B1, Day 2 [public channel]

[whattaprick]

[ There are a lot of things people need to do right now: help the Prince's servants get resettled, get started on figuring out who can work on a cure for the petrification, deal with the trauma of dying in a hopefully healthy and non-self-destructive way, show the new people the ropes of what the Carnival has to work with.

Instead, in the morning of the second day since the Prince was defeated, anyone on the radio gets this: ]

So, I've been wondering.

[ The Nightrider's voice, for those who recognize it, has definitely been better. It's a low, hoarse rasp, and the pause at the end is not just for effect, but to actually catch his breath. ]

Just how old is everyone here, anyway? Here, I'll start. I'm ... pretty sure I'm almost sixty. [ A beat. ] ... Maybe.

[ Why did anyone let this man have his radio back again? ]

[ ooc; Lambert's flat on his back in the medical tent for this, feel free to bug him in person and threadjack each other at will. ]

Comments

[wild_magic]

Oh... That's like Lauren's teacher. He's human but he's almost 200 because of his magic.

He still looks old, though. So I guess it isn't exactly the same...

[whattaprick]

Is it the magic that makes him live longer?

Back home, it's important for sorcerers and sorceresses to look good so people respect them. So they've got all sorts of tricks to make sure they look young forever.

[stillwinningthehardway]

What? That's stupid! Did they completely miss out on the age-and-wisdom connotation in your world? How?

[Yoda looks old and this is a tangent but god all the memes with baby-faced immortals getting smarmy in response to "When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good you will not" are obnoxious.]

[whattaprick]

That's what people expect from sorcerers, so they usually look older. With sorceresses ... people expect them to be beautiful. If you can change yourself with magic, why wouldn't you be?

[stillwinningthehardway]

I'd look distinguished! Like someone you could take seriously! Maybe like those witches in Greysol, but not elongated.

[Older witches there have mixed old-and-young features, and of course they grow throughout their lives.]

I'm not beautiful and I wouldn't change myself to look like what people want. There's no way to win with that, even if you're only around humans.

[whattaprick]

Then people wouldn't respect you very much. [ Celandine says, matter of fact. ]

They're beautiful, but it's not natural. Look, but don't touch, because they've got enough power to burn you to a crisp if they don't like the look of you.

[stillwinningthehardway]

Please. I didn't buy into that with the cult of powered armor, I wouldn't buy into it with the cult of youth. I mean, powered armor can at least fly and take punishment. [Ignore that she was wearing extremely heavy boots when she rejoined the Carnival, until her feet changed.]

...Wait, is that why Lambert sounds like that? So these weird child-obsessed people will respect him?

[whattaprick]

I'm not saying you have to buy into it. I'm saying that's what they're going for. If a sorceress ever shows up here, maybe you'll get it then.

[ Celandine laughs a little at the crack, even if it makes Lambert huff slightly. ]

Very original.

Don't mind him. He's just been dealing with jokes about his voice for decades.

[wild_magic]

I don't really understand their kind of magic... But that's why, I think. Something about being in tune with nature, or something... Maybe I'll ask Lauren later.

[whattaprick]

Is it really that different?

[wild_magic]

It really is! He even has to like... Pray, and meditate, and stuff. And he doesn't even need spells to turn into an animal. And he can do all sorts of nature things. It's cool, but... It's definitely different from mine. Or even from wizards' magic. Theirs at least sort of made sense to me, they just use too many books and stuff to make it boring.

[whattaprick]

Oh, don't let Strange and Rita hear that. Those two would read all day if they could.

[wild_magic]

Even Strange? But reading is so boring, you can't even do anything else while you do it.

[whattaprick]

Strange actually wrote a book. [ Lambert answers gravely. ]

[wild_magic]

...Ew. Why would he do that?

[whattaprick]

He likes books.

[wild_magic]

He's crazy.

[kingsroads]

[ he's also listening to this conversation and trying REALLY HARD not to barge in and defend the honor of books and reading. thankfully, the fact that he's already been yelled at by Lauren means that Strange is just gonna sulk and listen in instead of chiming in. ]

[whattaprick]

He is mad, you know.

But I think the book problem is one he's had for life.

[wild_magic]

Wait... Is he actually mad? Like for real, not just saying it?

[whattaprick]

It sort of comes and goes depending on when it's convenient! [ Celandine chirps cheekily. ] We heard he was worse when he first got here, though.

[wild_magic]

He didn't seem much different when I first met him... [Although they never have particularly deep conversations or anything, so would he really know? He isn't sure, but it's odd to think that Strange isn't just a little, well, strange, but is actually crazy.]