ooc Salem University OOC (Open)

[Denim&Venöm 18,689]

4 minutes ago, dragon4111 said:

@Denim&Venom

Oh boy and that would be?

Let's save that for the RP, shall we? 

Just now, Passion said:

I absolutely hate you guys :x

Then my work here is done. 

 

[Passion 3,484]

Just now, Denim&Venom said:

Then my work here is done.

Not much of a hard work, I usually hate everyone when I'm in the mood. And I'm often in the mood.

 

Nevertheless, I had a spectrum of different outcomes planned for whatever would be said/happen between Ley and any of these two, but none of them basically included her being near-completely ignored. Already came up with what to do next, then, and it is even perfectly logical for her. So I guess no big deal, but it was a little bit of hassle. Tho it means she'll need to just leave you be sadly :x

[Denim&Venöm 18,689]

3 minutes ago, Passion said:

Not much of a hard work, I usually hate everyone when I'm in the mood. And I'm often in the mood.

 

Nevertheless, I had a spectrum of different outcomes planned for whatever would be said/happen between Ley and any of these two, but none of them basically included her being near-completely ignored. Already came up with what to do next, then, and it is even perfectly logical for her. So I guess no big deal, but it was a little bit of hassle. Tho it means she'll need to just leave you be sadly :x

Ignored? Miko told her that she was late. 

[Passion 3,484]

Yes, I know, but you can be perfectly certain Ley's not staying in that class after what she just witnessed

Of course, it's not like I'll leave you no choice in the matter. This is obviously something to RP out, I'm not going to just have her leave and "bye". If you wish to attempt to stop her, go ahead. Provided your characters even notice she's just leaving.

This is all entirely up to you, every tiny little detail. The stage will be set, the floor will be yours!

[dragon4111 914]

@Passion

Ghalan is at a lost for words as I said.

[Duality 10,739]

10 hours ago, Denim&Venom said:

However, there are two people she's lost to that she hasn't gotten a rematch yet. First is the last person to beat her: Miss Mindy Fenris, someone who's just as adept a fighter and could tank whatever offense Miko could throw at her, magic or otherwise. 

The second would be the man himself, Gaberiel Lazel. 

A particularly pertinent question here: Duality's been in the school since the very beginning as Lazel's lab assistant and later research partner; has Miko ever challenged her? How do you think their duelling history might look?

Edited February 12, 2019 by Duality

[dragon4111 914]

@Denim&Venom

And would Ghalan be among that list or does she think she can take him?

[Denim&Venöm 18,689]

7 minutes ago, Duality said:

A particularly pertinent question here: Duality's been in the school since the very beginning as Lazel's lab assistant and later research partner; has Miko ever challenged her? How do you think their duelling history might look?

A. What are Duality's powers again?

B. Was she a teacher back in those days, or frequently interacted with the students?

5 minutes ago, dragon4111 said:

@Denim&Venom

And would Ghalan be among that list or does she think she can take him?

What list? 

[Duality 10,739]

20 minutes ago, Denim&Venom said:

A. What are Duality's powers again?

B. Was she a teacher back in those days, or frequently interacted with the students?

A.  She's a born hydromancer, but specialises in runemagic. Lazel was a natural runemage and supplied her with enchanted ability-augmenting devices so she could more readily help him with his research, although the devices always granted precision far more than power - she can't directly tear open holes in reality with a single uttered Word of Power like Lazel could in his prime, but she can layer far less energetic runes one atop the other to surgically incise the fabric of reality or layer far less energetic runes one atop the other to craft a single Word of Power for carefully controlled utterance at a later date.

B.  She would probably have been at least an assistant professor during Miko's time as a student, if not a recently-tenured full professor. I doubt she'd have had much student interaction outside the classes she taught directly and chance encounters in the corridors. She was Lazel's right-hand researcher, though, so a reputation as such is likely among those who cared enough to pay attention to what the school's founder did in the lab.

Edited February 13, 2019 by Duality

[Denim&Venöm 18,689]

4 minutes ago, Duality said:

A.  She's a born hydromancer, but specialises in runemagic. Lazel was a natural runemage and supplied her with enchanted ability-augmenting devices so she could more readily help him with his research, although the devices always granted precision far more than power - she can't directly tear open holes in reality with a single uttered Word of Power like Lazel could in his prime, but she can layer far less energetic runes one atop the other to surgically incise the fabric of reality or layer far less energetic runes one atop the other to craft a single Word of Power for carefully controlled utterance at a later date.

B.  She would probably have been at least an assistant professor during Miko's time as a student, if not a recently-tenured full professor. I doubt she'd have had much student interaction outside the classes she taught directly and chance encounters in the corridors. She was Lazel's right-hand researcher, though, so a reputation as such is likely among those who cared enough to pay attention to what the school's founder did in the lab.

So most likely Miko's never challenged her. But I can see Duality being the one to issue a challenge. Perhaps upon Miko's return to campus to challenge Lazel, only to learn of his passing and Duality accepted in his stead. I imagine Miko having less than complimentary things to say about Lazel, after Lazel told her one too many times the thing she's sick of hearing: "You showed so much promise. I'm very disappointed in you." 

And Miko did show promise. Miko is one of the most intelligent beings alive, despite her best attempts to hide it. Lazel saw it. And maybe Duality did too. Perhaps Miss Prowse and all the teachers did. For Miko to be to magic what Newton, Einstein and Hawking were to the sciences. Maybe that's why they all pushed her so hard, only to learn that when you push Miko, she pushes back. 

So I imagine Duality may have been eager to correct this blemish. The diamond that became a lump of coal. 

[Duality 10,739]

1 minute ago, Denim&Venom said:

So most likely Miko's never challenged her. But I can see Duality being the one to issue a challenge. Perhaps upon Miko's return to campus to challenge Lazel, only to learn of his passing and Duality accepted in his stead. I imagine Miko having less than complimentary things to say about Lazel, after Lazel told her one too many times the thing she's sick of hearing: "You showed so much promise. I'm very disappointed in you." 

And Miko did show promise. Miko is one of the most intelligent beings alive, despite her best attempts to hide it. Lazel saw it. And maybe Duality did too. Perhaps Miss Plowse and all the teachers did. For Miko to be to magic what Newton, Einstein and Hawking were to the sciences. Maybe that's why they all pushed her so hard, only to learn that when you push Miko, she pushes back. 

So I imagine Duality may have been eager to correct this blemish. The diamond that became a lump of coal. 

Hah, Duality's not at all the sort to pick fights, especially not for a reason that convoluted. Neither ever challenged the other, do you think, then?

Also, Lazel was a staunch supporter of magical education being as tailored as is feasible for each individual student, so I can't really see him pulling mediocre guilt-trips on anyone half as intellectually promising as you describe Miko. Sure, a significant proportion of the staff are oblivious-teacher-types, but Lazel wasn't an idiot any way you cast it and his inner circle followed suit. One of the first things you learn as a teacher of the gifted is that if a student actively resists the idea of using what they've got there's very little that you can do about it (and as Duality might put it if she was feeling particularly incisive, 'the intelligent are those who use their brains').

[Denim&Venöm 18,689]

11 minutes ago, Duality said:

Hah, Duality's not at all the sort to pick fights, especially not for a reason that convoluted. Neither ever challenged the other, do you think, then?

Also, Lazel was a staunch supporter of magical education being as tailored as is feasible for each individual student, so I can't really see him pulling mediocre guilt-trips on anyone half as intellectually promising as you describe Miko. Sure, a significant proportion of the staff are oblivious-teacher-types, but Lazel wasn't an idiot any way you cast it and his inner circle followed suit. One of the first things you learn as a teacher of the gifted is that if a student actively resists the idea of using what they've got there's very little that you can do about it (and as Duality might put it if she was feeling particularly incisive, 'the intelligent are those who use their brains').

So I suppose that they probably never would've fought if their paths never crossed. 

Heck, Miko probably would't have fought Lazel if he's that understanding. I doubt he would've even stepped in, probably seeing every student and teacher who challenged or accepted her challenge as deserving of whatever they got. 

So perhaps Miko's ire is more towards the holier than thou teachers (perceived or otherwise) and her issue with Lazel and his school may stem from after her graduation. 

Remember I mentioned Miko was part of a task force?

 

[Duality 10,739]

Just now, Denim&Venom said:

Remember I mentioned Miko was part of a task force?

Yyyes?

[Buck Testa 5,505]

Does Salem U have an HR department? It desperately needs one apparently. lol

 Druantia's brain towards this situation rn 

[Denim&Venöm 18,689]

2 minutes ago, Duality said:

Yyyes?

Well I imagine that when magical individuals were discovered that governments wanted a some protection against those that would use their powers for the detriment of society. Thus they would take steps to combat enchanted criminals. 

And thus Miko joined the international paramilitary taskforce, the 

• Strategic
• Abnormal 
• Affairs 
• Global 
• Enforcement
• Specialists 

It would be through here that Miko would notice an alarming trend. A good chunk of those she apprehended, were former Salem alumni. These students have been trained in magic, but not how to adapt and survive in a world that, up to a few decades prior, believed they didn't exist. So they would use their powers to take what the world wouldn't give them.  Unintentionally, Salem was training super criminals how to use their powers.

And that's ultimately why Miko left the force and became a teacher. Stop treating the symptoms, start treating the problem. Lazel may be a phenomenal instructor on magic, but even he couldn't foresee what skills students really need to learn to survive.

That's the crux of Miko's present day issues with the school. It simply isn't doing enough to help. 

[Duality 10,739]

4 minutes ago, Buck Testa said:

Does Salem U have an HR department? It desperately needs one apparently. lol

The HR and logistics and finances and so on are all the purview of the shadowy administrative block. There are a few people like Duality who serve in a 'field' role to subtly monitor, manage and report on external affairs, but the department tries to keep a low profile on the whole - and with a school like Salem, you can see why. 

3 minutes ago, Denim&Venom said:

Well I imagine that when magical individuals were discovered that governments wanted a some protection against those that would use their powers for the detriment of society. Thus they would take steps to combat enchanted criminals. 

And thus Miko joined the international paramilitary taskforce, the 

• Strategic
• Abnormal 
• Affairs 
• Global 
• Enforcement
• Specialists 

It would be through here that Miko would notice an alarming trend. A good chunk of those she apprehended, were former Salem alumni. These students have been trained in magic, but not how to adapt and survive in a world that, up to a few decades prior, believed they didn't exist. So they would use their powers to take what the world wouldn't give them.  Unintentionally, Salem was training super criminals how to use their powers.

Actually, Dragon already tried to go for something like this, having Ghalan be involved with some past paramilitary take-down-the-rogue-mages force. As I recall, it was concluded that there just aren't enough rogue magic-wielders around to justify the existence of a dedicated global force to combat them - there are only 8000-odd mages in total, after all. There's a group of very much off-the-grid rogue mages led by Shahal Blackrose, as per Arid's original canon, and possibly half a dozen or so niche criminal groups of a few mages apiece, but not nearly enough to mandate any sort of specialist division like that. The school houses a majority percentage of all magic-wielders in the world, and most of the remainder are still actively affiliated with the University.

I'm perfectly fine with a paramilitary past, but the mage community is too compact and tightly-knit for any specialised group focussing on rogue mages. It's so rare of an occurrence for someone like that to show up that governments would probably contact the school directly for advice and support regarding each individual case, assuming that they couldn't take them down with a mage or two under their own military's general employ. Ghalan's past ended up being spiced with employment in a high-level nontargeted law enforcement unit instead, so maybe you could tweak Miko's past to involve a high-level paramilitary role that, instead of focussing directly on rogue mages, focussed on high-level crime overall and as a part of that her unit had to deal with a few Salem alumni who'd lost their way and turned to the dark side.

26 minutes ago, Denim&Venom said:

And that's ultimately why Miko left the force and became a teacher. Stop treating the symptoms, start treating the problem. Lazel may be a phenomenal instructor on magic, but even he couldn't foresee what skills students really need to learn to survive.

That's the crux of Miko's present day issues with the school. It simply isn't doing enough to help. 

To be fair, Lazel's vision was daring enough that it took his entire life's work to get it to the point it is now, and the school is doing a ludicrous amount to help, but there's only so much an isolated bunch of outcasts can do against the misgivings and suspicion of the world's governments plus most of society. I doubt Miko would ever accept defeatist excuses, though. 

[Passion 3,484]

I have definitely been neglecting Ley's "superiority complex". It's time to start fixing the damage my negligence has caused. She is, after all, the one to be hated if need be and I have accepted that outcome. But it's been in conflict with my own personality, so her writing had become a tad out of character indeed.

Decided it's high time to fix this issue.

[Buck Testa 5,505]

6 minutes ago, Passion said:

I have definitely been neglecting Ley's "superiority complex". It's time to start fixing the damage my negligence has caused. She is, after all, the one to be hated if need be and I have accepted that outcome. But it's been in conflict with my own personality, so her writing had become a tad out of character indeed.

Decided it's high time to fix this issue.

If Ley gets closer to Dru, I want her to notice that the girls powers are being shackled. She's actually rather adept at making magical items right? I'd think Ley would be able to recognize what the bracelets are doing. 

[Buck Testa 5,505]

Oh and I think I'm going to make my Red Headed character that tried to bully Dru into a dedicated OC for the rp. I have ideas for him. 

[dragon4111 914]

@Denim&Venom

I did say Ghalan was pretty battle scarred after that explosion ripped off his top and shirt

@Duality

I can see Ghalan having a great singing voice. But he just hides it.

[Passion 3,484]

7 hours ago, Buck Testa said:

If Ley gets closer to Dru, I want her to notice that the girls powers are being shackled. She's actually rather adept at making magical items right? I'd think Ley would be able to recognize what the bracelets are doing. 

Makes perfect sense to me. Of course, this is more of a runecraft and runemagic (if I understand correctly) so there are some differences, nevertheless the mechanics and outcome remain more or less the same.

@DualityThere is very little chance Ley would be able to decipher the way the items work as of now I imagine, considering Wave seems to have a tendency of overcomplicating simple designs to a point they are more efficient but become intricate tools to a regular commonfolk. And in this field, Ley certainly isn't on the same level. Yet.

[Denim&Venöm 18,689]

@Passion forgot to mention. Edited my third to last post to better address Ley and what she said.

[Passion 3,484]

Will have a look at it after work.

@Denim&Venom

Tsk. This would require me to retcon majority of my post, since it was written from the perspective that Miko was being absurdly disconnected, bossy and ignorant towards Ley altogether.

I'll leave the original anger in Ley inside the post (especially since it's the driving force for some developments I want to unveil ASAP), will eventually throw it at the back of overreacting to new surroundings and stuff, but your edits require me to actually tone down the hostility towards Miko coming from Ley, so I guess I'll get to it.

EDIT:

Done. More or less. There are some inconsistencies I guess, but we'll just have to roll with it since the rules of the game have changed.

[Buck Testa 5,505]

Name: Frankie Gardner 

Age: 17 (as of a week ago)

appearance: 

Personality: Frankie is a bundle of insecurities and fears trying to pass himself off as a confident person. He wants to put his best foot forward, but his instincts on how to do that are terrible. When he first discovered his power over fire, he thought that would translate to a fast track to success. However that hasn't really been the case. He is quick to shift allegiance with someone if it means he can place himself in a better position. 

Backstory: Frankie actually lives outside of campus in an apartment building, as well as working a part time job at a retail store while he goes to Salem University. He hopes that attending the University can open up work opportunities for him. He's still trying to get out of the high-school mindset, which can definitely get him into trouble in a school with super powered individual. He is a Pyromancer, however his combat effectiveness isn't really that great at the moment. At most he can shoot some fire balls and make fire in the area stronger or weaker, but he's going to need to rely on his training in the school to learn more than that. 

He is of slightly above average intelligence, with a great affinity for cooking (he can manipulate the heat distribution and intensity with a rather passable degree of control). 

[Duality 10,739]

10 hours ago, Passion said:

There is very little chance Ley would be able to decipher the way the items work as of now I imagine, considering Wave seems to have a tendency of overcomplicating simple designs to a point they are more efficient but become intricate tools to a regular commonfolk.

Accurate. 

28 minutes ago, Buck Testa said:

Name: Frankie Gardner 

Age: 17 (as of a week ago)

appearance: 

Personality: Frankie is a bundle of insecurities and fears trying to pass himself off as a confident person. He wants to put his best foot forward, but his instincts on how to do that are terrible. When he first discovered his power over fire, he thought that would translate to a fast track to success. However that hasn't really been the case. He is quick to shift allegiance with someone if it means he can place himself in a better position. 

Backstory: Frankie actually lives outside of campus in an apartment building, as well as working a part time job at a retail store while he goes to Salem University. He hopes that attending the University can open up work opportunities for him. He's still trying to get out of the high-school mindset, which can definitely get him into trouble in a school with super powered individual. He is a Pyromancer, however his combat effectiveness isn't really that great at the moment. At most he can shoot some fire balls and make fire in the area stronger or weaker, but he's going to need to rely on his training in the school to learn more than that. 

He is of slightly above average intelligence, with a great affinity for cooking (he can manipulate the heat distribution and intensity with a rather passable degree of control). 

Ooh, almost makes me feel bad about the tooth incident. Approved, and I would like to note that the external connections put him in a unique position for narrative description of the school's portal hall, if you choose to mention such.