10-20-2010, 02:08 AM
((This thread explains how the gnome Nirle has started learning inscription, as well as leading up to the Kidnapped event. These events take place in the recent past.))
Nirle sat alone late at night in the Salty Sailor tavern like usual. It had been yet another boring day with nothing to do around the Bay, he had come out there for adventure but it was just monotony. Drink, watch the arena fights, watch the sea, fish, gamble, all of those were all well and good but did get boring after a while. Tonight though Nirle was reflecting on what had happened earlier.
"Sure is a nice day in the jungle." Nirle thought as he walked to the arena. Half way between there and Booty Bay two men approached from the north. The gnome wasn't worried, quite used to seeing people along the road now he hummed to himself, just enjoying the day. The moment the men were past him they both drew long knives and kicked Nirle to the ground. "All your possessions, now." The gnome tried to scamper away but one of the men pinned him to the ground via a boot to the back. As the other man rifled through his pack Nirle growled, more angry at himself than these two simply for not being able to stop them.
Just as the two were about to finish relieving the poor gnome of his few pieces of gold a crack was heard akin to that of what a devilsaur is supposed to sound like when walking and one of them was blasted back into a nearby tree. The remaining thug looked around but couldn't see what had even happened, he too was blasted back. A short old man with greying hair stepped out of a nearby bush and helped to gnome to his feet. "I really should be thanking you Mr. gnome, I've been waiting for a chance to ambush those morons for quite a while." Nirle was still in shock. "What did you do to them anyway?" The old man chuckled and pointed to a large book chained to his waist. "Just a bit of inscribing." Nirle turned his head in confusion. "What's that?" The old man shrugged. "It takes some time to explain, lets get back to the Bay and I'll try my best to describe it...scribe..see what I did there?" The gnome shrugged. "Heh...anyway I'm Nirle."
The two of them sat in a corner of the bar with the spellbook laid out on the table. "You see Nirle, arcane magic flows naturally all over the world, and these patterns can be used to dictate what happens to certain things. It is casting a spell while relying on nature to show you the way if you can understand the metaphor." Nirle turned his head sideways. "But where do the patterns come from?" the old man nodded and stated simply. "From natural structures in the world like mountains and rivers." Curiosity hit Nirle like a train at this point. "The way rivers and things are arranged lets you cast spells?! can any be used for that?" The old man let out a hearty chuckle. "No no, only certain large of significant formations work, and each of those are divided into families based on complexity."
After a little while of explaining some of the different rune families Nirle was hyper from all that he had learned. "So will you teach me how to do that stuff?" The old man pondered for a moment. "First off, why do you want to learn? Second, how much knowledge of arcane do you possess?"
The gnome thought for a few minutes and turned deadly serious. "Because I'm tired of being so weak, I need to get stronger not only for my sake but for the sake of others...my parents did a bit of magic but nothing really advanced."
The old man shrugged. "Good enough for me, it will take a while but I'll teach you."
Nirle sat alone late at night in the Salty Sailor tavern like usual. It had been yet another boring day with nothing to do around the Bay, he had come out there for adventure but it was just monotony. Drink, watch the arena fights, watch the sea, fish, gamble, all of those were all well and good but did get boring after a while. Tonight though Nirle was reflecting on what had happened earlier.
"Sure is a nice day in the jungle." Nirle thought as he walked to the arena. Half way between there and Booty Bay two men approached from the north. The gnome wasn't worried, quite used to seeing people along the road now he hummed to himself, just enjoying the day. The moment the men were past him they both drew long knives and kicked Nirle to the ground. "All your possessions, now." The gnome tried to scamper away but one of the men pinned him to the ground via a boot to the back. As the other man rifled through his pack Nirle growled, more angry at himself than these two simply for not being able to stop them.
Just as the two were about to finish relieving the poor gnome of his few pieces of gold a crack was heard akin to that of what a devilsaur is supposed to sound like when walking and one of them was blasted back into a nearby tree. The remaining thug looked around but couldn't see what had even happened, he too was blasted back. A short old man with greying hair stepped out of a nearby bush and helped to gnome to his feet. "I really should be thanking you Mr. gnome, I've been waiting for a chance to ambush those morons for quite a while." Nirle was still in shock. "What did you do to them anyway?" The old man chuckled and pointed to a large book chained to his waist. "Just a bit of inscribing." Nirle turned his head in confusion. "What's that?" The old man shrugged. "It takes some time to explain, lets get back to the Bay and I'll try my best to describe it...scribe..see what I did there?" The gnome shrugged. "Heh...anyway I'm Nirle."
The two of them sat in a corner of the bar with the spellbook laid out on the table. "You see Nirle, arcane magic flows naturally all over the world, and these patterns can be used to dictate what happens to certain things. It is casting a spell while relying on nature to show you the way if you can understand the metaphor." Nirle turned his head sideways. "But where do the patterns come from?" the old man nodded and stated simply. "From natural structures in the world like mountains and rivers." Curiosity hit Nirle like a train at this point. "The way rivers and things are arranged lets you cast spells?! can any be used for that?" The old man let out a hearty chuckle. "No no, only certain large of significant formations work, and each of those are divided into families based on complexity."
After a little while of explaining some of the different rune families Nirle was hyper from all that he had learned. "So will you teach me how to do that stuff?" The old man pondered for a moment. "First off, why do you want to learn? Second, how much knowledge of arcane do you possess?"
The gnome thought for a few minutes and turned deadly serious. "Because I'm tired of being so weak, I need to get stronger not only for my sake but for the sake of others...my parents did a bit of magic but nothing really advanced."
The old man shrugged. "Good enough for me, it will take a while but I'll teach you."