Bradley Bain - K♥ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
perfectpower) wrote2024-05-12 10:17 pm
perfectpower) wrote2024-05-12 10:17 pm
PSL (private)
[It's a sleepy planet in the far off reaches of space, one that doesn't even have an official designation yet due to its recent discovery. The people of that planet haven't even developed wide-use electricity yet, much less space travel, so until recently they had been largely ignorant of the politics of space. Aeons, paths, the different factions, it's all very new to the residents of this world. And given their own internal politics, many are reluctant to embrace the stars.
On its own, this planet is rather unassuming. One large continent broken up into 5 distinct countries, along with several chains of islands spread out in the water. There are a few small religions worshipping various gods, but most people just respect the spirits of nature and have a healthy fear of the magic-users that live among them. Thanks to all the magic, technological advancements are slower than usual. Why develop lighting systems when someone can just summon a ball of light? Of course, 'slower' doesn't mean 'stopped'. Eventually this planet would have developed into a more modern society, given a few more centuries. But the sudden appearance of the IPC is sure to jumpstart that.
Why are the IPC here? Well at first it was just a small task force making contact with a previously-dark planet. They do probes like this often, trying to find out if there's anything useful on the planet or if the people are worth bringing into the modern galaxy. It was pretty close to being a write-off, just a stamp of "wait a couple centuries and see what they do", and the planet would have been left alone entirely. But on the last day of evaluation, one of the members of the task force made a discovery that shook the team to its core.
Mana stones.
They didn't know where they came from. Any witch or wizard who they talked to wouldn't reveal their sources for these stones. But mana stones were used to boost the magical ability of a witch or wizard, and to a frightening degree.
One of the task force members put a mana stone the size of their thumb into their ship's energy source. It powered the entire ship for a month.
The promise of a new, compact energy source is too tempting. How could the IPC not jump at this chance? After all, the only ones even using the mana stones were witches and wizards, and they were outnumbered by humans a thousand to one. Powerful as they may be, it would be easy to get the people of this backwater planet to make a deal that would benefit the IPC greatly.
Which is why, at the current time, Aventurine has been sent to this planet. For diplomatic purposes, of course, these things go better if a contract is signed and people agree willingly. Who else would be better to sweet-talk the king and the wizard-prince into making this deal than the IPC's very own gambler?]
On its own, this planet is rather unassuming. One large continent broken up into 5 distinct countries, along with several chains of islands spread out in the water. There are a few small religions worshipping various gods, but most people just respect the spirits of nature and have a healthy fear of the magic-users that live among them. Thanks to all the magic, technological advancements are slower than usual. Why develop lighting systems when someone can just summon a ball of light? Of course, 'slower' doesn't mean 'stopped'. Eventually this planet would have developed into a more modern society, given a few more centuries. But the sudden appearance of the IPC is sure to jumpstart that.
Why are the IPC here? Well at first it was just a small task force making contact with a previously-dark planet. They do probes like this often, trying to find out if there's anything useful on the planet or if the people are worth bringing into the modern galaxy. It was pretty close to being a write-off, just a stamp of "wait a couple centuries and see what they do", and the planet would have been left alone entirely. But on the last day of evaluation, one of the members of the task force made a discovery that shook the team to its core.
Mana stones.
They didn't know where they came from. Any witch or wizard who they talked to wouldn't reveal their sources for these stones. But mana stones were used to boost the magical ability of a witch or wizard, and to a frightening degree.
One of the task force members put a mana stone the size of their thumb into their ship's energy source. It powered the entire ship for a month.
The promise of a new, compact energy source is too tempting. How could the IPC not jump at this chance? After all, the only ones even using the mana stones were witches and wizards, and they were outnumbered by humans a thousand to one. Powerful as they may be, it would be easy to get the people of this backwater planet to make a deal that would benefit the IPC greatly.
Which is why, at the current time, Aventurine has been sent to this planet. For diplomatic purposes, of course, these things go better if a contract is signed and people agree willingly. Who else would be better to sweet-talk the king and the wizard-prince into making this deal than the IPC's very own gambler?]
no subject
All of them are interested to meet Aventurine and learn of the IPC, but don't seem to think much of it beyond that. The consensus seems to be that having contact with people from space is amazing, but they don't think the IPC will be able to stop the Great Calamity or change their everyday lives in any meaningful way. Which probably means it will be easier to take advantage of them in the future, but that's a problem for later down the line. And there's a few keen eyes watching out for signs of trouble as well, so it won't be a complete cakewalk to take control of this world.
The main obstacle is that magic is just so versatile that it can be hard to plan around. In a week alone, Bradley has shown off how he can teleport objects to himself, how he can control the elements (specifically water one time, as he was putting out a fire one of the teenagers made accidentally while practicing magic), how he can change shape with magic (and he looks just as wild as a woman as he does as a man, interestingly enough), and how magic can be used to regulate body temperature no matter how hot or cold a location is. And, from how he talks about it, it's clear that every witch and wizard can do these things and much more. The limits seem to be in how creative a magic-user is. It's amazing, but it is also uneding.
But after a week of learning about the world and just experiencing everyday life, things change. One afternoon, shortly after lunch, Bradley is working in the courtyard with a couple of the teenage wizards, showing them how to freeze water into ice. Aventurine is welcome to watch, of course, but the class is cut short by the Sage running out in a hurry.]
"Bradley! There's been a sighting! Heathcliff and Cain are already headed that way, but they might need backup!"
[At those words, the two young teens start to look worried, but Bradley notices this and is quick to let out a confident laugh. They have nothing to fear as long as Bradley is here.]
About time! I almost thought they were gonna skip us this year.
[He pats the kids on their heads and tells them to go find the others. They both nod and scurry off, and Bradley looks to Aventurine with a grin.]
Looks like it's showtime. You ready to see your first Calamity monster?
[Ready or not, Bradley is already summoning a broom.]
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so many interesting things he could contemplate, and he thinks he knows exactly the scholar that would actively engage in such a topic of conversation if he were present.
he's not, though, and suddenly the leisure time to wonder things out of pure curiosity is gone.
Aventurine's interest is still piqued, though, especially with how the entire atmosphere changes at the announcement.
(and while he says nothing about Bradley's show of bravado to the students, he does take notice of it. cute. he'll tuck that away for later.)
the gambler can easily agree with one thing that comes out of Bradley's mouth: finally, indeed! he smiles in response to the question, although it's hard not to full out grin like Bradley if only because Aventurine has also maybe been getting just a little bit stir crazy waiting around for something to hit the fan. ]
But of course, and I would never miss a worthwhile performance, especially by a friend. I'm also looking forward to finally seeing what the Calamity has to offer the IPC in terms of unique challenges.
[ whether they turn out to be far more difficult or not isn't really what Aventurine means, either. without a doubt, since magic is so unpredictably used, he is convinced the threats requiring magic to quell them are equally unpredictable.
and who loves unpredictability more than a gambler? ]
no subject
Once the kids have run off to go gather the other wizards, Bradley heads to the courtyard and summons his broom. It's not too difficult to ride together- in their week of down time Bradley has taken Aventurine once or twice, and it's no more difficult than riding a bike or motorcycle- though this time as Bradley gets ready and waits for Aventurine to climb on he'll issue a word of warning:]
Depending on how annoying this calamity monster ends up being, I might have to fly a bit crazy. Hang on tight unless you wanna end up face-first in the ground.
[Bradley doesn't mind bringing Aventurine along, but the message is clear: Aventurine better keep up if he doesn't want to get left behind and picked up later once the fight is over.]
no subject
[ Aventurine interprets the warning back to Bradley as he gets on behind him. He doesn't ask any further details, figuring that it's easier for both of them if he just waits until they're there. It seems like calamity monsters can vary greatly which means he's better off not trying to preemptively understand what the threat is.
Although he does think of one thing last minute, asking nonchalantly. ]
How big is it, anyway?
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[The flight there, though fast, is pretty uneventful. Bradley has been flying brooms for a long time, so he can keep them upright and on track easily. It's only when he spots something in the distance that he starts to slow down, changing to more of a cruising speed than a fast one.]
Well look at that, it's good-sized after all! That'll make the fight more interesting.
['Good sized' is an understatement. The amalgamation of clockwork and fancy accessories towers over them even while they're in the air. It's hard to get a sense of the true height, thanks to the moving gears, but it's at least a good thirty feet tall. And from the looks of it, Bradley and Aventurine are the first ones there too.
The clockwork monster had been slowly hovering in the general direction of the capitol city, but as soon as the pair arrive its attention turns to them. Though it doesn't have eyes, it seems to look right at them, trying to decide what to do with them.]
sorry please don't feel the need to reply after so long aah.
[ that is far larger than Aventurine was expecting, if he's honest. 'Good-sized' is an extreme understatement. He also isn't really sure what to make of this thing, considering it's not exactly the type of magically best he was expecting. She, the idea of a monster made of mechanical parts isn't a new idea, necessarily, but he guesses he was just expecting someone more traditional... like a dragon, maybe? Something that you clearly can kill over maybe having to dismantle? ]
...Can it actually see us somehow, or is it sensing you...?
[ maybe it senses Aventurine, too, but he's not going to assume that especially since he's been doing a good job not making it known he has any capabilities to show off as a pathstrider.
The fact the monster seems to actually contemplate their presence rather than simply attack is also surprising to the Stoneheart— and more than a little concerning. It's it has the restraint to 'think,' that means it could be one of two unsavory situations Aventurine prefers not be part of this encounter:
1. It's a full machine and needs inputs from an outside source to control it and either give it proper command to act on things or it's not capable of being even semi-autonomous and requires a puppeteer at all times.
Neither of these are particularly positive things, as even the first option would mean there is someone or something else that needs to be hunted down.or
2. Its fully autonomous and capable of higher thought where it can assess situations, which makes it a lot more dangerous in dealing with.For the moment, the IPC executive expresses none of this, choosing to simply play dumb and hope both his concerns are not applicable here. Afterall, he still doesn't understand the magic in this place, so it's highly possible this is just a big... golem-like creature, for a lack of a better comparison that just needs to be taken out, no more no less. ]
No worries! I too disappear for long bits of time
[Hang on tight, Aventurine, because Bradley is steering the broom to fly closer. The gears keep turning, and the head of this monster turns ever so slowly to follow the pair as they zip around. Definitely some kind of conscious being, and it seems to be waiting for something.
Brad's keen eyes watch for any changes in the monster's behavior, but so far it seems to be staying still. Hmm.
Eventually, after a couple passes around, Brad pulls back and leaves the two of them hovering in the air at about eye-level compared to the monster.]
Something smells fishy. Usually these things start attacking as soon as anyone shows up.