Terdisas nods, and takes a seat because that does tend to be much more pleasant than standing around.  "Gale is correct, such methods remain impressive purely for their accomplishment.  Even though some only consider the greater feats such as floating cities of any note."

Eli blushes and says, "Well... it's less create, more... jury-rig? I took a ritual meant for mage students to gain a familiar with and did some serious study into Warforged and ancient artificing techniques and kinda... mixed the two... Charlotte's not really a familiar in the strictest sense of the term. But she is my friend." he smiles, petting the mechanical spider.

Flavor. The reason an average Transformer can be favored over a super-tough one simply because they LOOK cool. ;)

"I'm familiar with that ritual," Tink answers with a grin.

"I've been studying magic since I was about this kid's age," Gale says, "And never dared even try jury-rig a ritual.  That he can do so at his apparent age is remarkable enough that even the hard-to-impress types would have to take note."

"I'm 10 years old," Tink says, holding up as many fingers, "How old are you, Eli?"

  "While self taught myself, it has been vastly closer to target practice than any technical study or understanding of the Arcane arts.  Part of why I have been reading up on it more of late than I used to."

"Chirp, I'm a Familiar who is Familiar with that wordplay.  Cuter coming from you though, tweet."

Eli blushes some more. "...I'm 8." he glances at Gale briefly before looking at the table again. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't mean to sound like I'm bragging. I think anyone with knowledge of using rituals could probably do it if they just try... I think people should t-try... more..." his voice gets quieter as his shyness kicks in.

Tinkerbelle jingle-giggles and grins at Superbird. "You're sweet, tweet."

"Hmm?" Gale answers Eli as if she weren't paying him much mind, "Oh.  No offense taken, sweetheart.  Just saying I'm impressed."

She returns her gaze to Terdisas.

"Any particular readings?"

"You should be careful, though," Tink warns, "I've heard lots of scary things about magical experiments going wrong.  I'm glad this one turned out so right, but I wouldn't want you to get hurt in the future.  Is there anyone supervising your experiments?"

  Superbird wingflaps happily at the comment,  Terdisas says  "If you were attempting to brag, then it was the least obvious sort I have ever heard Eli."  He turns to Gale, and says "Just common Arcane lore for the most part, I feel I should brush up on the 'more widely known' facts so I actually know them in the first place."

  At Tink's comment, the Sorcerer nods,  "Somewhat less likely to melt your own boots during testing with assistance."  "Chirp, those boots had it coming anyway.  Probably."

Eli says, "I like my boots..." but then answers Tink. "Well... I check with my teachers lots. But I also experiment, tinker and such without supervision since they can't watch me all the time.."

"Well I could give a pile of advice on books to avoid," Gale answers Terdisas, "For example, anything on the supposed elemental wheel is a waste of your time in spite of being espoused by several schools of thought as being fundamental basics.  Your own experience I'm sure has taught you by now that arcane fire and ice can co-exist quite nicely.  As for recommended for basics...  Hmm."

She takes out a rather large book written in her own handwriting and begins referencing it.

Tinkerbelle nibbles her lower lip and smiles up at Eli.  "I'd love to experiment with you if you'd let me."

  Elsethread, we fondly recall the poor so and so of a Goblin (or was it Hobgoblin?) That had the privilege of being on fire and frozen at the same time.  "Lightning acting nothing like 'lightning' does tend to be a good starting point for elemental logistics, yes.  But thank you for the heads up, I likely would not have realized until halfway through the tome."

  "Chirp, well if you don't work on anything that could explode or move around on it's own too often, should be allright.  Or things that can move around on their own and explode, tweet."

Eli blushes again from Tink's question. He then ducks his head some from Superbird's comment. "I... don't experiment with exploding stuff, no." He glances at Gale while pulling out misc parts from his backpack (which was leaned against his chair, if you all recall Charlotte's entrance).

He looks at Tinkerbell and pulls out a sheet of parchment before he says, <Elven>"Sometimes paper makes for a good component, not just for magic but mechanical things too. And I'm not talking about because it has a rune drawn on it. This paper is blank. I'm talking about things that require something thin, flexible, and composed of cellulose or vellum, depending on the paper you're using. Of course, for cellulose, I prefer using normal leaves because leaves are tougher and usually large enough for the purposes I use them for..."</Elven>
This message was last edited by the player at 03:21, Sat 23 Apr 2011.

Tink is eagerly following Eli's exposition, nodding with enthusiasm.  "I like leaves too," she giggles, wiggling her leafy dress.

"You're quite welcome," Gale answers Terdisas, "Ah.  Here we go.  Yes.  Heinsoo's Guide to the Arcane.  Excellent book.  Highly recommend it.  After that I'd say Eytan's Words of Power a must..."

She lists several other books she considers "required reading."

  Terdisas isn't rude to tune out Eli's technical ramblings, because not like he could understand them anyways.  "Thank you Gale, I shall look into them when I have some spare time."  While not much personally direct use, reading up on words of power at the very least would give him some insight on when to duck.

"Heinsoo?" Eli asks. "Reminds me of a tale I heard about an undead lady named Hsien-Ko whose twin sister Shao Lin-Lin would possess her in order for the two to fight together..." he then nods, "The elemental wheel is still useful study for other reasons. Depending on your school of magic, phases of the moon, planets and stars can effect the elements causing occurances like Fire day or Ice day where certain powers work better and others work worse..."

The moment anyone looks at him, though, he goes back to blushing and staring at the table. "....you're pretty, Tinkerbell."

Gale just smirks at Eli's defense of the elemental wheel and nods to Terdisas.

"Why thank you!" Tinkerbelle answers.

She flies up to Eli's face to give him a cheek hug.

"And you're handsome!  So what were you planning for your paper?"

  Hsien-Ko, Hopping around like some kinda Blue Undead Bunny.  How adorable!... When she's not clawing you to bits at least.  "Fortunately, I do not have to contend with selectively invisible moons as a gauge of personal Arcane output.  Though it will be beneficial to learn of 'Cosmic' Sorcerers literally rely on such."  As opposed to random Dice rolls.  But Dice Sorcerers don't sound very impressive except in a Meta sense.

Eli blushes deeply from the compliment / hug. He reaches up to pet her back. Then says, "Cosmic Sorcerers..." he trails off like he's trying to either figure out a way to say it or if he even should in the first place. "...well, it's my opinion that their essence is attuned to the phases of existence to the point where they can almost will the universe to synchronize with them."

He looks at Gale. Why does he feel like no matter how impressed this lady claims to be, she still looks down on him like he's an ant? Oh, right... because Eli feels that way around everyone.

He answers Tinkerbell. "Well... today, I wanna to show you an invention in the making."

He folds the parchment in a certain way, several times. Then tears it up at the creases made by the folding. He quickly pulls out other metal shards and screws and such. He begins putting the pieces together and is working fast.

"It's my opinion that it's a mystery to even them," Gale answers both boys, "But then... how much do you understand how your own powers work, Terdisas?"

Tinkerbelle giggles and flies to sit on Eli's shoulder, watching his progress in fascination.

  Terdisas shrugs,  "Not exactly my 'Area', so you may well be correct unless I discover otherwise Eli."  He turns to Gale, and comments "Enough to feel I should limit myself in what methods I put to use.  I would not be particularly comfortable throwing around spells starting almost twice as strong as a Scorching burst." Sorcerer Bonus, plus Staff Of Ruin = Exponentially OMG Bursts over levels.

  "I may not wield strong enough methods to leave a trail of destruction, but that is somewhat the point."
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:51, Sun 24 Apr 2011.

Eli just concentrates on building. He wasn't asked a question or addressed, so he doesn't answer anyone. Besides... he's too preoccupied to really worry about conversations concerning something he really isn't.

With the whir of a washer being spun on a screw that had pierced one of the paper pieces, Eli seems to be building several parts that look similar to each other.

"Not exactly what I was getting at," Gale answers, "I mean on a fundamental level the actual mechanics.  For example, a fighter knows that a bicep muscle when flexed will raise his forearm.  But does he know why it gets bigger with extended use?  HOW it gets bigger?  Does he understand why muscles are stringy when you pull them apart?  Or what is it that commands them to move?  There's so much that just isn't known about even the simplest and common of things.  How much more so, the mysteries of the fantastic and uncommon such as the arcane?"

  "Chirp, how not to blow up bystanders has more immediate practical use than why bystanders would blow up."  "Somewhat of a crude way to put it, but such was the basis of my original practice.  As for the for the mysteries of the Arcane, it is true that they are much more mysterious than biophysics...  However, this is not just due to the complex nature of any single aspect of the Arcane.  While I am not as studied as many, it is already clear that while one can reproduce results in Magic like any test experiment, the 'rules' change.  Knowing the results is entirely possible.  Knowing the methods by which it is possible in every instance, less so."

Eli quickly, deftly inserts the parts together. As he presses the parts to each other, they almost seem to move about on their own in order to connect together. He waves a hand over the parchment parts, which become a powerful red that fades into yellow. He then holds up the invention triumphantly as the "stem" becomes colored green. He twists the base of the "stem" and the now-obvious flower blooms. He twists it the other direction and it closes.

Eli smiles.

He then turns his attention to Terdisas. "People who say something is beyond comprehension are only partly right. For example, someone who's slow wouldn't understand how I just made this flower. But someone not-so-slow could understand. Someone smarter still... can understand some of the mysteries of the arcane. Personally, I have found nature to be far more complex than anything else I've ever studied. A leaf, a shell at the beach, a spider, a horse; these are things that, like Gale pointed out about biceps being stringy, show those of us who are supposedly geniuses just how much we don't know. And for studious people like Gale and I... that is exciting."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Gale agrees.

Oh the fun of agreeing with all present.

Tinkerbelle squees with glee and flies around the mecha flower rapidly, clapping.

"Wonderful!  Beautiful!  Wow!  Amazing!  You're so talented!"

  "I suppose Nature would have to be somewhat more complicated in many areas.  It has to have a full set of functioning parts and means in the first place, and maintain a constant state of being with such.  While the vast majority of Magics and Divine gifts are mere passing things."

  He smiles regarding the model flower, its like a more classy umbrella drink umbrella.  "And complex parts of not, you have made something quite pleasant."