Merriment 18 | Video

[shadowcourage]

Hey. I'm Shadow and new on blue team. So, from my experience, its better that I do stuff regularly. Keep engaged and all that.

So I'm gonna offer a few services.

One, food. It sounds like yer not strapped for getting enough, but there are limitations. I have an ability to make food, so I figure I'll hit up the kitchen everyday and add to the stores a bit. I can't do a ton, but like feed a few extra people's worth a day should be fine. As long as I'm not wiped out for some reason. Probably won't happen after missions. I'll do this shortly before the rainbow colors disappear.

I can also take special meal requests, or help with special diets that are hard to get what ya need. If those apply, find me in the kitchen, or the training gym before hand. I'll be there regularly. If there's no requests, I'll just add what looks good. Probably rarer items or perishables when its close to stock up time. I reserves the right to reject special requests if yer rude.

Two, I was on Diagad before arriving. And its with great debate I offer this, so I don't want to hear a lecture. I know dark magic. Which is not inherently evil, just a tool, just one that makes it real easy to do evil things. And I do know a spell for mind control. No, I'm not explaining the 'tragic backstory'. [Complete with air quotes] For why I know it. But if ya want to learn how to resist mind control, I can help test ya. Ya can bring a person to monitor me, or another mind reader, or check with my brother whose been here weeks for my character. I'm offering a service, I'm not forcing ya to take it, its up to ya to do what makes ya feel safe doing it.

Three, I guess I can also help people with dark magic. No, I'm not teaching the mind control thing.

Four, I know shadow magic. Yes, that's different from dark magic. This take special kind of affinity to go, so not everyone can learn this, but if ya want to try learning, I can see what I can do.

I'm also gonna hit up the fight club training listing, but I figure I'd throw out the weirder stuff now.

Comments

[so_dark_a_road]

What's the difference between dark magic and shadow magic?

[shadowcourage]

Shadow magic is personal, dark magic spreads.

Dark and light magic are both that way. They spread, they seep into the earth itself, and grow. A seed of power can grow beyond the caster itself. However, light magic is incredibly difficult to use, while dark magic is fairly easy to use. Which means it can easily get out of hand if someone isn't very careful about it.

Shadow magic is an individualistic art. Either its used to change yerself, or if it affects others, it relies on perception, or what's in their own shadows, the shadows of their hearts and minds. Illusions and nightmares. Without a person to act as the light, the shadow can't be cast. And the more balanced the heart and mind are, the harder it is for the shadow to cause harm.

[so_dark_a_road]

Okay, I see what you mean. Thanks for the explanation. Those magics from your world seem to work similarly to the ones I learned in mine.

I have some dark magic myself. I can create a vision and cast it as a spell, so that the person or people recieving it think it is real. In my world, I once used that ability for evil purposes, which I regret. But now on the Voidtrecker Express, I used that power once on a mission world, for the purpose of defeating the enemies of the people we had gone to that world to protect. And I use it in reverse now, in order to distinguish between reality and illusion, and sometimes to break the illusion and let the reality shine through.

I'd be interested in learning anything from that I can, in case it's something I don't already know. It might be interesting to have you test my abilty to resist mind control.

[shadowcourage]

I'd have to see the vision thing in effect. Did ya break the illusion in a general area or for specific people?

The thing I can definitely do is stuff like offensive attack. Bursts of dark energy that usually burn out, but good with dealing with masses. Other stuff takes seeing what ya can do and what ya can handle.

I can definitely do the mind control thing. Ya should be able to use the illusion stuff to help bolster it. Depends how good ya are with yer own emotions.

[so_dark_a_road]

I could demonstrate, if you want to meet me somewhere. I would simply create a vision and then radiate it all around me. You would see it if you were in the same train carriage with me. But as for breaking an illusion, I've only experimented with that, and only for myself. I haven't tried to break it for other people.

[ He listens to Shadow Link's description of his power. ] That makes sense to me, that you could aim dark energy at an opponent.

[ He nods. ] I'm pretty good with my own emotions. I learned how to deal with them as a part of creating a new life for myself. And yes, maybe I could use the illusion stuff to oppose an attempt to control my mind.

So, do you want to try some of this?

Voice

[firewalled]

...I think I'd like some pointers on resisting mind control.

[Rich doesn't know if it's going to help his specific situation, but surely the will power involved will do something for resisting something trying to change his brain's chemistry.]

Re: Voice

[shadowcourage]

Practice is a great way.

But for basic tips, having a good amount of trust for gut instinct and willpower. Puppetry can usually be hit with enough willpower and emotional anchors. The more dangerous mind control is like what happened on Diagas, where it alters how ya see the world.

Yer brain WILL try to justify things to make it make sense, unless yer willing to trust when yer gut says something is wrong despite that.

[firewalled]

I haven't had a lot of 'practice,' unfortunately. Being out in the field is the only time when it happens.

[And though he's had some success with it, he wants to figure out how to break it entirely if he can.]

And don't worry. I have a lot of experience with hallucinations. That was... pretty common for me.

[shadowcourage]

Which is precisely why I offered the ability for people to practice.

How good are ya at seeing through 'em?

Video

[consider8]

Its good to see you making yourself useful. [She's proud of you Shadow, really!]

I do find myself a bit curious of magic. I have no magical aptitude, but I am curious what are the requirements to use it.

Re: Video

[shadowcourage]

I can take a look at ya to see if ya got something for shadow magic. That stands out pretty clearly when I look.

Dark magic I think I could teach anyone. Maybe. Ya could in Hyrule, but its also possible everyone from Hyrule has the potential for magic, so it can be taught. That would be a wait and see. But if ya've never done dark magic, then I think I'd have to do an evaluation of yer emotional stability.

So ya don't go crazy.

[consider8]

Emotional stability, huh... [That's... interesting.]

So, it sounds as though the qualities you are observing are some fundamental feature of their... psychology? And you can do this at a glance?

[She's aware that magic can do things that don't make logical sense, but even the process of becoming aware that a person can do magic seems... magical!]

[shadowcourage]

All power corrupts. And like I said, dark magic makes it easy to do bad things. Some look at mind control and see invasive oppression of free will. Others see a decisive way to keep someone in line. So if ya do dark magic, its important ya have some means to keep something akin to a moral compass. Ya don't need to be 'heroic.' Just not next would be dark overlord.

A little more involved. I need to take a look at your shadow.

[blitzcheer]

Well, hey there, welcome to the train. You've got a lot of neat tricks you can do. Thanks for sharing with us.

[ He wants to think on the mind control and all that part, but... ]

We've got a place we can store some food to keep them forever fresh, if you're willing to make different foods. [ Actually... ] Is this the kinda 'makes full out meals' or the ingredients kinda power?

[ It sounds like the former, but who knows how far it extends!! ...except this guy. ]

[shadowcourage]

[What is being thanked. Embarrassing.]

Both, but I was thinking more ingredients. Some items last longer when cooked, but a completed meal usually doesn't stay the best forever and its also more dependent on my sense of taste. Ya know, spices, cook levels, things like that. Ingredients let people do whatever they want and those aren't altered tastes.

[blitzcheer]

Sure, sure. Well! The cooks around here would be able to tell you what they use a lot. Every month's different, but we don't get a lot of the same ingredients - especially meats. Depends on the special ingredient, and what the recipes have.

But if there's anything we run quick out of, it's eggs. A lot of bakers here, and- you can go through eggs fast! [ Hah, especially them. ] Oh, say... you haven't had a red bean paste before, have you? Or- if I showed you some ingredients we've got now - you could make them... if you see them first? Or eat 'em?

[ ...eat 'em raw?? Let's let the guy answer!! ]

[shadowcourage]

Eggs I can do. And most meats, figured a lot of meat at some point.

Red bean paste? I don't think so.

At least see and eat in a meal. Eating them raw is the best result, but some things it isn't advised.

[mustknow]

I'm quite interested in some of these things. We could all use a little instruction on the mind control issue, I suppose.. are you holding demonstrations presently?

[shadowcourage]

Not in like a group setting. All of it would be a one on one thing. I could give general advice for resisting mind control, but finding a thing that's effective for the person takes a personal touch.

And I need to gauge anyone I'm teaching dark magic too. Its a slippery slope without an anchor to not become the next wannabe dark lord.

[mustknow]

I suppose now is a bad time to mention that apparently in the future I'm the next dark lord.

[His tone is ever so dry, but he doesn't sound like he's lying about it either. That could shoot his plans in the foot!]

[shadowcourage]

I suppose then it depends how married ya are to the idea.

Because I do also help train out of dark lorddom, tragic backstory, dimension hopping nonsense, etc, etc.

[schrodingersghost]

So... I was talking to Link, and he said you might be able to help me out with some of my powers.

[shadowcourage]

Link did?

What powers were ya thinking of and when do ya want to meet up?

[If Link recommended him, then that gets a pass on a psych eval.]

[schrodingersghost]

Well, I've got a lot of powers. Ghost powers. But Link suggested talking to you about overshadowing. [ His tone is a little reluctant as he mentioned that power. Danny still wasn't certain whether training that ability was really the best idea, with how much it tended to freak people out. ]

This afternoon maybe? I really want to get a start on this, before the next disaster happens.

[shadowcourage]

Well, shadows are my business, though what is overshadowing supposed to do?

I'm meeting with someone shortly, but that should only be a few hours hopefully. I can probably squeeze ya in before the evening one.

[He planned to spread it out more, BUT LINK RECOMMENDATION-]