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[blessedarethebookmakers]

[he has done this a few times by now, and for some reason is feeling less than enthusiastic about it. Perhaps it's the rain, or the ghosts outside that give him cold chills whenever they go past. Or perhaps he's just tired. He's been practicing more lately, though hasn't seem to have gotten much better.

He somehow manages to keep his expression friendly and open as he faces the mirror, white wings standing out against the gray light coming in behind him]

Hello... My name is Aziraphale, or Mr. Fell, if you prefer. I would like to welcome everyone who has newly arrived-- and I don't envy you having to brave the beastly weather to get here. Still, the clouds will soon part as they say.

I know that many of you must be weary or frightened, or even dare I say, angry, at the situation you have found yourselves thrust into. But if we all work together and combine our efforts and talents, I'm sure that we'll have the Corrosion beaten back in no time. So keep a stiff upper lip and keep moving forward.

And of course, if you need anything, my door is open in the hours listed or by previous appointment.

Comments

[unladenswallow]

They could try harder. ( on the other hand she didn't mind nicknames. ) Are you a counselor of some sort that you offer your door for assistance so openly?

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Yes, well... They say to choose your battles. [he considers her words, flexing his wings] As an angel it's somewhat within my purview, yes. I am here to serve and offer succor and comfort and guidance. That sort of thing.

[unladenswallow]

Fair enough. ( a nod. the wings haven't gone unnoticed but winged creatures aren't shocking to her. they were pretty, though. ) Angel? ( never heard of it. ) Mm, yeah but is that your position here? I mean, how much can one assume you know of this place? You aren't a native, are you?

[blessedarethebookmakers]

A messenger of the Almighty. Or God, if you prefer.

My position is just as you. An Apprentice. Though I've been here a great deal longer and have had experience. I know a fair amount of what is happening I would say.

[unladenswallow]

Which Almighty? ( there are several. )

Can you tell me what you know of the Corrupted? Such as their origins and whether they were here those whom summoned us as apprentices? ( she was trying to sort out who's world this "belonged" to. she still wasn't certain how much she believed that they were meant to be opposed. or if these corrupted even realized what they were doing could be considered "wrong." )

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Well, without getting into theological differences, the most powerful one.


I don't know much of their origin unfortunately, though Dreamfinder or Merlin might know. Don't even bother asking Hades-- waste of time given what I've heard.

All I know is that it can infect creatures and that those creatures must then be purified by those of the prince and princess class. Which does not mean royalty. Merely the class title.

[unladenswallow]

( that could be any one. ) Interesting.

Both their names are vaguely familiar thanks to the little meet and greet, whom is this Hades person?

I see... ( she trailed off, musing to herself somewhat. ) So, not royals. They're healers, then.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

He calls himself the Lord of the Dead. All very Greek of him. I don't know much about him but apparently he's a bit of a rough character. [he sniffed]

And yes, you could say that. Of course healing isn't the only thing we're capable of, but it is our main job.

Did you find your Class, dear?

[unladenswallow]

( greek? best not to dwell. ) Lord of the Dead? Must be lively.

"We?" ( so, he must have been classified as a prince. ) I take it that means you're among them. What other things are you capable of if I may ask?

Mm, ( she scrunched her nose. ciri didn't really agree with the title or rather class she had received. ) Hero. ( a hero who fled at nearly every moment of her life... it wasn't that fitting. )

[blessedarethebookmakers]

That's one way to put it. And oh I can do various things via magic. But they all have a drawback. For me it's either exhaustion or memory loss. I regain the memory of course but it is quite inconvenient.

You will, in time, develop your own skills. [he flips through the Apprentice Handbook] You actually have a wide range of spell types to work with. Wishful, flying, energy, quick, strong and gross. I'm familiar with the first two. The rest not as much. But you'll likely be trained.

[unladenswallow]

At least it isn't a permanent loss although I can understand it being an issue. Suppose you forget the next portion of your spell or some such.

( she would have preferred to work on witcher skills but that wasn't going to happen any time soon. she had been given a class and yet did nothing but resent it rather than attempt to study how it worked. maybe in time... ) Mm, seems you do have several of the answers at your disposal. ( all the more reason to bear him in mind if she felt the need to harass ask someone about this stuff in the future. ) You know any of the other heroes?

( wait, gross? what? ) Some of those sound normal enough but wishful? Gross? Neither are something I've ever heard of... ( although some of the things geralt learned could be considered gross... )

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Rather a great deal more than that, I'm afraid.

[though she wouldn't have the opportunity to find out for herself. At least not first hand]

Well I do have the Manual. [he waves it] So should you in fact. From the top of my head, I believe the only one right now is Atem... though you could certainly ask around. Even if not, you'll be trained in a few days with others of your class or similar.

Those spells aren't anything I've heard of either. Wishful is something akin to creating or repairing perhaps. Wishing something into being or wishing change. Of course it makes you quite tired. Gross, I have no idea. I refuse to touch it. From reading it's something to do with alchemy or chemistry if you prefer, but I imagine it's a bit more of an energy exchange than that.

[unladenswallow]

Do all the classes have negative responses to their skill set?

( fair point. she had noted the book but true to her stubborn and bitter nature, hadn't bothered to thumb through the damn thing yet. ) Let's say I can't read. ( okay, so she can read. but asking things and getting a verbal answer was so much faster! particularly when one offered himself up so readily to be posed several things to. ) Atem, I see... ( she had met him. he wasn't... bad. )

Wishing appears to be pretty well the description of its namesake, then. ( gross being a whole other story, as it were. ) As for alchemy, well, I've known people who could do that sort of thing but not myself. ( yennefer and triss came to mind. ) The spell information is in this ... manual, huh? ( maybe she should open the damn thing. )

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Yes, it seems so. That's another reason why I refuse to touch gross. I do not know what miasma will look like and I hope I never will.

[he nodded]

Yes. And I can recommend several more if you need. I've rather been trawling the library and have read every scrap I could get my hands on. [he assumes she can read because she didn't outright say she couldn't]

[unladenswallow]

Sounds traumatic. ( note to self, stay away from gross magic.

ciri actually smiled at the offer. ) I think I'd like that, actually. If you don't mind that is, Aziraphale. ( it dawned on her that she hadn't offered her name. ) ... I probably should have offered some time ago, but, I'm Ciri.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

It is a pleasure to meet you, Ciri. [and he means it. Even the feathers in his wings are fluffing, though he doesn't notice it.] I will be a little busy through the full moon, but after that we simply must do lunch. Though between you and me, the food barely gets above mediocre.

[unladenswallow]

( the reaction his wings had was amusing but she kept having noticed it to herself. ) I heard from another that certain classes have issues throughout the full moon, is that something that Princes and Princesses can assist with?

I suppose I'll just hope the food is better than the fake cheese coated puff things I was given. There is real cheese around, right?

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Alas no. All we can do is offer succor through that trying time.

And yes, there is much better food than those. [a hesitation] Are you a lover of fine cuisine, my dear?

[unladenswallow]

Better than absolutely nothing in the end.

( she was getting vibes that he might be a lover of fine dining. too bad all she knew were the foods from taverns and scraps. ) I suppose I was at one time, but, runaways tend to have to make due with whatever they've been given.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Oh well, then let me tempt you, my dear, with good meals. The Carnation Cafe is free of course, for breakfast and lunch anyway. But I've heard... well, charming things about the Red Wagon [which didn't precisely translate to good. More like they tried] and I would love to treat you one day.

[unladenswallow]

Red Wagon, hm? ( wait, his treat? well, free food was free food. ) You'd have to let me make it up to you, though. If you're planning to treat, that is.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Naturally, naturally. When you can, of course. No need to go out of your way on my account; nor match me bill for bill. I do tend to put it away, as they say.

[unladenswallow]

( she couldn't help but to chuckle. ) Do you? You can't tell, reminds me of Dandelion. Thank you for all the answers to my, likely obvious questions. I appreciate it.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Dandelion? [he doesn't know what she means, but it's not a horrible thing to be compared to]

Oh, any time. Just ring me up whenever you have need, my dear.

[unladenswallow]

A friend of a friend's from home, he's a bard.

So noted — I will do my best not to harass you too much, though.