KENOMA | voice, forward-dated to the onset of tdm dreams

[lockedon]

[ Hello resident Kenomies, guess who???

Actually if you have no idea who this asshole is, that's okay, because rest assured he doesn't want to get to know most of you either. Unfortunately, business calls, and for the sake of not looking like an absolute gaggle of buffoons in front of the Regent a second time, everyone's neighborhood-(un)friendly furry is here to begrudgingly use Mind Twitter™ to make a public briefing.

It's largely voice only, because Eustace prefers to keep things impersonal, and shot through with an undercurrent of business-like terseness. ]

I'll make this quick. Many of us here don't have the experience to engage in a fistfight, let alone any sort of actual war. [ Or whatever the hell is going on here with the Regent and their plan for world destruction. ] For those of you with no combat experience but wanting to learn, Ciel and I are willing to teach you. Both of us are skilled in hand-to-hand combat, battlefield strategy, as well as various weapons. Emet-Selch has also volunteered his services, if you're looking for something outside the usual sphere.

[ Like magic, maybe.

But wait, there's more! From a different person no less. Still voice, and maybe some may recognize this one as part of a very exclusive club of Kenomas who not only did NOT get chewed out by the Regent, but also seemed to have gained their approval?? She’s sounding just as serious, but oddly also gives off the vibes of a science teacher of some sort, hm…]

I am not well placed to teach it, but I do have experience and understanding of magic. The possibilities in Horos are far greater too, the Regent themselves have said that anyone can develop powerful abilities regardless of their beginnings. According to Xishen, Aion powers don't adhere to any particular ruleset, they are mainly reflective of the person developing them: their wants, their needs, their expectations, towards themselves and the world around them. Those of us who already have supernatural powers merely retain traits we used to have in our previous lives.

Knowing that, we can help each other form ideas for personalized abilities you may wish to develop. They do not necessarily have to be combat oriented either, having combat oriented application is enough. For example, conjuring light: such a power would be most practical in navigating across low visibility spaces, but can be used to blind someone else in a pinch. Ways to harness it inwards instead of trying to influence your environment outwards can also be effective, such as reinforcing your own body to become stronger and more durable if you were mainly used to physical brawls before. Don’t be restricted by ideas of magic if you only knew it as fiction before, there’s much that can be done.

[ Eustace is happy to let Ciel explain this particular bit, because he sure as hell has no practical experience in this department. He's already moving on to cover something else anyway. ]

Additionally, preparation includes researching the opposition. If you know anything about the Pleroma, especially about any skills or powers they have, let the rest of us know.

We’ll start things off and group them by individual, prioritizing the strongest ones in combat. Please feel free to add names or faces, it’s fine if they’re a stranger as long as you remember what they look like and the powers they exhibited. I’ll be making a physical copy of notes for what we compile, it will be available to reference on demand.

[ Thanks for being the minutes keeper, Ciel. To close everything out, there's one last switch back to Eustace. ]

If you have any questions, ask.

[ There are indeed such things as stupid questions here, but at least the Regent won't be the one judging you for them. Maybe.

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OOC NOTES—

TL;DR: IC training offer/regain ideas power brainstorming/Pleroma shittalking powers notes comparing 3-for-1! We can handwave the training montages, for the two other points threadjacking is highly encouraged! Pleroma info compiling will happen under its separate TL, feel free to add new TLs under that with a name or url to someone’s icon (because why bother learning what the enemy is called, right) in the subject line if it’s someone your character would ICly want to draw attention to, it’s what Ciel and Eustace are doing based after their own PVP experiences. As per mod clarification to communion, this transmission will “float” around for about a day, which should give characters the opportunity to pitch in on whatever topic they want. We hope this all made sense! Feel free to ping us in the Discord/shoot us a PM with any OOC questions.

Also just in case: black = Eustace, blue = Ciel. ]

Comments

[galdorleod]

With magic, of course.

I don't believe we've met yet, so it's understandable you wouldn't know. But, I am a wizard.

[expiera]

Ciel. I do apologize that we haven't had the opportunity to speak properly prior.

[She's courteous in that regard at least, however.]

Please, do elaborate.

[Magi in her world generally tend to be stuck up traditionalist who would easily get BTFO'd by guerrilla warfare tactics, so while she's no Emet-Selch, she's not sold on "magic" alone either. He can go on, right...?]

[galdorleod]

[ Howl scoffs to himself. Elaborate? And ruin the air of mystique around himself that he cultivates so carefully? On a more serious note, he doesn't see why he has to explain himself to her or anyone else. She told everyone else to keep away from Estinien and that's good enough for him. He is a dangerous man and Howl does not expect anyone else to want to fight him. But if someone else wants to face the dragoon, and feels as confident in their ability to do so as Howl does, Howl wouldn't care. Let them. ]

As you said, only those with extensive combat experience and powers to match should take the man on. I would not be volunteering if I did not consider myself appropriate for the job.

He and I clashed briefly in the days prior to the escape, but I didn't use even a fraction of my power. He has no idea what I'm capable of.

[ Neither does anyone else here. And he'd like to keep it that way as long as possible, especially with regard to the Regent's pets. ]

[expiera]

[Wizards. This is why no one likes dealing with the Mages' Association, and she'd never consider going to the British Museum in any timeline no matter how many offers they pellet her with.

Still, while she can't say she likes how he's ignored what she's really asking, she knows better than to try pushing again. Not the same way, at least.]

It is not something we should treat lightly regardless, he would be best avoided entirely if possible. If you are confident in your abilities in live combat, then please prove it to me. Would you object to a sparring bout, before we are given our next directive?

[No babyfighting here, just man to... woman, because she asked first! At least the general feeling and tone coming from her way is stern and professional, she is very much not doing this for fun either but out of responsibility and obligation.]

[galdorleod]

[ The proposal is surprising, but Howl has to give her credit for this hubris. Maybe there's a good reason for her to be organizing the Kenoma as easily as she is.

That being said, Howl is not quick to accept the invitation. They have every reason to want to conserve their strength right know, and Howl has been given no reason to want or need to prove himself to Ciel.

But, nevertheless, he finds himself considering it. ]

Do I win if I tear your throat out?

[ because, speaking of which, he has not heard any explanation of that or its aftermath. Sort of important when talking about Estinien, now that he's thinking about it. ]

Name the place and time. I will at least show up.

[expiera]

[Hubris alone would hold very little together, however. Howl clashed briefly with Estinien, and so had she. She would not dismiss his experiences, even setting aside the fact that the Pleroma were far more fired up with their powers fully restored prior to their escape. The chief reason why she's so bold to make the "offer" in the first place...]

The winning conditions are negotiable. You needn't worry about hurting me.

[Given how he's answered her before, he shouldn't mind being accorded the same courtesy, right?]

Any training yard within the citadel will do. When are you available?

[galdorleod]

Anytime. I am as idle as the rest of us.

We ought to be resting for the conflict to come, not exhausting ourselves in pointless shows of power... But how could I turn a lady down when she's so curious?

[expiera]

Please do not misunderstand me. I only wish to confirm you can indeed hold your ground against a highly experienced fighter who is also magic capable. This is not some duel to the death, hence the negotiable victory conditions. Neutralizing your opponent, eliminating the threatening element about them, anything on that line would suffice. [Does he really think this requires some exhausting show of power? Or is this just more Wizard Things? Suppose it doesn't matter. As long as he's willing. She simply wants to ascertain his wizarding capabilities and measure that against what she knows Estinien can do.]

If you're worried about getting adequate rest, then let's get this done as soon as possible. Can we meet now at the northeastern training yard? It shouldn't be occupied about now.

[galdorleod]

[ Good lord, this one is a lecturer, and a patronizing one at that. How very important it is for him to meet with her approval! Neutralizing, or something along those lines, that's important? Wow, you don't say. Of course, it does not occur to Howl that peeling back some of his secrecy might prevent this kind of skepticism from others — he only finds this insistence deeply annoying. ]

I'll be there shortly.

[ Hopefully this is worth his time. ]

[lockedon]

[ Ciel may be unwilling to push Howl on the subject (again) but Eustace has no such qualms. ]

And what, exactly, is the extensive experience and power you speak of?

[ He's not taking your bullshit, Howl. ]

[galdorleod]

[ But he's got so much bullshit to hand out to everyone!!

Howl smiles to himself when he hears this voice a second time — ah, so this one is back. He knew he'd be listening, but it's bothersome for him to be repeating a question that Howl has refused to answer twice already. ]

Magic. The training required to learn said magic. The quibbles common between wizards, and the war in my own homeland.

[lockedon]

[ Unfortunately for everyone involved, Eustace is exceptionally good at being a bother to everyone around him. ]

Do you have a problem with disclosing your abilities to the people you'll be working with?

[galdorleod]

I don't recall agreeing to work with anyone.

[ He's being glib, but there's truth to his comeback. They might be on the same side, but he hasn't agreed to coordinate with others, especially not on the particular individual they're dealing with. ]

Besides, my powers are no secret. I used them last time too.

[ ...sort of. As he'd mentioned moment ago, that was only a portion of his power. But it's true that the nature of his ability is not a secret, not anymore. ]

[lockedon]

[ Wow, what an answer. Certainly not one that endears Howl to Eustace, though that's never been easy to do. On the one hand, he can understand not wanting to work with others, for whatever reason. On the other hand, he can also recognize it as a bad look. ]

Any particular reason why you're so adamant on doing things alone?

[galdorleod]

Any particular reason you are so offended by my desire to do so?

[ Howl sighs. This is tiring. ]

Something tells me you aren't just so concerned for my welfare.

[lockedon]

I'm concerned for the welfare of everyone here.

[ To a degree; he might not have any personal attachment to the majority of his fellow Kenoma, but they are unfortunately his allies for the time being and some of them run a greater risk of dying out on the battlefield than others. ]

Are you so concerned we'll take advantage of your skills if you reveal them?

[galdorleod]

I don't know. Perhaps you will. Will you?

[ You're not going to get much out of him, Eustace. Based on the tone of his voice, he's being petty for the sake of it now. Sometimes a wizard turns into a giant bird monster and sometimes he turns into a Karen. It's a power thing. ]