OOC: This quest is for Xen/Murphy, and him alone. Anyone other than a Mod or WPL caught posting here will be subject to nuclear defenestration. Thank you, and have a nice day.
"So I understand you wish to deepen your knowledge of the philosophy of mana...?" The elderly dryad said to Xen inquisitively.
The dryad smiled. "Very well, then. May I introduce you to Sister Andara..." She said as a graceful looking woman, dressed in modest silk robes strode purposefully into the room.
Xen smiles at the Dryad saying, "Life is a journey. Something going awry is only a small portion of that journey that should simply be taken in stride."
Turning to Andara Xen says, "Are you able to answer my question about what is the essence of the plain's mana?"
Andara walked around the room, running her hand along the wall. "The essence is...difficult to capture in words." She gave a meaningful glance to Embla, who just nodded quietly.
Xen followed her movements about the room and responded, "Difficult but not impossible. Perhaps you can show me how many mages draw upon the plains mana. I know the philosophy of the plains is unity and order. But I'm sure there is more to it. Cara, my Great Aunt, told me that she drew upon the plains mana directly from the sun. I'm trying to see the connection, the deeper meaning that is supposed to be the essence of plains mana."
Xen looked expectantly at Andara. He had a few ideas and dozens of other questions about the mana. But he also knew he had to take small steps to guarantee his understanding of the plains.
Xen mirrored her position and lowered himself down into his familiar meditation stance. With a steady gaze he watched her expectantly while clearing his mind. With all of his surface thoughts cleared Xen entered into a state of mind he used in battle. He had become an empty void on the cusp of drawing upon his mana. There he floated with all of his senses absorbing the outside world without truly disturbing his state.
He was ready to discover the next step in his personal beliefs. Ready to walk down the path of the plains...
Xen closed his eyes and the void embraced him as the sound of his heart beat became amplified to his perceptions. The loud thumping of his heart beat began to echo his steady breathing creating his own steady rhythm. Then reaching out with his mind, heart, and soul he gingerly probed the land beneath him seeking a pulse.
It takes a moment, but before long, Xen feels it. It's weak at first, but gradually becomes stronger...within moments, it's overwhelming Xen, buffeting him. Andara's voice calls out to Xen. "Open your eyes now."
Xen revels in the pulse of the land allowing his heart and breathing to mirror the pulse of the land. Soon his senses were being overwhelmed as he felt a sense of harmony and power with the land. The sensation was beautiful to Xen and flooded his void.
For a small time he felt lost, yet at home within the sensation and then heard a distant voice. At first he hadn't noticed the voice as the sensation was pushing the outside world out but soon Andara's voice reached him asking for him to open his eyes.
Maintaining harmony with the pulse Xen opened his eyes expecting to see Andara and the room...
Xen opened his eyes to see another circular room. This room was much mor cavernous, and around him was five doors. Two were sealed with one bearing Xen's own insignia on it, while the other three were merely closed. Other than that, Xen was alone. "I have brought you within your own spirit. For the essence of mana is not in the plains, or the forests. Without your own spirit to focus it, it is all for naught." Andara's voice called out, seemingly from nowhere.
Fairly long wall of text explaining Xen's thought process.
Xen's first reaction to hearing Andara's words was the thought that some artifacts were capable of filtering mana into different colors. He had always wondered how they were able to do that. An artificer must have realized that mages were a filter in and of themselves. Perhaps there weren't five colors of mana but rather the perception that there was. After everything he had seen and learned the concept of there being a single original mana source that was drawn into five separate colors seemed intriguing and possible.
Xen began to think of the world and the mana in the world as one single basic essence. He then thought about all the mana users he had met in his life. Each one had core beliefs and philosophies that reflected an essence unique to that mana user. When a mana user first tries to draw upon the one true source of mana their essence mixes with that of the true source. This union is what bonds a mana user to their first color.
Xen then recalled his previous thoughts of the Blind Eternities that he had heard from his mentor. He began to see how the Blind Eternities could be the purest and most undiluted form of the one true source of mana. Then the planes of existence in the Blind Eternities was the culmination of thousands upon thousands of different essences mixing together. Just like mana users the lands of the planes have their own essences which are the culmination of all the essences inhabiting the land.
So if the lands were a large mixture of essences and planes the formation of thousands upon thousands of essences forming in the one true source of mana, the Blind Eternities. Then Xen could picture the lands being much like the mana users. The lands developed a unique essence just like the mana users. This essence mixes with the core of the plane which is a culmination of the one true source mana. This mixture creates a specific color of mana that is nurtured in the land.
Xen's theory began to explain how many spells Xen had seen in battle, training, and at Frankies were able to transform mana of one color to another color. His theory also hinted at mana users having an inherent amount of mana inside themselves.
Xen's mind was racing at all of the possibilities and revelations while he sat in the new room in his mind. He had dozens of more theories on how magic worked now. But those would have to wait. He was here to discover a new facet of himself. Now was the time for Xen to change his own essence so that his essence could mix with that of the plains. Now was the time for personal growth.
Standing up Xen nodded to himself with a new sense of purpose and determination. Walking towards the other sealed door, the one without his insignia, Xen called out to Andara saying, "This is amazing... I understand so much but have so many more questions. Thank you for this." Xen finishes the sentence by reaching out for the sealed door prepared to open it...
Standing up Xen nodded to himself with a new sense of purpose and determination. Walking towards the other sealed door, the one without his insignia, Xen called out to Andara saying, "This is amazing... I understand so much but have so many more questions. Thank you for this." Xen finishes the sentence by reaching out for the sealed door prepared to open it...
The door didn't even move. "Now is not the time to explore that, Xen. First, I wish for you to open the door with the skull on it. Before you can learn the essence of white, you must learn what it fears."
Xen paused and removed his hand from the door. He turned away from the sealed door and looked towards the door with the skull. He shivered and reluctantly walked towards the skull door. He didn't want to open that door yet.
Dark memories began to surface for Xen and he pushed them back. He had to get past that. It was a past mistake and one day he would have to go through this door to accomplish his goals.
Gathering himself he reached for the Skull door intending to open it...
Xen moved to cover his nose but stopped himself. Andara wanted him to understand the black mana and why it caused the white mana fear. Gathering his courage and suppressing a gag Xen moved through the door and into the darkness...
A wisp of white light darted to Xen's side, pushing back the oppressive darkness enough for Xen to see a path before him. to either side, however, there is nothing but a deep void. All around, he can hear what he can only assume to be people toiling reletlessly...
Xen is thankful for the light and walks deeper into the room being mindful of the beings in the dark. Deep inside he has the urge to draw upon his mana for comfort but quickly denies himself. He's here to experience the black essence not cower within the comfort of the known.
Without another thought Xen continues walking forward looking for the source of the noise and decay...
"So I understand you wish to deepen your knowledge of the philosophy of mana...?" The elderly dryad said to Xen inquisitively.
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
The Dryad stood by idly, before saying, "I am Embla. I am here merely to oversee, in case anything goes...awry."
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
Turning to Andara Xen says, "Are you able to answer my question about what is the essence of the plain's mana?"
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
Xen looked expectantly at Andara. He had a few ideas and dozens of other questions about the mana. But he also knew he had to take small steps to guarantee his understanding of the plains.
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
He was ready to discover the next step in his personal beliefs. Ready to walk down the path of the plains...
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
For a small time he felt lost, yet at home within the sensation and then heard a distant voice. At first he hadn't noticed the voice as the sensation was pushing the outside world out but soon Andara's voice reached him asking for him to open his eyes.
Maintaining harmony with the pulse Xen opened his eyes expecting to see Andara and the room...
Xen opened his eyes to see another circular room. This room was much mor cavernous, and around him was five doors. Two were sealed with one bearing Xen's own insignia on it, while the other three were merely closed. Other than that, Xen was alone. "I have brought you within your own spirit. For the essence of mana is not in the plains, or the forests. Without your own spirit to focus it, it is all for naught." Andara's voice called out, seemingly from nowhere.
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
Xen's first reaction to hearing Andara's words was the thought that some artifacts were capable of filtering mana into different colors. He had always wondered how they were able to do that. An artificer must have realized that mages were a filter in and of themselves. Perhaps there weren't five colors of mana but rather the perception that there was. After everything he had seen and learned the concept of there being a single original mana source that was drawn into five separate colors seemed intriguing and possible.
Xen began to think of the world and the mana in the world as one single basic essence. He then thought about all the mana users he had met in his life. Each one had core beliefs and philosophies that reflected an essence unique to that mana user. When a mana user first tries to draw upon the one true source of mana their essence mixes with that of the true source. This union is what bonds a mana user to their first color.
Xen then recalled his previous thoughts of the Blind Eternities that he had heard from his mentor. He began to see how the Blind Eternities could be the purest and most undiluted form of the one true source of mana. Then the planes of existence in the Blind Eternities was the culmination of thousands upon thousands of different essences mixing together. Just like mana users the lands of the planes have their own essences which are the culmination of all the essences inhabiting the land.
So if the lands were a large mixture of essences and planes the formation of thousands upon thousands of essences forming in the one true source of mana, the Blind Eternities. Then Xen could picture the lands being much like the mana users. The lands developed a unique essence just like the mana users. This essence mixes with the core of the plane which is a culmination of the one true source mana. This mixture creates a specific color of mana that is nurtured in the land.
Xen's theory began to explain how many spells Xen had seen in battle, training, and at Frankies were able to transform mana of one color to another color. His theory also hinted at mana users having an inherent amount of mana inside themselves.
Xen's mind was racing at all of the possibilities and revelations while he sat in the new room in his mind. He had dozens of more theories on how magic worked now. But those would have to wait. He was here to discover a new facet of himself. Now was the time for Xen to change his own essence so that his essence could mix with that of the plains. Now was the time for personal growth.
Standing up Xen nodded to himself with a new sense of purpose and determination. Walking towards the other sealed door, the one without his insignia, Xen called out to Andara saying, "This is amazing... I understand so much but have so many more questions. Thank you for this." Xen finishes the sentence by reaching out for the sealed door prepared to open it...
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
Yup
The door didn't even move. "Now is not the time to explore that, Xen. First, I wish for you to open the door with the skull on it. Before you can learn the essence of white, you must learn what it fears."
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
Dark memories began to surface for Xen and he pushed them back. He had to get past that. It was a past mistake and one day he would have to go through this door to accomplish his goals.
Gathering himself he reached for the Skull door intending to open it...
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
Without another thought Xen continues walking forward looking for the source of the noise and decay...
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!