Week 3.

[trustfelling]

WEEK 3 The end of the second week sees two more people dead, and two more rooms sitting empty in the dormitories. Nephenee and Rideaux Zek Rugievit are both gone, but with the start of the third week, it looks as though the game will continue on without them. Saturday is given to regrouping and sleep; on Sunday morning the clock chimes as it always has, but at least there are no bodies to find today. The night before wasn't necessarily a peaceful one, however; you'll probably feel a bit groggy when you wake up, and it seems you've regained something that you didn't realize you'd lost... Meanwhile, it looks like another set of doors have opened up at the end of that southern hallway, leading to another long corridor stretching out to the east. Go ahead and explore as much as you like; you've earned it, after all. COMPETITORS REMAINING: 26

SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[OOC: Welcome to week three of Trustfell! Don't forget to save your threads for coins and the activity check, and don't forget to submit this week's activity check and memory regains!

If you'd like to get in contact with the Adjudicator, you can do so here!]

Comments

( library )

[middaymoon]

[ Mahiru does not consider herself a nerd - not really, at least. Even so, there's an undeniable thrill of excitement in her when she realizes they have a proper library. She's in an undeniably good mood as she steps through the door - probably better than she should be, given the recent trial - and looks deeply satisfied at the sight of all the books. ]

Finally.

[ And she hasn't missed her friend nearby, either. ]

Anything interesting, Isaac?

[glaciates]

[He looks up when Mahiru enters and while he's not smiling, it's pretty obvious that he's really damn pleased too.]

Well, unfortunately there's nothing on alchemy or... anything that isn't fiction, actually, but I'm just happy to have something to read.

[Two weeks without books was hell!!]

[middaymoon]

Hm... that's unfortunate, though I suppose there's nothing wrong with reading for entertainment.

[ Even if it's been a long time since she's done that. ]

I suppose we could just take to teaching each other, if we need to.

[glaciates]

Yeah, that's possible. I've uh... tried teaching alchemy to Flemming and it didn't go over all that well, but that's just because I'm a bad teacher.

[So it was a learning experience!! Kinda!!]

[middaymoon]

I've been meaning to ask about alchemy, actually.

[ She moves to take a seat next to him. ]

Even in my world the idea would be laughed at, so I'm curious as to what it entails in yours.

[glaciates]

Is it the concept of turning lead into gold where you're from? I've heard that one a lot for some reason. Apparently no one considers what kind of an effect that'd have on the economy.

[#priorities]

Alchemy's a science that can alter or manipulate matter. You can do simple things like repair a broken plate if you've got all the pieces, but with enough study a lot of really impressive things are possible. One of the State Alchemists I work with can manipulate fire and another can create explosions. My alchemy's based around water - usually freezing it.

[middaymoon]

That's what I've always heard. I doubt the ones who first claimed it cared about anyone's economics but their own, however.

[ She listens closely to his explanation, however, mentally categorizing the information and immediately coming up with a question. ]

In my world something like that would just be called magic - but you called it a 'science'?

[glaciates]

It's definitely not magic. With alchemy you can only transmute with the materials you have. I can't create water, for example. If you try to transmute without the proper materials, it causes a rebound because there has to be balance. If you can't provide everything that's needed, you have to give up something to complete the transmutation. I've never actually seen it happen, but I've heard all sorts of horror stories about rebounds.

[this is why alchemists are crazy, only crazy people would attempt something this dangerous in the first place!!]

[middaymoon]

[ Already Mahiru can see several differences between alchemy and her own talents, and why Isaac would call the former a science. She's still not totally convinced, but she can already see that alchemy is considerably less flexible. ]

Magic in my world requires sufficient input to function as well, but when you mention giving something up in exchange you sound like you're talking about something more concrete than simply 'energy'.

[glaciates]

Definitely. I've heard stories of people losing limbs to make up for what they're missing. People have lost their lives for it too. Rebounds are very serious.

[SACRIFICE YOURSELF FOR SCIENCE JUST DO IT]

[middaymoon]

[ Mahiru blinks. That's... pretty intense, for something that's supposedly so precise. ]

Are these people simply making mistakes? Or are they actively trying to break the rules?

[glaciates]

I've never heard of anyone trying to break the rules, but I guess that's possible? I don't know why you would though. Equivalent Exchange is one of the first things you learn about alchemy and it's something that can't be broken.

It's usually mistakes or oversights. If your calculations or off or you're trying to work with unfamiliar materials it'd be easy to slip up and accidentally cause a rebound.

[middaymoon]

[ His last point makes sense. Even professionals make mistake, and when the rules are rigid then mistakes are less forgiving. That first point, though... she has some personal experience with that first point. ]

If someone needs power - especially more power than those around them - rules can become quite limiting. Especially something like Equivalent Exchange, which sounds as much like a law of nature as a simple rule.

[ It reminds her of the thermodynamic laws, actually, but she won't get sidetracked. ]

When you learn to ignore them, sidestep them, work around them... The possibilities that open up to you can be limitless. Sometimes it's worth the danger.

[glaciates]

Equivalent Exchange isn't something that can be broken. Though... I've read about a potential way around it. Philosopher's Stones. They can let you bypass Equivalent Exchange. I don't know much more about them though; if they exist, I've never seen them.

[h a h a h a h a h a]

[middaymoon]

It sounds like a way may have already been found, in that case.

[ Mahiru shrugs. ]

There's similar 'rules' in my world, as well. Some of them can be broken by magic, and some of the rules of magic itself have been broken simply by pushing at the boundaries hard enough.

[glaciates]

Some alchemists are really interested in the Philosopher's Stone, but personally I'd rather stick to what I know. Equivalent Exchange has always been a constant, so I'm not going to push any boundaries and potentially lose a limb or something.

[The one thing Isaac plays it safe with! This is gonna be real funny after a few memory regains.]

[middaymoon]

[ Don't worry, Isaac, we'll all remember terrible things about ourselves eventually. ]

I certainly wouldn't recommend it. Magic in my world has far more flexibility than alchemy seems to, yet people experimenting with new methods have still died horribly in the process.

[glaciates]

It's definitely not something I'm gonna mess with. I've got my alchemy and there are still plenty of things I have to learn about it.

[...using blood to create projectiles is not one of them!!! thanks, dream]

[middaymoon]

[ Good on you, Isaac! Don't get yourself killed, buddy. ]

You mentioned that your alchemy was based around ice and water, correct? I suppose that explains your title.

[glaciates]

[easier said that done tbh....]

Yeah, it is. The title's pretty insulting, though.

["glacial" oh my god fuck you adjudicator]

...I'm not sure if it's better or worse than "Freezer" though. That's what the other State Alchemists call me. My official title is the Freezing Alchemist.

[middaymoon]

[ Tall, broad, gruff, specializes in ice 'magic'... She can see why someone might compare Isaac to a refrigerator. ]

'State' as in a government employee?

[glaciates]

[isaac's life is suffering]

I'm employed by the military, yeah.

[He doesn't sound pleased about that.]