Chronicles of The Omniverse Archived Lutetia City: The Monastery
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As written by Rōnin
"About being 'fine'," Jonas responded, a bit softer than before, "I wouldn't be asking if I didn't know you. We grew up together in the academy. Graduated side by side." He smoother back his hair, a bit uncomfortable broaching the subject like this, but unwilling to back down. "It's like you're... buried beneath something. Like you've got this weight on your shoulders you just can't shrug. It wasn't always there. Only came around recently. You hide it well, but I notice it."
He drew a deep breath. "You know... you can tell me things, right? We're family."
"About being 'fine'," Jonas responded, a bit softer than before, "I wouldn't be asking if I didn't know you. We grew up together in the academy. Graduated side by side." He smoother back his hair, a bit uncomfortable broaching the subject like this, but unwilling to back down. "It's like you're... buried beneath something. Like you've got this weight on your shoulders you just can't shrug. It wasn't always there. Only came around recently. You hide it well, but I notice it."
He drew a deep breath. "You know... you can tell me things, right? We're family."
As written by SerinaBloom
"Please Jonas. We're partners, friends but not family. You know just as well as I do that I didn't have a choice to be in the order and neither did you. We are soldiers to the order and there are things we're not allowed to do or feel." Crista put away the last of her armor.
"I'm hiding something, yes. I'll admit that much to you, but I can't let anyone know what."
"Please Jonas. We're partners, friends but not family. You know just as well as I do that I didn't have a choice to be in the order and neither did you. We are soldiers to the order and there are things we're not allowed to do or feel." Crista put away the last of her armor.
"I'm hiding something, yes. I'll admit that much to you, but I can't let anyone know what."
As written by Rōnin
"We're supposed to be a family," Jonas replied, still softly - but with a touch of iron this time, "we're not cops sitting around a precinct. This-" he waived around the armory, "-this is our life. We don't go home at six. We don't retire. We fight till we drop dead in our armor. The least we can ask for is men and women we trust fighting alongside us."
He drew a breath, much of his passion leaving him. "But... maybe you're right. We're paladins. There are some things we're just not supposed to feel. Weeping is for mortal men. People expect better of us." He looked up at Crista, brows furrowing. "I trust, whatever your secret is, that it does not endanger the Order or our fellow Knights?"
"We're supposed to be a family," Jonas replied, still softly - but with a touch of iron this time, "we're not cops sitting around a precinct. This-" he waived around the armory, "-this is our life. We don't go home at six. We don't retire. We fight till we drop dead in our armor. The least we can ask for is men and women we trust fighting alongside us."
He drew a breath, much of his passion leaving him. "But... maybe you're right. We're paladins. There are some things we're just not supposed to feel. Weeping is for mortal men. People expect better of us." He looked up at Crista, brows furrowing. "I trust, whatever your secret is, that it does not endanger the Order or our fellow Knights?"
As written by Rōnin
The Monastery
Earlier...
Eighth bell had rung. Night hung over the Monastery in a blanket of silence, distant stars glimmering in the sky like embers. With the gates closed, proselytes were free to pursue their own interests on campus grounds. Some went to the library to study for upcoming exams. Others hit the gym and sparring rooms, getting a few extra hours of training that they hoped would give them an edge for their trials. Most, wisely, were in their dorms preparing for bed. A proselyte's day began at 5:30 in the morning. Late nights didn't treat them well.
Clang! Clang! Clang! The metronome of a hammer on metal rang echoed through the courtyard in a swift, hard cadence. The forge fires were lit, smoke ushering from its chimney. Someone was working.
"Try it again." Romstone wiped his brow with his forearm and offered the heavy hammer to the proselyte. A red-bright glow hazed in the forge fire. They were gathered around an anvil, a crude, superheated piece of metal splayed over the iron.
"Try and feel it," he implored her, "feel where the hammer ought to go. Don't judge. Don't calculate. Empathize with it." He waived his callous hands over the work-in-progress. "A good sword is a work of art. You've got to put your soul into it." He nodded and stepped back, brushing his fingers through his beard. The hairs were black with soot. He watched her.
The Monastery
Earlier...
Eighth bell had rung. Night hung over the Monastery in a blanket of silence, distant stars glimmering in the sky like embers. With the gates closed, proselytes were free to pursue their own interests on campus grounds. Some went to the library to study for upcoming exams. Others hit the gym and sparring rooms, getting a few extra hours of training that they hoped would give them an edge for their trials. Most, wisely, were in their dorms preparing for bed. A proselyte's day began at 5:30 in the morning. Late nights didn't treat them well.
Clang! Clang! Clang! The metronome of a hammer on metal rang echoed through the courtyard in a swift, hard cadence. The forge fires were lit, smoke ushering from its chimney. Someone was working.
"Try it again." Romstone wiped his brow with his forearm and offered the heavy hammer to the proselyte. A red-bright glow hazed in the forge fire. They were gathered around an anvil, a crude, superheated piece of metal splayed over the iron.
"Try and feel it," he implored her, "feel where the hammer ought to go. Don't judge. Don't calculate. Empathize with it." He waived his callous hands over the work-in-progress. "A good sword is a work of art. You've got to put your soul into it." He nodded and stepped back, brushing his fingers through his beard. The hairs were black with soot. He watched her.
As written by duramon
Soul, soul, what was a soul? How was she supposed to feel a tool? Why would she need to when experience would tell her where to hammer and when? Again she hammered away at the metal, trying to find the sweetspots to shape it into a proper blade. She just wanted to make her weapon perfect, but if she couldn't get such a basic metal correct how would Brightglass handle when she graduated?
Alright, calm down, feeeel the metal. Feeel the...maybe if she named it it'd help. Rika seemed like a good name, Rika Mark I, Rika the Swordthing, Rika the...pointy. She paused for a moment to check on her work, she was....satisfied? I mean, it looked like a blade but it wasn't....perfect. She stared at it for a long while and then sighed looking back at her smithing mentor "I don't know if I'll get this, I know what I want to the exacts, but I can't empathize with a tool. I even tried NAMING it. I mean its not bad, I think, but...until its perfect it's not good enough." She confessed inspecting the weapon "Tinkering is so much easier" She grumbled glancing at her prosthetic arm.
The Proselyte ran her fingers through her hair, fiddling with her bobby pins a bit before settling back down. She awaited Romstone to inspect her work "Again?"
Soul, soul, what was a soul? How was she supposed to feel a tool? Why would she need to when experience would tell her where to hammer and when? Again she hammered away at the metal, trying to find the sweetspots to shape it into a proper blade. She just wanted to make her weapon perfect, but if she couldn't get such a basic metal correct how would Brightglass handle when she graduated?
Alright, calm down, feeeel the metal. Feeel the...maybe if she named it it'd help. Rika seemed like a good name, Rika Mark I, Rika the Swordthing, Rika the...pointy. She paused for a moment to check on her work, she was....satisfied? I mean, it looked like a blade but it wasn't....perfect. She stared at it for a long while and then sighed looking back at her smithing mentor "I don't know if I'll get this, I know what I want to the exacts, but I can't empathize with a tool. I even tried NAMING it. I mean its not bad, I think, but...until its perfect it's not good enough." She confessed inspecting the weapon "Tinkering is so much easier" She grumbled glancing at her prosthetic arm.
The Proselyte ran her fingers through her hair, fiddling with her bobby pins a bit before settling back down. She awaited Romstone to inspect her work "Again?"
As written by Rōnin
"It's because you need to stop thinking of it as a 'tool' in the first place," Romstone said, his voice gruff but not unkind, "think of the sword as a body-part. An extension of your arm-" He stopped, blinking down at her prosthetic limb, animated by a blend of engineering and magic. "...well. Just think of it as extension of yourself."
She awaited Romstone to inspect her work "Again?"
"Let's cool it off," Romstone nodded. He grabbed its end with a pair of pincers and ducked the metal head-first into a barrel of water. Steam ushered in a hissing cloud. He held it there for a moment before bringing it out and laying it on a nearby table.
The blade, a burnished, unsharped straight of grey steel, was well-shaped. The body was flat as a narrow plane, the edges perfectly paralleled and without bump or divet.
Romstone sighed deeply. He folded his arms over his broad chest and shook his head. "It's flawless."
He sounded disappointed.
"It's because you need to stop thinking of it as a 'tool' in the first place," Romstone said, his voice gruff but not unkind, "think of the sword as a body-part. An extension of your arm-" He stopped, blinking down at her prosthetic limb, animated by a blend of engineering and magic. "...well. Just think of it as extension of yourself."
She awaited Romstone to inspect her work "Again?"
"Let's cool it off," Romstone nodded. He grabbed its end with a pair of pincers and ducked the metal head-first into a barrel of water. Steam ushered in a hissing cloud. He held it there for a moment before bringing it out and laying it on a nearby table.
The blade, a burnished, unsharped straight of grey steel, was well-shaped. The body was flat as a narrow plane, the edges perfectly paralleled and without bump or divet.
Romstone sighed deeply. He folded his arms over his broad chest and shook his head. "It's flawless."
He sounded disappointed.
As written by duramon
"It's flawless." Her heart beat louder in her chest and she smiled for a moment. Flawless, he'd called it flawless. Then why did she still feel empty when she looked at it? Was it the shape? The material? There was still something wrong and she heard it in his voice.
"It's not right is it?" She asked, leaning down to inspect the blade, she still didn't feel anything even this close. With a sigh she flopped back onto a seat and reached down into her bag, producing a set of basic tools in between each finger, she started tightening up some of the hidden screws and tinkering with her leg. "I was thinking, what if its blades I can't empathize with? What if we try something else?" She offered.
"It's flawless." Her heart beat louder in her chest and she smiled for a moment. Flawless, he'd called it flawless. Then why did she still feel empty when she looked at it? Was it the shape? The material? There was still something wrong and she heard it in his voice.
"It's not right is it?" She asked, leaning down to inspect the blade, she still didn't feel anything even this close. With a sigh she flopped back onto a seat and reached down into her bag, producing a set of basic tools in between each finger, she started tightening up some of the hidden screws and tinkering with her leg. "I was thinking, what if its blades I can't empathize with? What if we try something else?" She offered.
As written by Rōnin
Romstone shook his head. "It's not the weapon. It's your approach to the craft." He saw her stoop and begin fiddling with her leg. A small smile touched his lips - she usually did that when she was frustrated or flustered.
He walked to a nearby cupboard and retrieved two clay mugs. He filled them at the nearby sink and offered one of them to Rei. The water was cool. "I don't have to tell you that you're one of my best students, Rei. You're a gifted engineer and craftsman." He walked to a nearby bench and took a seat - the furniture appearing minuscule as the muscled smithy rested on it. He motioned for Rei to sit down next to him.
"If you wanted to be a cleric, your technical know-how would put most of our modern engineers to shame," he took a quiet swig. Though he was complimenting her, his voice was without approval or admiration. It wasn't praise so much as a statement of facts. "If you wanted to be a paladin, which I think you do, your knowledge of mechanical engineering and the weapons you would bring into the field would make you a whole new breed of knight. On paper, you're the perfect proselyte." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Well ... you would be, if you would just observe dress-code for once in your damn life." He kicked her combat boots. "Sweet Selene, how many bathrooms have you had to clean for not taking these off?"
Romstone shook his head. "It's not the weapon. It's your approach to the craft." He saw her stoop and begin fiddling with her leg. A small smile touched his lips - she usually did that when she was frustrated or flustered.
He walked to a nearby cupboard and retrieved two clay mugs. He filled them at the nearby sink and offered one of them to Rei. The water was cool. "I don't have to tell you that you're one of my best students, Rei. You're a gifted engineer and craftsman." He walked to a nearby bench and took a seat - the furniture appearing minuscule as the muscled smithy rested on it. He motioned for Rei to sit down next to him.
"If you wanted to be a cleric, your technical know-how would put most of our modern engineers to shame," he took a quiet swig. Though he was complimenting her, his voice was without approval or admiration. It wasn't praise so much as a statement of facts. "If you wanted to be a paladin, which I think you do, your knowledge of mechanical engineering and the weapons you would bring into the field would make you a whole new breed of knight. On paper, you're the perfect proselyte." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Well ... you would be, if you would just observe dress-code for once in your damn life." He kicked her combat boots. "Sweet Selene, how many bathrooms have you had to clean for not taking these off?"
As written by duramon
She grinned at his praise, and it widened when he kicked her boots. She shrugged innocently and opened up a compartment in her leg to fiddle with a few wires after taking the seat beside him, taking the clay mug graciously in one hand "Too many to count, I started keeping cleaning supplies in my bag and cleaning BEFORE inspections." She paused to give him the thumbs up, inadvertently showing off her glove sleeves "Good fun, great times."
"To be honest I've always loved the idea of being a Paladin, but first I have to perfect myself. I'm nowhere near your level Master Romstone, and until I am I won't take the Silver." She stated matter of factly, clucking her tongue when she found a wire she could swap out for more efficency, she reached back into her bag and got her wire-clippers, powering off her leg quickly and transferring the wires. She switched it back on and gave the leg a quick stretch. She took a small swig of the water and let its coolness run through her.
She huffed at the one section of hair that refused to stop wiggling out of her bobby pins and closed up the compartment in her leg before turning back to Romstone.
"Perfect on paper isn't good enough, until I can 'feel the blade' like you can I won't settle for less." She stated with a smile that spoke of nothing but admiration for his craft.
She grinned at his praise, and it widened when he kicked her boots. She shrugged innocently and opened up a compartment in her leg to fiddle with a few wires after taking the seat beside him, taking the clay mug graciously in one hand "Too many to count, I started keeping cleaning supplies in my bag and cleaning BEFORE inspections." She paused to give him the thumbs up, inadvertently showing off her glove sleeves "Good fun, great times."
"To be honest I've always loved the idea of being a Paladin, but first I have to perfect myself. I'm nowhere near your level Master Romstone, and until I am I won't take the Silver." She stated matter of factly, clucking her tongue when she found a wire she could swap out for more efficency, she reached back into her bag and got her wire-clippers, powering off her leg quickly and transferring the wires. She switched it back on and gave the leg a quick stretch. She took a small swig of the water and let its coolness run through her.
She huffed at the one section of hair that refused to stop wiggling out of her bobby pins and closed up the compartment in her leg before turning back to Romstone.
"Perfect on paper isn't good enough, until I can 'feel the blade' like you can I won't settle for less." She stated with a smile that spoke of nothing but admiration for his craft.
As written by Rōnin
"Ah, but don't you see, Rei?" Romstone set his mug down and rested his arm on his knee. "You've still got the wrong idea about it. You think that empathy is something you can work at attaining - like its some problem that needs solving or a loose wire that needs changing." He brushed his hand through his beard. "Does a mother 'work' at loving her child? Does she strive daily to feel affection for it? Surely not. Her love comes as freely as water from a brook, as a wind through the mountains." He smiled fondly. That was a direct quote from Saint Jerome's Wick and Willow - a text Rei would be familiar with, if she'd paid attention in her literature classes.
"What I'm saying is this..." his bushy brows furrowed, "...you can't approach sympathy like you would a science problem or any other technical challenge. It's something that needs to come naturally ... something born if your very humanity. You need to learn to love things, Rei - not because they're useful, but because they are."
A few moments later, there would be a knock at the entrance to the forge. Sister Grunxa stepped into the smithy, the old cleric's face drawn into its usual expressionless glare.
"Master Romstone. Proselyte Holdstadt." She surveyed the messy forge with bland, criticizing eyes. "A bit late to be blacksmithing, isn't it?"
Grunxa had a reputation as one of the more strict teachers in the academy. Doubtless Rei had crossed the old sister's bad side more than once. Grunxa was a woman who valued order and observance of the rules, even the most minute technicalities. She had little patience for nonconformity. For a proselyte who wore combat boots and pink arm guards on a regular basis, she had even less...
"Ah, but don't you see, Rei?" Romstone set his mug down and rested his arm on his knee. "You've still got the wrong idea about it. You think that empathy is something you can work at attaining - like its some problem that needs solving or a loose wire that needs changing." He brushed his hand through his beard. "Does a mother 'work' at loving her child? Does she strive daily to feel affection for it? Surely not. Her love comes as freely as water from a brook, as a wind through the mountains." He smiled fondly. That was a direct quote from Saint Jerome's Wick and Willow - a text Rei would be familiar with, if she'd paid attention in her literature classes.
"What I'm saying is this..." his bushy brows furrowed, "...you can't approach sympathy like you would a science problem or any other technical challenge. It's something that needs to come naturally ... something born if your very humanity. You need to learn to love things, Rei - not because they're useful, but because they are."
A few moments later, there would be a knock at the entrance to the forge. Sister Grunxa stepped into the smithy, the old cleric's face drawn into its usual expressionless glare.
"Master Romstone. Proselyte Holdstadt." She surveyed the messy forge with bland, criticizing eyes. "A bit late to be blacksmithing, isn't it?"
Grunxa had a reputation as one of the more strict teachers in the academy. Doubtless Rei had crossed the old sister's bad side more than once. Grunxa was a woman who valued order and observance of the rules, even the most minute technicalities. She had little patience for nonconformity. For a proselyte who wore combat boots and pink arm guards on a regular basis, she had even less...
As written by duramon
She furrowed her brow and went into her deep thought space. She didn't understand, she knew what he meant but the concepts were out of her grasp. That annoyed her. She wasn't sure what love was, all she got was sappy answers, and on the odd occasion a passionate show and tell that made her heart flutter ever so slightly. Yet apparently it couldn't be researched, couldn't be trained or taught, it wasn't a problem she could solve but without it she couldn't advance. So what was the solution to a non-puzzle puzzle?
"Where or what is the Cheshire Cat huh? Either way the answer's another question.." She muttered to herself, holding her chin in absent thought until the knock came to the door. She swiftly kicked her boots off behind a table and flicked a switch on the inside of her bag, holding her hands respectfully behind her back while a magnet tuned to her gloves frequencies slipped them swiftly off her arms and into the bag, shooting a wink at Romstone with a wide grin.
It was a good thing too, Grunxa the Gremlin stepped into the forge and she flashed her a brilliantly kind smile. "Just getting some advice from Master Romstone Sister Grunxa, I wanted to practice forging another blade before I retired for the evening." She explained, a flat respectful tone in her voice as she adressed the teacher, hands still behind her back which sat straight as a steel pole.
She furrowed her brow and went into her deep thought space. She didn't understand, she knew what he meant but the concepts were out of her grasp. That annoyed her. She wasn't sure what love was, all she got was sappy answers, and on the odd occasion a passionate show and tell that made her heart flutter ever so slightly. Yet apparently it couldn't be researched, couldn't be trained or taught, it wasn't a problem she could solve but without it she couldn't advance. So what was the solution to a non-puzzle puzzle?
"Where or what is the Cheshire Cat huh? Either way the answer's another question.." She muttered to herself, holding her chin in absent thought until the knock came to the door. She swiftly kicked her boots off behind a table and flicked a switch on the inside of her bag, holding her hands respectfully behind her back while a magnet tuned to her gloves frequencies slipped them swiftly off her arms and into the bag, shooting a wink at Romstone with a wide grin.
It was a good thing too, Grunxa the Gremlin stepped into the forge and she flashed her a brilliantly kind smile. "Just getting some advice from Master Romstone Sister Grunxa, I wanted to practice forging another blade before I retired for the evening." She explained, a flat respectful tone in her voice as she adressed the teacher, hands still behind her back which sat straight as a steel pole.
As written by Rōnin
Grunxa eyed the girl, her black pupils passing briefly to the table she'd kicked her boots under. "Without shoes, proselyte? You ought to be careful." She tilted her head up. "Sharp things around the forge."
Romstone rose, touching his finger to his lips - a show of respect. "Apologies, sister. I was just giving Rei some tutoring at bladesmithing."
Grunxa nearly scoffed. Even before the towering blacksmith she seemed large and dignified. "Really. It was my understanding that Rei was one of the more talented engineers and smithees in the academy." Her eyes travelled back down to Rei. "If only she applied this same diligence to my history class. And showed up without those atrocious boots. I trust you'll be in compliant uniform tomorrow, proselyte?"
Grunxa eyed the girl, her black pupils passing briefly to the table she'd kicked her boots under. "Without shoes, proselyte? You ought to be careful." She tilted her head up. "Sharp things around the forge."
Romstone rose, touching his finger to his lips - a show of respect. "Apologies, sister. I was just giving Rei some tutoring at bladesmithing."
Grunxa nearly scoffed. Even before the towering blacksmith she seemed large and dignified. "Really. It was my understanding that Rei was one of the more talented engineers and smithees in the academy." Her eyes travelled back down to Rei. "If only she applied this same diligence to my history class. And showed up without those atrocious boots. I trust you'll be in compliant uniform tomorrow, proselyte?"
As written by duramon
"Master Romstone has been taking good care of me." She stated, on the matter of uniform she smiled and nodded "I'll be sure to wear the proper attire Sister." In hell
Rei looked confused at Grunxa and couldn't stop herself from blurting it out before she realized the impact of her words "But aren't I the top of your class Sister?" crap She bit her lip and looked down quickly, fiddling at a joint on her arm. Now she was in trouble, but atleast the bathrooms were already sparkling. She could just take her tools and work on a project. On that note she recalled something.
She turned to Master Romstone excitedly, almost jumping up and down as she stood "Master Romstone, do you have any Brightglass to spare? I have a new project I want to trial!" She cried excitedly before noticing Grunxia again and coughing, bowing before the Master Smith instead "I mean, Master, may I implore you to spare some Brightglass for a construction of mine? I shall work hard to repay such a favour."
"Master Romstone has been taking good care of me." She stated, on the matter of uniform she smiled and nodded "I'll be sure to wear the proper attire Sister." In hell
Rei looked confused at Grunxa and couldn't stop herself from blurting it out before she realized the impact of her words "But aren't I the top of your class Sister?" crap She bit her lip and looked down quickly, fiddling at a joint on her arm. Now she was in trouble, but atleast the bathrooms were already sparkling. She could just take her tools and work on a project. On that note she recalled something.
She turned to Master Romstone excitedly, almost jumping up and down as she stood "Master Romstone, do you have any Brightglass to spare? I have a new project I want to trial!" She cried excitedly before noticing Grunxia again and coughing, bowing before the Master Smith instead "I mean, Master, may I implore you to spare some Brightglass for a construction of mine? I shall work hard to repay such a favour."
As written by Rōnin
Grunxa's face darkened as the proselyte nearly back talked. Nearly. "Your test scores are remarkable..." her eyes snapped up. "...but your classroom dialogue leaves much to be desired, proselyte. I may not grade in-class seminar, but don't think that student interaction isn't an essential part of your academic success here."
Romstone, meanwhile, took a moment to catch onto Rei's game. "Wha? You don't have any..." His eyes widened. "I mean uhm. Yes, of course, diligent student for whom I am a mentor. I will get you the needed supplies immediately." He looked over at Grunxa, smiling. "Was there anything else you need, sister?"
Grunxa folded her arms over his chest. "No. I'll leave you to it. Don't keep her up too late. She's tardy enough as it is." She turned and left, robes sweeping soot on the floor.
The smithy turned to his student and shook his head. "What in god's holy name did you do to make her hate you so much?"
Grunxa's face darkened as the proselyte nearly back talked. Nearly. "Your test scores are remarkable..." her eyes snapped up. "...but your classroom dialogue leaves much to be desired, proselyte. I may not grade in-class seminar, but don't think that student interaction isn't an essential part of your academic success here."
Romstone, meanwhile, took a moment to catch onto Rei's game. "Wha? You don't have any..." His eyes widened. "I mean uhm. Yes, of course, diligent student for whom I am a mentor. I will get you the needed supplies immediately." He looked over at Grunxa, smiling. "Was there anything else you need, sister?"
Grunxa folded her arms over his chest. "No. I'll leave you to it. Don't keep her up too late. She's tardy enough as it is." She turned and left, robes sweeping soot on the floor.
The smithy turned to his student and shook his head. "What in god's holy name did you do to make her hate you so much?"
As written by duramon
Rei stiffled a giggle under a cough at Romstones reaction, grinning off and on like a fool whenever Grunxa's eyes moved away from her. When she finally left she waited for the faint click of her feet far away and then burst out laughing, heaving a short sigh before retrieving her boots and pulling them back on carefully.
"What in god's holy name did you do to make her hate you so much?"
Where do I start
"Well..." She snapped her prosthetic fingers and her gloves flew from her bag back onto her arms, somewhat awkwardly and requiring adjustment, but effectively nonetheless "I was testing out my magnetic frequencies in her class and well...gloves and tools started flying around...one of my magnets apparently snapped off and got stuck in her skirt and well...you get the picture." She offered an innocent smile and coughed awkwardly.
"Aaaaanyway, I wanted to run some schematics by you while I'm here." She said, trying to brush off the previous...incident, she clicked her finger in a slightly different way and a piece of parchment flew into her hand and she spread it out on a table, on it was a schematic of her prosthetic arm, near the palm it specified a strong battery type and the 'veins' were laced with thin brightglass. "I wanted to combine brightglass with my magnetic activation sequences to charge up my arm with a nasty shock, specified by the different signals. It'd be an ongoing project but....I also want to attempt to alloy the Orders metals, to layer them and see how well we can optimize the effects and if thin spreads of brightglass can be alloy'd with other conductors for specific electronic sequences and charge points." She explained, pointing to different points of the schematics.
"I have other plans in mind unique to myself and my own weapon when I graduate, but I want to experiment with my prosthetic to test out my theory about brightglass atleast." She offered, ruffling her hair nervously, she had no idea if it'd work or what he'd think of it. Metals weren't handed out so easily and she didn't want to waste Order materials either, especially as a Proselyte.
Rei stiffled a giggle under a cough at Romstones reaction, grinning off and on like a fool whenever Grunxa's eyes moved away from her. When she finally left she waited for the faint click of her feet far away and then burst out laughing, heaving a short sigh before retrieving her boots and pulling them back on carefully.
"What in god's holy name did you do to make her hate you so much?"
Where do I start
"Well..." She snapped her prosthetic fingers and her gloves flew from her bag back onto her arms, somewhat awkwardly and requiring adjustment, but effectively nonetheless "I was testing out my magnetic frequencies in her class and well...gloves and tools started flying around...one of my magnets apparently snapped off and got stuck in her skirt and well...you get the picture." She offered an innocent smile and coughed awkwardly.
"Aaaaanyway, I wanted to run some schematics by you while I'm here." She said, trying to brush off the previous...incident, she clicked her finger in a slightly different way and a piece of parchment flew into her hand and she spread it out on a table, on it was a schematic of her prosthetic arm, near the palm it specified a strong battery type and the 'veins' were laced with thin brightglass. "I wanted to combine brightglass with my magnetic activation sequences to charge up my arm with a nasty shock, specified by the different signals. It'd be an ongoing project but....I also want to attempt to alloy the Orders metals, to layer them and see how well we can optimize the effects and if thin spreads of brightglass can be alloy'd with other conductors for specific electronic sequences and charge points." She explained, pointing to different points of the schematics.
"I have other plans in mind unique to myself and my own weapon when I graduate, but I want to experiment with my prosthetic to test out my theory about brightglass atleast." She offered, ruffling her hair nervously, she had no idea if it'd work or what he'd think of it. Metals weren't handed out so easily and she didn't want to waste Order materials either, especially as a Proselyte.
As written by Rōnin
Romstone laughed heartily at Rei's misadventure in Grunxa's class. "Hah! I would have loved to have seen her face. If anything could have put an expression on her stone face, it must have been that."
The cleric re-rolled his sleeves and examined Rei's schematics, clever eyes darting through the facts and figures with a critic's keen. "That's a clever idea, using brightglass as a capacitor mechanism. I know some Paladins use it for their swords, but never for a machine as complicated as this." He grinned. "A shock glove. You could finish a fight without even drawing your sword. I suppose the arm helps. You could distribute the wiring along your prosthetics and build the capacitors into your forearm." He tapped a figure. "Using sacred silver as a projectile metal, though ... That's curious. You'd need to enhance the radiation level beyond what they use in our necklaces." He reached into his tunic and retrieved his silver - a little piece of steel on a chain, featuring the wingspread Evequec raven. If Rei tried to touch it, her finger would start itching, but wouldn't begin burning for a few minutes.
"Why use the silver, though?" Romstone asked, "why not just put a bullet in your foe and be done with it"
Romstone laughed heartily at Rei's misadventure in Grunxa's class. "Hah! I would have loved to have seen her face. If anything could have put an expression on her stone face, it must have been that."
The cleric re-rolled his sleeves and examined Rei's schematics, clever eyes darting through the facts and figures with a critic's keen. "That's a clever idea, using brightglass as a capacitor mechanism. I know some Paladins use it for their swords, but never for a machine as complicated as this." He grinned. "A shock glove. You could finish a fight without even drawing your sword. I suppose the arm helps. You could distribute the wiring along your prosthetics and build the capacitors into your forearm." He tapped a figure. "Using sacred silver as a projectile metal, though ... That's curious. You'd need to enhance the radiation level beyond what they use in our necklaces." He reached into his tunic and retrieved his silver - a little piece of steel on a chain, featuring the wingspread Evequec raven. If Rei tried to touch it, her finger would start itching, but wouldn't begin burning for a few minutes.
"Why use the silver, though?" Romstone asked, "why not just put a bullet in your foe and be done with it"
As written by duramon
"Well, I thought about that, if I use the silver, the frequency is so specific and unique that if I miss a killshot I'll be able to track the target anywhere. If they're in range it'll amplify my shock and I might even be able to disrupt their movements with magnetism, and in the worst case scenario I lose my arm theres a hair-trigger, here" She tapped a spot near the end of the prosthetic "Which would fire a projectile magnetized to the silver to take them out in desperate times, if I up the rads enough the silver'll also allow me to get through hides that a Lawmaker wouldn't without having to lug around a huge gun. I'm fast but I'm frail so I need to consider that, thats why I want to work on alloying or atleast making a stable multi-metal build for my prosthetics. If I can get the silver and our strongest steel in key points I'll be able to block a few hits from a wolf and still burn open its hide without compromising build integrity or speed too far." She took a breathe and stepped back from her Schematics.
"The problem is time and resources, I'm only a Proselyte so I can't get all of this yet, but the shock and the basic projectile are within my reach. If I can master these frequencies I'll be able to control nigh on a dozen weapons in combat if I balance the weight right, they'll mostly be throwing knives but if I learn these alloys and just how thin brightglass can go, there's no telling how many uses that information could have." She stated, looking up to Romstone with a smile "And I wouldn't know any of this without you Master Romstone."
"Well, I thought about that, if I use the silver, the frequency is so specific and unique that if I miss a killshot I'll be able to track the target anywhere. If they're in range it'll amplify my shock and I might even be able to disrupt their movements with magnetism, and in the worst case scenario I lose my arm theres a hair-trigger, here" She tapped a spot near the end of the prosthetic "Which would fire a projectile magnetized to the silver to take them out in desperate times, if I up the rads enough the silver'll also allow me to get through hides that a Lawmaker wouldn't without having to lug around a huge gun. I'm fast but I'm frail so I need to consider that, thats why I want to work on alloying or atleast making a stable multi-metal build for my prosthetics. If I can get the silver and our strongest steel in key points I'll be able to block a few hits from a wolf and still burn open its hide without compromising build integrity or speed too far." She took a breathe and stepped back from her Schematics.
"The problem is time and resources, I'm only a Proselyte so I can't get all of this yet, but the shock and the basic projectile are within my reach. If I can master these frequencies I'll be able to control nigh on a dozen weapons in combat if I balance the weight right, they'll mostly be throwing knives but if I learn these alloys and just how thin brightglass can go, there's no telling how many uses that information could have." She stated, looking up to Romstone with a smile "And I wouldn't know any of this without you Master Romstone."
As written by Rōnin
Romstone only smiled, folding his arms over his chest. "It's a fantastic plan, Rei." He nodded appreciatively of his student. "I'd expect this kind of work from a clerical engineer, not proselyte." He looked down at the list of needed supplies. "I'll see what I can do about the materials. I can probably get some good Ivoran steel and Lemeux grey for you. Sacred silver..." A frown tugged at his beard. "...that'll be a tad harder. Same with brightglass, which is expensive. I'll see what I can do." He stepped back, picking up his mug and taking a swig. "Either way, if you manage to finish this as a proselyte, it'll certainly get the attention of the council. They'd love to put a paladin with weapons like this on the field."
A light pause, Romstone's cheer falling a bit. "Listen, Rei. Remember what I told you. This-" He tapped the schematics with meaty fingers. "-this is important. It's your work, and you deserve to invest yourself into it. But you already know what you're doing in the realm of technology and engineering." He stood tall and pressed his hand over his heart. "This. This is what you need to focus on. Finding yourself not as an inventor or tinkerer, but as a person. At the end of the day, a paladin lives and dies by the strength of her heart, not the keen of her blade." He smiled again, warmer this time. "I know you'll make a wonderful knight one day. You've just to got to be willing to open yourself up."
Romstone only smiled, folding his arms over his chest. "It's a fantastic plan, Rei." He nodded appreciatively of his student. "I'd expect this kind of work from a clerical engineer, not proselyte." He looked down at the list of needed supplies. "I'll see what I can do about the materials. I can probably get some good Ivoran steel and Lemeux grey for you. Sacred silver..." A frown tugged at his beard. "...that'll be a tad harder. Same with brightglass, which is expensive. I'll see what I can do." He stepped back, picking up his mug and taking a swig. "Either way, if you manage to finish this as a proselyte, it'll certainly get the attention of the council. They'd love to put a paladin with weapons like this on the field."
A light pause, Romstone's cheer falling a bit. "Listen, Rei. Remember what I told you. This-" He tapped the schematics with meaty fingers. "-this is important. It's your work, and you deserve to invest yourself into it. But you already know what you're doing in the realm of technology and engineering." He stood tall and pressed his hand over his heart. "This. This is what you need to focus on. Finding yourself not as an inventor or tinkerer, but as a person. At the end of the day, a paladin lives and dies by the strength of her heart, not the keen of her blade." He smiled again, warmer this time. "I know you'll make a wonderful knight one day. You've just to got to be willing to open yourself up."