video; open to both courts

[thebreakingwave]

[The video feed shows a young man, with messy dark hair and bright eyes standing outside in a garden. Behind him there are weeping willows, a collection of thorny bushes and some fine, purple flowers. It's fairly obvious just which courtyard he's standing in.]

Hullo, I'm Harry. I'm an Auror, from Britain. If your world doesn't have those, it's a sort of wizard that's a cross between an officer of the peace and a soldier.

[There's a tilt to his chin that suggests he is fully aware how young he is and has a voice choice words for anyone that would like to register a complaint about his chosen profession.]

I was thinking that I'd like to get to know everyone a little better and that I'm sure each of us has some unique or interesting thing they can do or teach. Either a language, a craft, or even just a bar trick you can use to get a free pint.

[locked to UNSEELIE]
And for anyone here at Caer Scima, if you're just learning magic or if you'd like someone to spar with that focuses on magical attack and defense, I'd be happy to help.

Comments

[gordianknots]

Hm. That's unfortunate, to say the least, and transportation here is horse or foot, sadly.

This'll be relevant in a moment, but: has anyone explained the whole concept of boons (gifts from the monarchs) to you?

[thebreakingwave]

We're working on a way to apparate or floo - sort of like teleporting, but not.

Sort of? I know that my friend got her cat from back home as a boon.

[gordianknots]

Floo?

Well, the general agreement is that if you assist in any crisis, you're offered a favour by the monarchs to pull certain items from back home. Technology doesn't work here, so say, a car's right out, but if you've got any thing that might say, goose along those two things you mentioned, you might be able to get a quicker way to your friends.

[thebreakingwave]

You can connect fireplaces and use them as sort of network to travel or call.

That makes sense. Thank you for explaining it and I think that'd be great. I really like that I can talk to them so easily, but it's not the same.

[gordianknots]

Huh. That's....useful, but sounds like it's potentially messy.

Don't mention it - it's a useful thing. Even if it means playing into what the monarchs want around here.

[thebreakingwave]

There can be some nasty side effects if you're not careful and if you're not a wizard it really doesn't go well.

[gordianknots]

See here I was just thinking about fireplace ash.

With the magic here though, do you think there might be some interference if you used it? Two different magic systems at play and all.

[thebreakingwave]

There's a bit of that, but there's also the risk of ending up in strange places. Sometimes more than one place at once and those stains are worse than ash.

I think there might be, but I'm not sure. We were planning to try it over short distances first, to see if it'd work, and to make sure we could keep it secure.

[gordianknots]

So one foot in a fireplace and the rest of you on the French Riveria is a thing that could happen?[Give him a second, he has to laugh about the absurdity, and in delight that that's plausible.]

Well if you would like to test within castle fireplaces, eventually, and need a hand--

[thebreakingwave]

Provided you keep all your parts pretty well attached, it's not too bad. It hurts like mad, but people don't usually bleed out or anything quite so violent.

If you apparate and get splinched, that's a real problem - you can end up half in and half out of a wall.

I would love a hand, but you have to promise not to lick any crucibles we end up using.

[gordianknots]

That wall example sounds very very specific, you know.

You have my word and my general enjoyment of not having a chemical-y or ash-y taste in my mouth.

[thebreakingwave]

It's a fairly common problem if you don't know what you're doing. Walls aren't so bad; at least they're not alive.

And, really, what else can you ask for in an assistant?

[gordianknots]

Oh good God I can't imagine being half attached to a dog.

An excellent command of how to conduct experiments?

[thebreakingwave]

The good thing is, most wizards survive their terrible accidents.

The bad thing is, most wizards survive their terrible accidents.

[gordianknots]

Oh I feel oh so reassured.

[thebreakingwave]

There you go. That's the boundless optimism you need.

[gordianknots]

Can you settle for "low expectations of success, so that if something goes right it's a genuine surprise"?

[thebreakingwave]

You say 'settle for' as if that's not my default.

[gordianknots]

I have no sarcasm when I say this: that's an excellent sign of a good working relationship.

[thebreakingwave]

Can't wait to get started.

[gordianknots]

Nor can I.