an immense physical toll on his muscles and almost collapsed, but that pleading figure before him kept him on his talons. He also realized her movements had slowed to normal and even some legible sound could be heard. "Please. Help." It took almost all of his strength, but he managed to stumble over to her and raise the book back up. With his remaining willpower, he siphoned of the source of power that welled up from them and fueled whatever this force was.
The world suddenly brightened and he felt as if he had just surfaced from being held underwater for 5 minutes. Both simply lay there for quite awhile in massive relief. Later that day, he visited her in the medical ward. Her muscles had literally wasted away while she had been trapped in that state, but she would survive, though she would be practically bedridden for the remainder of her life. All the same, she was grateful to the Rishii for saving his life. She then explained to him that she had been recklessly attempting a powerful Mythos ability known as the Time Step having far overestimated her capabilities. She explained that when entering this state, all bodily functions were increased to a spectacular rate causing the world to seem as if moving in slow motion but inducing massive amounts of stress on the user's body--only a master-level Mythic would even have a chance of surviving its use. While hoping never to tamper with such a power again, Magnus still has the memory imprint of that faded page and is certain that if the need arose, he could repeat it, but not for long. He was getting too old for this stuff.
Besides, there was a new concern that had more than a fair share of attention drawn to him in the upper levels of the Mythic Hierarchy.He was one of them now, a proven wielder of the Mythos. It was rare for the talent to manifest itself so late in life, no one, Magnus included, realized his gift. Well, except for two.
The High Inquisitor immediately instructed the now elderly Qom Qae to instruct the Rishii in all manners of Mythos ability. With the promotion of several promising new healers graduated from Magnus' own teachings, he was able to step away from his post to focus on the immense mental training he would now be put through. However, he found that his almost unmatched learning capability and extensive knowledge of multiple practices and philosophies assisted him greatly in his trials. In nearly record time, he developed his own Mythos preference using ventakinesis in combination with his flight capabilities and acute natural understanding of aerodynamics to great tactical effect.
Each morning, a shaft of steel would pierce the moistened grounds below one of the Tower's towering spires. A moment later, a mishappen brown cloak would flutter from the sky and alight upon the newly-made coat rack. Finally, Magnus himself would descend and casually dress himself in his robes and pull his staff from the cool grass. From there, he would be met each day by Seek who would then commence his teachings. She imparted her knowledge to him in that same strange thought-image language her species communicated in, but the Rishii soon acclamated to it. It was a beautiful language that imparted everything at once; everything about what was being conveyed, the conveyors feelings on it and the outlying thoughts that trailed behind it. It could be almost dizzying to listen to, but the sheer amount one could learn from it in such a short time served to even greater accelerate Magnus' training.
The lessons would begin with "Mythos Warm-ups" where the divine energies would be brought to bare with decreasingly menial tasks. He learned to use his ventakinesis to alter the air currents around him in order to fetch various objects, propel others, propel himself, any and all practical uses. He learned that while there were many branches of Mythos mastery, many MYthics would focus on only one specialty and apply it to cover the other aspects. For example, he learned to create a barrier (normally achived through terrakinesis) out of nothing but rushing wind that would shrug off almost any blow. Against weaponry unaffected by such a trick, a manipulation of the purest energies of Mythos was required.
With his size and affinity for such a flowing brand of Mythos, he found that his best chance was to utilyze constant movement. A common warm-up was to perch atop his staff while keeping the rod balanced using tiny alterations to air currents. Later in his lessons, he would be expected to whirl the staff about and land back upon it, remaining balanced the entire time. Magnus did these excercises without complaint but he wouldn't deny he didn't care much for this combat training. Seek knew this of course, having established a mental link with the Rishii early in the training sessions.
What he truly enjoyed was the training for the other aspect of the Mythic duty. They had to fight to protect their knowledge, but they also strived on to gather more of it as well. Having a love for new information, Magnus would sit rapt as the Qom Qae told him of the Mythic's past, the history of their planet, and the mysteries of the worlds beyond. He absorbed every bit on how to absorb from others. He mastered the mental link: the connection between minds he shared with Seek that would allow them to recieve eachother's stray thoughts and feelings over no small distance as well as creating an intimacy they had to respect. Nothing could be hidden from the other.
Despite his incredible rate of improvement, he steadfastly refused to be recruited into the ranks of the battle mythics or any of the other select sects of the Order. He reasoned that he was a teacher and a doctor (or to shamelessly quote McCoy: I'm a Doctor, not a _____) and would serve the Stellar Mythics by serving all of its members.
Learning this, the High Inquisitor requisitioned a new office for the new-old Mythic. The Order had been without an Infomancer since their previous one had been killed in a Unum raid several years ago. The position meant all the time in the Galaxy to explore the limitless depths of knowledge within the archive and the opportunity and unspoken expectation to pass it to any who seek the light of enlightenment. It was all he could have ever dreamed of, his life goal on that distant planet that felt like a whole other existence now, or some sort of lucid dream.
He accepted the offer graciously. The celebration several peers and past patients threw him that night was all at once a joyous and saddening moment. Even though he was still on the same planet, in the same building even, he felt as if he were of to begin a new life.
Also the authentic Tralus mahogany desk was a lot bigger and nicer than his old one. And thus, Magnus Sententia, known as Nuenn and Doc in his past lives, removed the exonium stone from the end of his staff, the only two things he had left from that life, and placed it fondly upon the invisible cushion of anti-gravity that existed above the small disc-shaped repulsor display upon the desk. He reached carefully into his pouch and withdrew the tip of a magnalui quill, about 9 inches in length, and gently screwed in the stone's place before closing the metal cocoon. It's iridescent light shined from the cracked lens and, with the exonium stone on his desk, served to bathe the area in a warm, mystical glow. There would always be another job for him to do. Another task to complete. Another secret to uncover. And at the end?
Well let's get this over with and be on with it, then.
RP Sample:
"Hey Maggie!"
The hunched figure startled slightly and nearly dropped the pile of book he was holding. Muttering something about the careless bliss of youth, he turned to face the verbal assailant with his best weathered scowl, somewhat like a wrinkled, grandfatherly smile, but upside-down. Young master Fossor. He let out a tired sigh from his beak and rolled his large eyes at the young man before him. I ought to have known... well what is it you want from me this time? Lose that pet of yours again did you?
The kid chuckled and shook his head. "Come on Maggie, that was 10 years ago! I'm graduating from my tutelage next month!
The Rishii sniffed and started to readjust the books in his wings to a more comfortable position. You'll always be that little brat who ran around in here looking for his latest capture in the meadow, digging through the shelves where it was probably sitting chewing on my collection. Always a pain, you were. Nonstop questions! Nonstop wonders! You're the reason an old bird like me gets grouchy. A book teetered from his grasp and, in his attempt to recapture the runaway, he dropped the rest of them. Data chips, loose pages, and books strew across the floor.
"Aww, you don't mean that. You know you loved my company."
Magnus looked up from his crouched position with a look that was one part irritation and one part exasperation. The stale air in that aisle stirred suddenly, accelerating unnaturally into a tiny, localized gale. The books on the floor as well as all the others in the wooden cart behind the two whirled into the air. Fossor shielded his face from the tempest and when it had subsided, he saw all the books neatly shelved and the small face of Magnus still staring up at him. The expression hadn't shifted a millimeter.
"Ya know, there's still a lot of Understudies who think you're a Lost. I woulda liked to see their faces if they were here for that." The kid chuckled.
The Infomancer's facade broke with his expression as it slid into a silent laugh. Well then don't tell em til that day comes. That's something I want to see myself. They smile vanished as quickly as it had come, replaced by one of seriousness with maybe even a bit of concern. Now what is it you wanted?
Fossor's smile grew wider. "I need a book."
Blasphemy. Now why are you really here?
"Etherium rituals and practices. Volume II."
Magnus eyed him uneasily for a moment, it was unusual enough that Fossor desired a book (he had always simply plagued the librarian with each question he had) but the subject was not one he had expected and the Volume II worried him as well. Volume II? That suggested he had read Volume I, a work Magnus was certain the boy had never checked from the archives. Coming of age indeed. Your first etherium at the ceremony. Everyone reacts a little but different to it the first time, you know...
"Yes yes, that's why I'm reading up on it. I wanna be prepared, I don't wanna make a fool of myself..." Fossor lowered his head.
Magnus sighed and jumped up to perch on the book cart so as to be at eye level with the kid. Look, Fossor, you may have been an annoying brat growing up, but you were the cleverest brat that ever set foot in this archive. He reached out and placed a single clawed hand on Fossor's shoulder. Aisle 78, shelf D, 551.
"Thank you, sir."
Anytime.
He bowed slightly and set off in search of the book. About three quarters down the aisle he turned suddenly. "Oh, and Maggie?"
The Rishii turned and nearly fell off the cart. What!?
"If you see my dwarf nuna, let me know! It's around here somewhere..."
Oh for the love of-- IF I FIND THAT THING CHEWING ON MY BINDINGS, YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT! The Rishii stomped around on the cart prompting a pile of books to fall on top of him. Heaving a copy of the "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Galactic Wheat" from his chest and picking himself up, he returned to the endless task of re-shelving returned literature and fantasizing of what he would do if he found that nuna devouring some priceless documents. Sigh. That kid....trouble from the start, trouble til the end...
Race: Rishii
Age: 78
Height: 2' 4"
Weight: 22lbs
Birth place: Rishi
Appearance:
img89.imageshack.us/img89/5556/magnussketch.jpg
(Image by Miss Annoying, beloved illustrator)
A weathered, dusty fellow, Magnus' feathers are almost constantly ruffled by the loose robe he wears and the constant use of them for things other than flying (reading, shelving books, conjuring tornadoes, amputating gangrene-infected limbs, etc.). These same feathers are a ruddy brown color, speckled with many other shades and a light dusting of grey around the edges in his age.
Standing at just over 2' 4", his stature is nothing significant even for a Rishii. His face is owlish (pun intended) with bright amber eyes generally perched up by a small pair of wire-rimmed spectacles that often serve to magnify them to an even greater size. It should be noted that these are for his nearsightedness, from afar his vision is excellent. He wears the standard robes of the order, light brown and ringed with an adorned hoodstring, that have been slightly modified to better fit his unique body shape.
Personality: If there's one thing Magnus likes, it's facades. Most that meet him for the first time get the impression that he is a weathered old bird who likes books and nothing and no one else. Gruff, brutally honest, and irritable have all been used to describe him. However, those who have known him long enough to break the facade know that underneath he does care for the order, right down to the blasted kids that pester him day and night. It doesn't actually take much to break this facade, but few dare to try; a great deal of mystery surrounds this figure and from it, strange rumors. Oddly enough, this has less cause from any mysterious personalities or lifestyles and more from the fact he spends nearly every minute of his life in the massive maze of shelves within the tower archive and is thus rarely seen or spoken to unless specifically sought out.
Profession: Infomancer
Skills:
Data Networking
Multi-Lingual
Diplomacy
Medicinal Alchemy
Previous Faction: N/A
Mastery Level: Master
Staff
"lux lucis addo"
Worn with age, but built to last, Magnus' staff is generally seen leaning against the Mythic's desk. Unable to fly while holding it, he generally only carries it to council meetings or while taking a leisurely stroll through his library. Actually a Rishii elder's staff, it was constructed long before he joined the order. Built from pieces of scrap metal collected from traveler's scrap piles left behind on their primitive world, the hollow chamber on its end (constructed from the heat-resistant metal of a thermal exhaust port) contains a small exonium stone which emits a subtle glow from a cracked glass lens. Since joining the Stellar Mythics, he has replaced the stone with the tip of a magnalui spine. The exonium stone remains on a repulsor display atop his desk where it provides a spot of warmth in the icy tower library.
Sword
"tabellae patefacio"
Many regular visitors to the archive jokingly refer to Magnus' ornate letter opener that sits atop his desk as his Mythic sword. While this has spread many rumors that Magnus was once a Battle Mythic, or a Rishii Helldiver, this "sword" is no more than a letter opener given to him by a thankful spacer on Rishi in return for medicinal care. At the mention of his blade, Magnus will only sigh and shake his head from behind his spectacles. Despite this, he harbors a secret fondness of the whole satire and has careful carved "tabellae patefacio" into the base of its stand.
Mythos Abilities or practices:
Ventakinesis
Mental Link
Mend Flesh (only used if possessing no immediate medical supplies)
Time Flash - minor version of Time Step lasting only split seconds.
Specialized Skills:
Telekinetic: 6
Telepathic: 6
Body: 3
Sense: 4
Protection: 3
Healing: 6
Destruction: 2
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 2
Intelligence: 8
Speed: 5
Leadership: 3
Unarmed: 2
Melee Weapons: 5
Ranged Weapons: 2
Mythos Attunement: +3
Bio:
Paging Dr. Neunn
Hatched atop one on the towering spires the RIshii construct their nests on, Magnus was originally named Neunn. It wasn't until he had joined the Mythics that his current name was selected. With his home being relatively close to a Republic colony, his tribe had a fair amount of contact with outworlders and traded with them regularly. Since he was old enough to comprehend such interactions, Magnus was fascinated by the ways of these foreigners and had traded away nearly every one of his possessions at one time or another in exchange for incredible (albeit useless) trinkets.
Among these treasures was an oven lighter (exchanged for a small exonium pendant he had crafted), a digital camera (which was hurriedly discarded after trapping a portion of his soul within it), a dehydrated melon (2 weeks in the colony medical center), and an ornate letter opener in the shape of a tiny sword (exchanged for the shiniest gemrock in his collection, later discovered to be a 28 karot diamond). In addition to these, he graciously accepted any technical refuse the colonists wished to throw out.
In Magnus' own village, he was slowly rising through the ranks. By the age of 12, he held the position of the village innovator. It was the duty of this Rishi to take the uncertain path of experimentation whenever possible in hopes of discovering new methods to assist the tribe. As an innovator, Magnus wasn't only responsible for tinkering with the refuse of the colonists, but to experiment chemically as well. Local plants, minerals, and other natural sources would all be analyzed and, if possible, utilized to make potent medicines, poisons, drugs, dyes, etc.
At age 29, his medicinal prowess had him moved up to the position of village doctor. There he treated many a sick Rishii and even several outworlders who had come about ill fate in the forests below their village. Through these few patients, he nearly perfected his Galactic Basic as well as several of the native languages of those he treated. Through all this, he never lost his fascination for the outworlders and the astounding places they hailed from and had visited. Every colonist Magnus found himself in conversation with would be asked to tell of his/her travels--the places they had seen, the people they had met, their adventures, their love life, everything they would share he would want to know. It was that very thirst for knowledge that sealed his fate.
The Mysterious Patient
[/center]Twas a dark and stormy night...yesterday, and the tribe was busy repairing the wind-damaged shelters of their village. Magnus, beginning to grey around the edges of his feathers, was sub-level cleaning up debris and reinforcing any withered support columns when he came across a sorry sight. A strange creature he had never seen before lay half-buried under some loose brush. It was small with a reptilian head and leathery wings, the curious robe-like garments it wore were soaked in blood from several deep gashes across its slender body. It's outfit would have otherwise been quite amusing--the robe's tails fell across the wings clumsily and the multi-steepled crown-like headdress was comical on it's tiny head. He had hopped over to the poor creature to examine it more closely when, to his disbelief, it stirred, opened its slitted eyes, and gave a feeble squeak. Taking the creature back up to his home in the spires, he was further startled to hear it speak to him through his mind. Magnus used every medicinal salve he could conjure up to assist this being and, as it recovered, he learned much about who it was and what had happened. She was a Qom Qae, and more importantly, a Stellar Mythic.
What she projected into his mind weren't words, persei, but feelings; images backed by emotion to indicate what she wished to share. Still, she mentioned little at first of this order, describing only her and her partner's request to travel to several systems and make an analysis of them. He got an image of herself and another similar creature nodding to each other and turning around. He felt the sudden mask of fear as the skies darkened and the wind picked up. Her panic rose in him as he felt her struggle against the overpowering gusts, clutching onto the branch for dear life, and the stab of distress when her partner was carried away screeching never to be seen again. Touched by her plight, he put all his efforts into nourishing her back to health.
Several weeks later, she had nearly reached full recovery. The left wing was still broken and it would be another couple months before she would fly again, but otherwise she was perfectly healthy, albeit a little grief stricken over the loss of her partner. Magnus, however, had only questions crowding his mind. He evaded every tactic the Qom Qae, who's "name" (more of an idea that accompanied the being) he learned to be "Seeker of Wisdom", and continued to press her for more information regarding the order she had mentioned belonging to. Finally relinquishing, Seek, as she preferred to be called for short, dropped a flood gate in Magnus' mind and let pour in nearly everything she knew about the Stellar Mythics. Images of similarly robed beings of all races, massive corridors flickered by him, a tower pierced the sky.
He never remembered passing out. The Qom Qae had shaken him awake, projecting thoughts of apology and shame. Magnus took no such offense however, and thanked her for sharing with him such a wealth of information. What she offered next came as little surprise to him; when he had joined the mental link, much of his memories flowed back into her respectively. She saw his obsession with knowledge and his skill at acquiring it. He would make a perfect replacement for her lost partner.
A Shiny New Infirmary
[/center]Making his farewells to his family and tribe, he departed the planet on Seek's ship at the age of 54. During the journey, she shared much with him about the order he was to be initiated into, the responsibilities it entitled, and the skills he would be honed in. See, when she had looked into him, underneath all of the desires for knowledge, she saw an untapped power: a power, subtle but potent, he would never be able to unlock living in a cave on a cliff. She did not tell him of this discovery, however. The young Rishii would learn in due time.
Arriving on Aiaru, the first thing Magnus saw was The Tower. It was rather hard to miss, actually; a pure white spire that dwarfed the tallest of his homeworld by several times over. Being led through the corridors was difficult. He wanted to stop and look at every piece of art, experiment with the equipment, and talk to every passerby. Seek finally managed to tug his attention into a large circular room at the base of the tower. In the center of this room sat a young man wearing the same robed outfit as everyone else seemed to in this order, only with a golden trim and multiple adornments. The Qom Qae alighted before the desk and bowed deeply motioning Magnus to do the same. The human (the first, Magnus noted, he had seen in the tower so far) looked up from a large text he was studying and smiled slightly. When he stood, Magnus saw him to be lanky and slim, but he couldn't help but feel some great amount of power was hidden in that physique. The man carried a staff, as did nearly everyone else, but it was a mere branch, unremarkable and unshaped.
He addressed the pair in a manner that far surpassed his apparent age (an illusion he would later learn) and his air was one of seniority and wisdom. Magnus instantly felt admiration for such a figure. First he welcomed the Rishii warmly to the order, he then turned his attention to Thirst and his expression was grave. He apologized for what had happened to her partner, the loss of a Mythic was a sad event indeed. She radiated feelings of regret and compassion of her loss, but that quickly morphed into gratitude. The High Elder raised a single eyebrow and asked her to explain. Both him and the Qom Qae locked their eyes and stood staring deeply into them for several seconds before the High Elder nodded. He thanked Magnus for what he had done for the order and for pledging his service thus. At Seek's request, he did not mention that supressed power to him.
Magnus was granted membership into the order for "exemplary assistance" but was deemed unable to undertake the standard lessons as these were normally begun at an extremely early age. Instead, the Elder's reviewed his memories and talents eventually assigning him as a Tower medical assistant. He remained in this position for 3 terms (18 years) in which time he revealed all he could of Rishii medicines and techniques all the while learning those of the other doctors. Dozens of different species meant hundreds of different methods, but Magnus found that his natural affinity for languages allowed him to understand and remember these methods much more easily than his peers.
During his time with the Mythics, he took part in few if any of the lessons and rarely even leaving the left the tower, preferring to spend his days with the infirms as he had on Rishi. This familiarity provided some comfort at the very least, though many differences were apparent such as the incredible diversity of species that came in daily and the rather unorthodox injuries. One day, a human with a sore throat. The next, a selkath with one of its arms turned to putrid rot by a swarm of zyphters. From the other healers, he added endless recipes and techniques to his arsenal, fusing them into new even more potent salves and concoctions. However, he found himself at a constant shortcoming with the Mythos abilities of his order. Despite his inability to heal through this power, he instead devoted every bit of his studies to alchemy.
The True Disease
Seeker of Wisdom remained a close companion of Magnus during his studies. The Qom Qae even once found herself at his bereth once again after contracting a fairly common, but deadly, illness from her recent travels in the Culsu swamp. When he had diagnosed her, he requested special permission to personally acquire the needed remedy from the swamp itself. He denied any sort of escort, even an airspeeder (which he was never very good at flying anyways) insisting that if he traveled lightly, alone, and under his own flight capabilities, all possible delays could be surpassed or avoided.
Packing a light pouch of emergency supplies and sliding the diminutive dagger he used for his botany into a sheath slung across his back--a fair sized weapon for the being small even for his kind--he had set out from the upper gallery in the direction of the swamp. He had left behind his staff and robe, as they burdened him too much for flight. With any luck, the excursion would be short enough that he wouldn't need them; the robe providing protection from the elements and his staff providing a light source.
He traveled the many miles to the swamp at a fair rate considering he traveled as the crow flies (or as the Rishii flies, in this case). Upon his arrival, the search for the remedy--the root of the cynosorchis cuoris, a brilliant orchid-like flower that grows in the high treetops of the Cuslu--began at the leisurely pace he accomplished everything. It wasn't the he did not care about his dear ill friend, he was simply a firm believer in the "slow and steady" maxim. Locating the plant wasn't particularly difficult: from the treetops (which were no significant difficulty getting into for an avian), the flower stood out in stark contrast from the faded, mossy bark of the tree it grew from.
((Then suddenly a huge cow flew out of the lake and ATE him! Oh, crap! I just killed the main character! Whatever shall we do now!!!!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!)) <--- I left my computer for 20 seconds, and this showed up. I have no idea where it came from but I don't have the heart to remove it.
Drawing his "blade", the plant was pulled and the root carefully removed from the base. Hardly a milligram was required for the poultice, but extra was taken of this relatively scarce ingredient for future application. Considering his daring, perilous mission complete, he had begun to prepare for takeoff when he heard voices below. Several figures, all but one in tattered and mud-stained cloaks, came creeping out of the underbrush. Magnus could see the uncertainty of youth in the cleanly one's face the moment he could get a glimpse. The others had rugged yet harried expressions with rigid jaws and bloodshot eyes. Remaining absolutely silent, he continued to watch this strange group from the tree limb, setting down his knife and the leather pouch he had stored the root in.
The longer he watched, the more he realized who these people were. Potissimus Egregius Unum... He had heard of this group and knew of their crimes against the order, but he had never seen one before, certainly not from a stone's drop away. Or a leaf--he made sure to remain completely still. The young one was a new "recruit" of the Unum and the more Magnus had watched him, the more he felt he had seen the kid somewhere before. They had begun to speak again and a feather head tilted slightly to listen.
They were admonishing the fresh meat for breathing to loudly. It was an ambush in the making. The details became hushed so the Rishii listened closer.
And the branch creaked. Three pairs of eyes snapped to him. Three weapons were drawn; everything from a broadsword to a carbine.
At this moment, Magnus' lack of robe or staff, and his pack obscured from view by the branch saved his life. And the rarity of his species meant the trio stared at him for a moment, he staring back at them with a wide-eyed and frightened expression.
"Damn owls getting us all jumpy..."
The weapons lowered and the Unum lackeys turned to continue through the brush. Magnus wasted no time in snatching up the pouch and taking to the skies. He had been very lucky on that excursion, in more than one way. He would be sure to report these events to the High Inquisitor post-haste. Exactly this he did, after concocting the remedy for Seek who fully recovered soon afterwords. The High Inquisitor warmly thanked him for the information in regards to the Unum, but even the new mythic could see the concern that played across his words. Magnus soon found out why.
Two new infirms came into the medical ward that night on high alert. One he immediately recognized as the young Selonian who spent many hours studying in the ward. The other he also recognized: the Unum initiate.
He tended to Fides first, his injuries were far more serious; a gaping hole in his gut as if a sword had been plunged in...and twisted. The damage was far too severe, how could they think the kid could be revived? He suddenly realized he was not here to do a surgical procedure, he was here to do an autopsy. He had seen the Selonian often: he had so much potential to be a great healer, and more than enough heart to back it up. His heart was somewhat more fragmented now.
Needless to say, by the time he was to treat the second, less lethally injured patient, he was feeling far from saintly. That's who they had been ambushing: Fides was logged to be tracking down a marked Unum with another of his peers. It had all been a ruse, and now this breathing bleeding form had taken a life and expected his own to be saved in return. The kid stirred and his eyes fluttered open, Magnus quietly regarded him in disgust, but all the same began to take inventory of his wounds mentally preparing the proper cures. The Forsaken seemed like he was trying to say something, but was obviously too weak to do so. Magnus wouldn't have denied that he didn't really care what such a being had to say.
Diagnosis
A week later, the heretic had recovered enough to walk. If he could walk, he could talk, and he would talk. This was fine with Magnus; get what information you can out of the agent and give him a painless end in return. It was sensible, it was fair. However, no matter how they tried to convince him, the kid wouldn't speak a word for fear of retribution. The final decision outraged Magnus.
This traitor, this murderer, was going to be given full pardon and heavy protection in exchange for any information regarding the Potissimus Egregius Unum, their current headquarters, and their recent movements. An expedition had been sent out to try to find Fides' partner, who had gone missing shortly after the ambush. The recovery squad hadn't returned either.
The night before the "trial" was to take place, Magnus had worked bitterly in the ward mixing some more salves for his unwanted patient's wounds. Said infirm lay asleep on the bunk nearby. During his work, Magnus overheard the patient begin to mutter. This wasn't particularly surprising; if this kid was new to the Unum, he was likely still experiencing some of the rigorous side-effects of the etherium. The Rishii had been subjected to the drug after he had joined the order in an attempt to foster any possible connection to the Mythos he may have had. Nothing had come of it but some wicked nightmares and glowing eyes from the build-up of tactum lucidum.
He had simply ignored it at first, until the mumbling became more coherent. He learned that they had indeed been the team assigned to lure and ambush the young Mythics, but that he had assumed prior anyways. However, the kid continued explaining how much of a fool he had been, falling into yet another trap; how he was never meant to defeat the Mythics but draw them to a greater ally. He had been bait, a fool, and a fool was a weakness. He would show them, once the short-sighted Mythics accepted his sob-story in the morning he would join the ranks of informants within the tower that allowed such operations as these in the first place.
All this was gathered over a period of nearly 2 hours, but Magnus had listened rapt the entire time. He wasn't repenting, he was simply taking advantage of their mercy. His clawed hand had stopped on a vial as he searched for the next component of the salve. Written on it in his messy scawl was "concentrated zyphter venom."
The autopsy report stated heart failure and the trial was canceled.
Side Effects May Include Time Travel
Several years passed in a chaotic whirlwind. The Unum was growing bolder with each passing day. They were ore organized, more powerful, and most importantly: more persuasive. Friend, foe, and friend turned foe all turned up in the ward and Magnus was becoming physically and emotionally exhausted. The young battle mythic who had gone missing had been found and was already back out on the field. Some kids never learn. The Rishii, for his part, put his language and medical talents to use and devoted much of his time instructing new recruits as medical personnel. The Order needed it now more than ever.
Down time was rare, but when he could find it, Magnus would often use it in the Tower's massive library delving into the limitless knowledge within it. He read up on the history of the Order, of the Unum, of distant alien medicines, and of average galactic wheat prices. On just one such of these days, he found himself with a little breather after a large attack on one of their convoys by some hired guns of the Unum. The bigger messes had been sopped up/set/salved and several of his medical assistants offered to keep an eye of the patients while Magnus got some much needed rest.
Yeah right.
He was heading through the aisles to reshelve an illustrated history of the Morequai (as well as several other he had come across laying around, apparently he was one of the few members who could comprehend the Dewey-decimal system) when he stumbled upon a horrific sight. A girl, no older than 12 and clad in the familiar robes of the Order, lay gasping on the stone next to a weathered tome. He dropped the books he was carrying and half-flew to the girl's side. Panicked eyes pleaded Magnus for a barely noticeable second before continuing at an unnatural speed around the room. He also realized that this wasn't mere shuddering--the child was nearly vibrating! And there was worse.
He could see it right before his eyes! The girl's figure was slimming, arm and leg muscles slowly but steadily entroping. This was unlike anything ever seen in medical science; no seizure caused such an entropy, zyphter venom simply turned everything to mush including the epidermal layer. The Rishii wracked his memory for anything to stop or reverse the slowly and likely horrendously painful death of the child before him. Nothing came, so he went to plan two: learn it.
Magnus snatched up the tome and began to speed-read the page it had fallen open to. It seemed to be some sort of complex ritual or something similar. It was fairly complex and scrawled in various handwriting around the page were various warnings and ominous notes. For the first time, he didn't want to understand something, not something as terrible as this.
The girl had given a silent cry of pain. His inhibitions shattered and he held the tome before him, imprinting the instructions into his mind. He knew he was getting himself into something he shouldn't, but he couldn't stand by while someone so innocent suffered. He was a doctor. The instructions were difficult to understand, not because they were written in some ancient language, but because they spoke of alien concepts to Magnus. These were guidelines for a Mythic, a wielder of the divine Mythos, not some alchemical tagger-on. All the same, he extrapolated what he could and guessed the rest.
Nothing happened.
He tried again.
Still nothing. The girl's eyes rolled back and she shuddered again. He looked to her with pity and something clicked. A door he had subconsciously held shut slammed open and suddenly the instructions were clear as day! The power he needed was all there, he just needed to tap the correct sources. So he did.
The world pressed in around him as if trying to smother the life from his body. Immediately he felt an immense physical toll on his muscles and almost collapsed, but that pleading figure before him kept him on his talons. He also realized her movements had slowed to normal and even some legible sound could be heard. "Please. Help." It took almost all of his strength, but he managed to stumble over to her and raise the book back up. With his remaining willpower, he siphoned of the source of power that welled up from them and fueled whatever this force was.
The world suddenly brightened and he felt as if he had just surfaced from being held underwater for 5 minutes. Both simply lay there for quite awhile in massive relief. Later that day, he visited her in the medical ward. Her muscles had literally wasted away while she had been trapped in that state, but she would survive, though she would be practically bedridden for the remainder of her life. All the same, she was grateful to the Rishii for saving his life. She then explained to him that she had been recklessly attempting a powerful Mythos ability known as the Time Step having far overestimated her capabilities. She explained that when entering this state, all bodily functions were increased to a spectacular rate causing the world to seem as if moving in slow motion but inducing massive amounts of stress on the user's body--only a master-level Mythic would even have a chance of surviving its use. While hoping never to tamper with such a power again, Magnus still has the memory imprint of that faded page and is certain that if the need arose, he could repeat it, but not for long. He was getting too old for this stuff.
Besides, there was a new concern that had more than a fair share of attention drawn to him in the upper levels of the Mythic Hierarchy.He was one of them now, a proven wielder of the Mythos. It was rare for the talent to manifest itself so late in life, no one, Magnus included, realized his gift. Well, except for two.
Hanging Up the Scrubs
The High Inquisitor immediately instructed the now elderly Qom Qae to instruct the Rishii in all manners of Mythos ability. With the promotion of several promising new healers graduated from Magnus' own teachings, he was able to step away from his post to focus on the immense mental training he would now be put through. However, he found that his almost unmatched learning capability and extensive knowledge of multiple practices and philosophies assisted him greatly in his trials. In nearly record time, he developed his own Mythos preference using ventakinesis in combination with his flight capabilities and acute natural understanding of aerodynamics to great tactical effect.
Each morning, a shaft of steel would pierce the moistened grounds below one of the Tower's towering spires. A moment later, a mishappen brown cloak would flutter from the sky and alight upon the newly-made coat rack. Finally, Magnus himself would descend and casually dress himself in his robes and pull his staff from the cool grass. From there, he would be met each day by Seek who would then commence his teachings. She imparted her knowledge to him in that same strange thought-image language her species communicated in, but the Rishii soon acclamated to it. It was a beautiful language that imparted everything at once; everything about what was being conveyed, the conveyors feelings on it and the outlying thoughts that trailed behind it. It could be almost dizzying to listen to, but the sheer amount one could learn from it in such a short time served to even greater accelerate Magnus' training.
The lessons would begin with "Mythos Warm-ups" where the divine energies would be brought to bare with decreasingly menial tasks. He learned to use his ventakinesis to alter the air currents around him in order to fetch various objects, propel others, propel himself, any and all practical uses. He learned that while there were many branches of Mythos mastery, many MYthics would focus on only one specialty and apply it to cover the other aspects. For example, he learned to create a barrier (normally achived through terrakinesis) out of nothing but rushing wind that would shrug off almost any blow. Against weaponry unaffected by such a trick, a manipulation of the purest energies of Mythos was required.
With his size and affinity for such a flowing brand of Mythos, he found that his best chance was to utilyze constant movement. A common warm-up was to perch atop his staff while keeping the rod balanced using tiny alterations to air currents. Later in his lessons, he would be expected to whirl the staff about and land back upon it, remaining balanced the entire time. Magnus did these excercises without complaint but he wouldn't deny he didn't care much for this combat training. Seek knew this of course, having established a mental link with the Rishii early in the training sessions.
What he truly enjoyed was the training for the other aspect of the Mythic duty. They had to fight to protect their knowledge, but they also strived on to gather more of it as well. Having a love for new information, Magnus would sit rapt as the Qom Qae told him of the Mythic's past, the history of their planet, and the mysteries of the worlds beyond. He absorbed every bit on how to absorb from others. He mastered the mental link: the connection between minds he shared with Seek that would allow them to recieve eachother's stray thoughts and feelings over no small distance as well as creating an intimacy they had to respect. Nothing could be hidden from the other.
Despite his incredible rate of improvement, he steadfastly refused to be recruited into the ranks of the battle mythics or any of the other select sects of the Order. He reasoned that he was a teacher and a doctor (or to shamelessly quote McCoy: I'm a Doctor, not a _____) and would serve the Stellar Mythics by serving all of its members.
Learning this, the High Inquisitor requisitioned a new office for the new-old Mythic. The Order had been without an Infomancer since their previous one had been killed in a Unum raid several years ago. The position meant all the time in the Galaxy to explore the limitless depths of knowledge within the archive and the opportunity and unspoken expectation to pass it to any who seek the light of enlightenment. It was all he could have ever dreamed of, his life goal on that distant planet that felt like a whole other existence now, or some sort of lucid dream.
He accepted the offer graciously. The celebration several peers and past patients threw him that night was all at once a joyous and saddening moment. Even though he was still on the same planet, in the same building even, he felt as if he were of to begin a new life.
Also the authentic Tralus mahogany desk was a lot bigger and nicer than his old one. And thus, Magnus Sententia, known as Nuenn and Doc in his past lives, removed the exonium stone from the end of his staff, the only two things he had left from that life, and placed it fondly upon the invisible cushion of anti-gravity that existed above the small disc-shaped repulsor display upon the desk. He reached carefully into his pouch and withdrew the tip of a magnalui quill, about 9 inches in length, and gently screwed in the stone's place before closing the metal cocoon. It's iridescent light shined from the cracked lens and, with the exonium stone on his desk, served to bathe the area in a warm, mystical glow. There would always be another job for him to do. Another task to complete. Another secret to uncover. And at the end?
Well let's get this over with and be on with it, then.
RP Sample:
"Hey Maggie!"
The hunched figure startled slightly and nearly dropped the pile of book he was holding. Muttering something about the careless bliss of youth, he turned to face the verbal assailant with his best weathered scowl, somewhat like a wrinkled, grandfatherly smile, but upside-down. Young master Fossor. He let out a tired sigh from his beak and rolled his large eyes at the young man before him. I ought to have known... well what is it you want from me this time? Lose that pet of yours again did you?
The kid chuckled and shook his head. "Come on Maggie, that was 10 years ago! I'm graduating from my tutelage next month!
The Rishii sniffed and started to readjust the books in his wings to a more comfortable position. You'll always be that little brat who ran around in here looking for his latest capture in the meadow, digging through the shelves where it was probably sitting chewing on my collection. Always a pain, you were. Nonstop questions! Nonstop wonders! You're the reason an old bird like me gets grouchy. A book teetered from his grasp and, in his attempt to recapture the runaway, he dropped the rest of them. Data chips, loose pages, and books strew across the floor.
"Aww, you don't mean that. You know you loved my company."
Magnus looked up from his crouched position with a look that was one part irritation and one part exasperation. The stale air in that aisle stirred suddenly, accelerating unnaturally into a tiny, localized gale. The books on the floor as well as all the others in the wooden cart behind the two whirled into the air. Fossor shielded his face from the tempest and when it had subsided, he saw all the books neatly shelved and the small face of Magnus still staring up at him. The expression hadn't shifted a millimeter.
"Ya know, there's still a lot of Understudies who think you're a Lost. I woulda liked to see their faces if they were here for that." The kid chuckled.
The Infomancer's facade broke with his expression as it slid into a silent laugh. Well then don't tell em til that day comes. That's something I want to see myself. They smile vanished as quickly as it had come, replaced by one of seriousness with maybe even a bit of concern. Now what is it you wanted?
Fossor's smile grew wider. "I need a book."
Blasphemy. Now why are you really here?
"Etherium rituals and practices. Volume II."
Magnus eyed him uneasily for a moment, it was unusual enough that Fossor desired a book (he had always simply plagued the librarian with each question he had) but the subject was not one he had expected and the Volume II worried him as well. Volume II? That suggested he had read Volume I, a work Magnus was certain the boy had never checked from the archives. Coming of age indeed. Your first etherium at the ceremony. Everyone reacts a little but different to it the first time, you know...
"Yes yes, that's why I'm reading up on it. I wanna be prepared, I don't wanna make a fool of myself..." Fossor lowered his head.
Magnus sighed and jumped up to perch on the book cart so as to be at eye level with the kid. Look, Fossor, you may have been an annoying brat growing up, but you were the cleverest brat that ever set foot in this archive. He reached out and placed a single clawed hand on Fossor's shoulder. Aisle 78, shelf D, 551.
"Thank you, sir."
Anytime.
He bowed slightly and set off in search of the book. About three quarters down the aisle he turned suddenly. "Oh, and Maggie?"
The Rishii turned and nearly fell off the cart. What!?
"If you see my dwarf nuna, let me know! It's around here somewhere..."
Oh for the love of-- IF I FIND THAT THING CHEWING ON MY BINDINGS, YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT! The Rishii stomped around on the cart prompting a pile of books to fall on top of him. Heaving a copy of the "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Galactic Wheat" from his chest and picking himself up, he returned to the endless task of re-shelving returned literature and fantasizing of what he would do if he found that nuna devouring some priceless documents. Sigh. That kid....trouble from the start, trouble til the end...
