Test Drive #7

[magicademymods]

Test Drive #7



Air Apparent

The fundamental principle of Sundering, that of breaching the barriers between here and there, often manifests as summoning. Simply open a portal and then bring through that which you desire to command. Today's lesson in the magic went slightly wrong, and now a strange creature called an "air imp" stalks around the campus, causing mischief wherever it can. Its powers are not terribly dangerous, but it is a trickster with the swift gusts of air it can conjure, and almost impossible to see since it is the very color of the air itself.

The faculty has made two important announcements. First, do NOT go commando under your robes while this thing is out there. Second, whichever student or group of students catches the imp shall earn five points for the Colormarch for their House or Houses, and shall be taught a special spell of Discovery personally by Professor Trammel.

This reward has the student body in a tizzy, and groups of eager imp-hunters stalk the campus after classes, each of them with a clever idea to get the prize for themselves. Quickly, find a partner and join them!

Only Shooting Stars

Thanks to some horrible twist of fate, a body-swapping magic has caught you in its claws and wrenched you into a form that is not your own. Perhaps you're a familiar now, a blobby owl or a sneaky cat. Perhaps you've taken over the body of that student next to you, who's now looking at you from the eyes that ought to be yours.

There isn't any easy answer for this. You're stuck, for the moment, anyway. All you can do is try to make the most of it... or just get through.

Another Fine Mess

The fervor of the day down Anastara way surrounds a shop that just released their new special product: Airsquiddlies. These curious little toys take the shape of a squid, and through some little trick of magic they catch the air when held up above one's head. Tethered by a string, they drift about a few feet up with their tentacles waving most realistically and slithering around to curiously investigate whatever, or whoever, they find.

By luck, you've managed to get one of these -- and as delightful as it might be, it does come with a couple of quirks. Has its tentacles gotten somewhere you'd rather they not -- a merchant's wares, the hair of a fellow student perhaps? Or maybe you're stuck dealing with a few people who are intent on getting their own Airsquiddly, any way they can since the stores are sold out?

Labwork

Not every magical disaster is caused by some wayward student you don't know. Many of them are caused by you instead. To wit: you're on the spot in one of the magical labs, being called on to demonstrate a technique more advanced than others you've mastered so far. Failure is expected, and the wards should prevent any injury to others from a miscast spell. But will the sparks of your magic just sputter out and die? Or will you inadvertently mispronounce, misform, misshape, or miscalculate in a way that brings chaos to you and your lab partner?

(You could also manage to succeed in casting the spell, but that isn't very fun.)

Comments

[notamascot]

"A pickle." Kaylin sighed again. "I'd take a pickle over orange slime any day." Though she had to wonder if, after being eaten, it might turn back to a lamp. That would be unpleasant.

"See the thing is, basically, I got pulled from a world where I was totally failing to learn magic to an Entire. Magic. Academy." And away from everything that made her even willing to attempt magic. Except here the whole dread consequences thing was a fair motivator.

[zanarkandian]

"Hey, I was pretty bad at magic back home too. I only mastered two spells before I got here, but it's totally different here. You might be able to do it."

He's ever trying to be positive. "Even if you're not good at one kind, there's five others you can try."

[notamascot]

Kaylin shook her head. "Oh good. Five other types to learn. I know you're trying to be helpful, but good gods."

[zanarkandian]

"Well you don't have to learn them all? Just the ones your house specializes in, and then you can try the others if you want to. Look, it's really tough the first few weeks, I know. But you'll get there."

He's not one to be deterred easily, sorry. "Here, want to try it again?"

[notamascot]

Part of Kaylin appreciated the attempt to be supportive while the other part considered how much trouble she'd get in if she broke one of these cannisters over his head.

Again. He was a glutton for punishment wasn't he. But then again, possibly exploding if she didn't figure this out somehow.

So, she tried it again. This time the slime was a virulent green and all over everything.

"Sorry?"

[zanarkandian]

Tidus sucked in a breath and reached for two cloths, carefully cleaning when he realized it didn't seem to be toxic.

"It's okay. It's getting closer. But do you want to try taking a break and talking about something else for a bit?"

[notamascot]

"Oh gods, yes," Kaylin said. "Anything else! I would love to take a break."