Multitasking on the Road

-The Bramblewood, Afternoon, 1 DSTR-

Ceriden smiled as Ponce enthusiastically confirmed his desire to learn more about magic. It had been awhile since Ceriden had tutored anyone in the ways of magic, and Ponce would likely be a little trickier to teach than his other pupils due to his older age and different casting style, but Ceriden was confident he could help the man at least a little bit. Hopefully Ceriden could also get to know Ponce better and maybe even befriend him. Ceriden knew that what he wanted to do regarding necromancy was dangerous, so if he could get another partner in crime, he might be safer. Plus, Ceriden liked to teach, and he appreciated the opportunity to share the knowledge he had spent his life accumulating onto any willing individual.

"Well, I am glad you appear to be so eager," Ceriden wiped from sweat from his brow as the party continued to walk, hopefully still toward the Skeldergate. "Hmm, so where should we begin..." he wondered out loud.

"I suppose I'll start with basic magical theory. Magic is generally defined as a force that a living entity channels to adjust the world in a way that would not be possible with our natural functions. So, me lifting this bag with my hands," Ceriden moved Sabina's purse up and down for demonstration, "would not be considered magic, but if I moved it around telekinetically, you could say I was using magic because telekinesis is not considered a natural function of humans. There are all kinds of theories about how someone's magic actually does what it does and why magic is not accessible to everyone, but the one thing that is almost universally agreed upon is that magic is cast through the will and determination of the user. Like any skill, magic has to be constantly used and practiced in order to develop the ability to reliably cast the intended spells. As you have probably realized by now, using magic is not as simple as wishing for something to happen and then watching it happen. Rather, a mage has to discover or learn how to cast a spell, then they have to program their minds, bodies, and souls to think, feel, say, or act a certain way in order to repeat the spell."

Ceriden paused to take a few breaths. "I suppose that sounds rather complicated, and I will not say it isn't, but I am confident that we can at least help you figure out how to cast a handful of spells reliably within the next week or so. So to start, let us try to learn to cast lighning at will. In times past, including this morning, you conjured lightening when you felt intensely angry correct?"

As Ceriden waited for confirmation, he suddenly noticed Gareth walking closely alongside him. "Uhm… sorry. I hope I’m not disturbing your conversation," the vampire asked, "I just wanted to ask if I could look at the map."

Ceriden frowned, not quite sure why Gareth wanted the map, but he could see no harm in letting him take a gander at it. The mage reached into his bag, pulled out Ponce's map, and was about to hand it to Gareth when noticed that Gareth was staring at the bloody bandage on Ponce's chest.

Uh oh, this could be bad, Ceriden thought anxiously as he began trying to think up a non-violent solution to Gareth's potential hunger attack. The problem was that the vampire now seemed hyper focused on Ponce's wound, so if he could get his attention off of that...

"Gareth!" Ceriden called out, foisting the map in front of Gareth's face. "Smell this map! What do you think it is made out of?" Hopefully this would put his mind back on whatever he had been thinking before he had seen the bandage, but if it didn't, this situation could escalate very quickly.