The Gate

[The Holy namelesskitty]

"Ah!" he says gruffly. "you must be the new guy."
"'s called cash. I'm told it's from some old Chinese money, but that doesn't make any sense. That probably just a rumor anyways." "You can exchange american money for cash at the town hall. I'd rather be using good ol' green backs, I can't think of a one of us who wasn't american before we ended up here. But I guess that's politics fer ya."
"have a drink on me, to welcome you in." he hands you a pint of faintly greenish  liquid.
You thank him for it but claim you don't drink and silently add to yourself "anything that looks like it came from a caterpillar's ass."

he seemed nice enough in a gruff sorta way.

[Kaseke]

I don't quite like the sound of that name.. It's not very butterflyish. Maybe... Ardere (Latin for blaze).

And maybe you should ask the tavern keeper about the town and how things are done in it. After that, you should go change your money to the right currency and take a look at the different maps.

[The Holy namelesskitty]

Actually I like that name. Sorry duckie, but Ardere wins.

"Well, I's sorta like any American city, but smaller." he says. "Now magic, that's a different story. You can change whatever you want, but you can't never make something from nothin'" He points vaguely in the direction of the cave. "you've only done magic in there so you wouldn't know this, but the bigger the change the more channeled magic it takes, and the less magic in the atmosphere, the more energy you have to expand to gather enough." "In other words, any big stuff like portals. that could kill you outside the cave. so be real careful what you do."

With that in mind you walk over to the town hall, expecting to see a treasurer or secretary to exchange your money, but when you get there you are made to wait  for ten minutes while the attendant talks on her phone. when she finally hangs up she says to you "life of a mayor is always busy, even with only a few to govern. She gives you ⊄78 for your $39.

you look for any maps that are not the one you have already seen but they all seem to be the same.

[Kaseke]

Go see some of the laboratories to see what kind of things these people are researching.

[The Holy namelesskitty]

you walk up to one of the so called "roads" there they seem to be just cylinders of metal painted different colors. you look at them befuddled. Someone walks up behind you and grabs onto the road and they ar whisked off. you do the same and you are suddenly hurtling very fast down the length of main street. when you reach one of the laboratories you let go and surprisingly ar unhurt from your journey. you knock on the door and when nobody answers you walk in and see not a traditional laboratory scene but what appears to be a seance.

one bystander walks up to you and asks what they could help you with.

You ask what is going on.

he looks at you quizzically then says "oh, you're the new guy. we research magic. only a few of us are "actual" researchers but we're all working to find out exactly how magic works, we don't understand it well ourselves. The farthest we've gone is that it exists in the environment and you just channel it. Anyways it's a pleasure to meet you. The boss has big hopes for you y'know. He's gonna intro duce you te everyone at dinner. You probably want to get some impressive wizardly colthes, the way he's gonna talk about you you'll feel underdressed otherwise. Says you're some sort of prodigy or something."

[ArtDrake]

Ask him if there's a place you could go for some privacy, so you can change your clothes. Literally.

[The Holy namelesskitty]

he points you to a men's restroon and says "it's pretty clean and the stalls are nice and big.

[ArtDrake]

Walk into the restroom, go into one of the stalls, and try to change your outfit into something a bit nicer and wizardly-looking, preferably with a bit of lapis lazuli. Mostly because lapis lazuli is fun to say.

[The Holy namelesskitty]

once in the stall you gather energy which takes considerably less time than before, perhaps grimacing doesn't help at all. your shirt turns into an emerald colored robe with blue embroidery and lapis-lazuli sewn into intricate flame like patterns and a cape matching ardere. You think for a second and then turn your pants into sweatpants (which you think are unendingly comfortable) and make the entire outfit flame proof. you like the combination of colors and strut out very pleased with yourself.

ooc: anything else of just wait around till what happens at dinner takes place?

[ArtDrake]

Well, why not talk around at the tavern and see if anyone has any needs requiring magical assistance?

Oh, and can we buy a hat at some point between now and dinner?

[The Holy namelesskitty]

you listen around but nobody seems to be in desperate need. You finally ask the tavernkeep.

He chuckles and says, "can you give me a light?" holding out a gigantic cigar. "the main work that has to be done is investigate the other world. I've been there s'real nice. I dunno what you've been told,"he says seeing your shocked expression "but it ain't like there's gods all over. I've been there for months and never seen a one. but if you want to stay away I hear ya. The labs might have some stuff for you to do." of course you could also see what you think about this place, you've barely seen the outside world, fresh air's good for you."

with all of those in mind you walk over to a nearby store and buy for 6 cash a blue pointy hat. You like the looks of it. In homage to one of the greatest wizards of all time you print the word "wizzard" on it.

[bugfartboy]

Don the hat, and prepare for dinner.

[The Holy namelesskitty]

As dinnertime approaches you notice that people are heading to the market square. You ask a passerby why everyone is congregating, and whether this happens at every dinnertime.

"Oh! you must be the one that boss keeps talking about! No we're all having a feast, well more along the lines of a potluck in your honor. I must say it's a pleasure to meet you in person"

you are confused but you sense that all will be resolved at dinner.

When you reach the center of the market you notice that there is a large area cleared and that there are many tables set up and surrounded by people, almost all of which ar looking at you, many of them are wearing a sort of eyeglasses made of stone, you think back to the man who you stopped and remember that he was wearing them as well. Everyone wearing them seems more excited by your appearance than those who are not.

the same man who led you to the cave motions for you to stand by him at what appears to be a stage. As you approach him the room grows silent.

"As many of you are, I'm sure, aware," he begins, "we have a true sorcerer in our midst!" everyone without the odd stone eyeglasses seems very taken aback. "We have had our city devastated by the gods in the past, but with a sorcerer fighting beside us we stand a chance. Our wishes have been answered, and our salvation is at hand. Treat him well, teach him well, and perhaps we can truly fight alongside the red star castle, the cloud city, and mighty Uthuk." you are confused by his statements.

"What are those? " you ask but your voice is lost among the uproarious cheer.

His voice turns sober and solemn "but do not cross him, he is our only hope, should he fight against the free lands all will be lost."

After you hear his speech which continues on for some ten more minutes, you take part in the feasting. The food is delicious, almost so good that you forget the other places that he mentioned, almost.

After dinner the assumable leader approaches you and pulls you aside. "You've only been here a day so you probably haven't figured this out, but we're at war. there are other cities, all of them have legions of magical fighters compared to our ragtag forty, the only reason that we are even defended is that we have the only labs in all magical lands. the other three have been fighting the gods for almost a decade, but the war is going nowhere. You are a sorcerer a real and true source of magic. I never thought that they even existed but it seems that you are real enough. Tomorrow you should learn some about the other free lands, more about magic, or at least stock up on some useful items, the time may come soon enough that you will be leading thousands into battle, for all of our sakes you'd better be prepared." al of this seems overwhelming to you but he presses on. "I suggest going to the school, there's part that's just regular old stuff, but you'll learn more about how to cast more advanced spells. or perhaps go to the library, there are lots of books on the free lands that you should read up on. battle tactics you'll only learn from the other cities, Uthuk and Red Star would be the best place to learn about combat with the gods, they have been fighting them for the longest and they have the strongest fighting force."

"Oh, by the way he adds, I've bought you a room at the tavern, you can sleep there or do whatever else you want to."

and after that you go to bed your options weighing heavily on your mind.

[bugfartboy]

(I'm having a difficult time making sense of anything that's going on.)

Attempt to throw a fireball.

[The Holy namelesskitty]

you gather magic and attempt to throw a fireball, however all you manage to do is make a flash burn on the palm of your hand. clearly this is the more advanced sort of magic he was talking about.

OOC: what is confusing you?