A Small Bit of Orderly Insanity [Initiate Ikos-Ivory Tower]

[Kichirou Esaka]

The Month of Kalendryas, in the Season of Winter, Era I of the Celestine Mandate, Era XV Post Fractum. It had been five years since Kichirou's father had been murdered. The thought was forever embedded in the Kemite's mind as if a painting had been rendered of that very scene. The years had been rough for him, and the fact that his brother was leader led him to being more open with his ideals of how the Kirin Clan should operate. Maybe his plans were for the best, for in those five years the Clan had made an acceptional comeback within the city of Zinn'Sunn. The ancient ways of honor that Shinju had preached to the clan had all but vanished with him, and a time for 'doing what had to be done' had come. While the clan grew stronger, Kichirou's body was still the same scrawny shell as it had been in adolescence. He was used to it, and people seemed to tease him less now that Easoi was the headman. The younger boy noticed that those that teased him either shied away from him now, or were no longer to be seen. The Clan Leader had made it very clear that Kichirou was his younger brother, and anyone that picked a fight with the younger got to feel the wrath of the older. With no true friends, the Kemite found himself spending time in his father's old library within the Kirin Compound, pouring over texts that the two used to glance at together from time to time. It was in these moments that tears might have formed at the edges of the youths eyes were his feelings of anguish not so deeply suppressed. It was but a brightening before that Easoi had caught his brother emotionlessly flipping pages to some random book, images of strange symbols and oddly written text scrawled out on the pages. Whether it was with concern, or perhaps a bit of disgust at his brothers useless moping, Easoi had him enrolled at the Ivory Tower for training in Ikos. The brother was useless in a fight, but perhaps he could be of some assistance with a bit of luck on his side. Thus, Kichirou found himself in a small room, shared with a few other students all sitting in desks, a large chalkboard taking up the majority of the front wall. While the other students conversed amongst themselves, Kichirou merely kept to himself, idly scratching at the desk with the razorsharp scalpel that he had been toying with for the past few eras. It reminded him a bit of the way his father had been written upon after his death, and the morbid connection had drawn the youth to it's slender form. Staring at the tip of the slender balde as hhe rotates it, watching it ever so slowly dig into the wood of the desk, the young Esaka doesn't even notice that the talking around him had ceased. That is, until a rather disgruntled man at the front of the classroom clears his throat, his gaze pointed directly at Kichirou. The man was rather plump, and his face was clean-shaven. His beady eyes hid behind small round spectacles that seemed to not quite sit right on his rather large nose. Were he about three feet shorter Kichirou might have confused him for a gnome.

[Kichirou Esaka]

"I do hope you realize that your are damaging tower property young man." The man's voice was nasily and caused the younger Kemite to make an odd face at the sound. "Maybe when you have to pay for repairs you can respect that." Perhaps the man was trying to scare the boy, as most young Kemites got their funding from their parents--parents that didn't enjoy wasted crowns. It didn't bother Kichirou so much, but he still slid his scalpel into its carrying sheath on his belt. His eyes followed the round man with a bored look upon them, and disinterest was the aura that seemed to surround the younger brother of the Kirin Lord. "Welcome to the first day of class, students. I shall be your teacher for the following few days on the instruction of Ikosian theory and it's uses." Pulling a small piece of chalk from his desk, his grubby hand raising up to write on the chalkboard, he scratches out his name. "I am Calvin Schmedley. Professor Schmedley to you during your time at the tower." Taking his seat at the desk, he ruffles through some papers before he finds a sheet that he seems to have been looking for. "Raise your hand as I call your name." After roll call, Schmedley moves seemlessly into his first instruction. Basic Ikos theory was a bit of a bore to Kichirou, as he and his father had gone over theory for some time. While the young Kemite was unable to comprehend any of the runes at the time, the basic idea was simple enough. The first step in Ikos is the statement of intent. Without firm knowledge of what ought to happen in the future, the mage cannot translate her desires into runes, and thus the spell’s effects might prove muddled. The second step is the translation of the statement of intent into runes. The runes may be in any order that the caster deems best, using whatever exact connotations of whatever rune she prefers, so long as the logic behind her choice makes firm, definite sense in her mind. The professor went over these two theories over and over, and for one as bright as Kichirou, it was indeed a troublesome bore. In the end, the day was nothing more than cementing the things he and his father had gone over so many countless times before. "For tomorrow's session, we will have a guest to come in and begin the unbinding process. I shall present to you a rune that you will all earn to replicate in your own fashion. It is through this rune that your path to Ikos shall begin. Class dismissed." At that, Kichirou and the others rose and left. Most of the others students were staying at the tower, so Kichirou found himself leaving the place by himself. He preferred it that way, for he had never been too big on having friends. Tomorrow would be a better day than today, for with any luck he could begin the path that he had longed for so since many eras before. He would become the Iconomancer his father said he would be, though to what end was a mystery to all.

[Kichirou Esaka]

The next day was an early one. All of the students had found themselves loitering in the classroom once again, Kichirous off to one side on his own. It was perhaps a candlemark before the Professor entered the class room, waddling over to his desk and taking a seat. Behind him was a tall and slender man in a dark blue robe with gold trim. Almost the exact opposite of Shmedley, this man's face was almost skeleton-like, the skin pulled taught over his skull, though it boasted a finely trimmed goatee of firey red hair and a well brushed mane pulled back into a long pony tail of the same color. "Class, this is Edemie Dieyamo, a Bard within the Ivory Tower. He has offered to unbind you all so that we may continue with your pursuits into mastery the art of Ikos." Turning to the redheaded bard, Shmedley nods. "They're all yours. Do as you must." "Why thank you Professor," replies Edemie, before scanning his eyes over the classroom. "Class, as your professor has told you, I am Edemie. Unlike many other forms of practiced arcana, you are an even rarer few if you can master the particular form you seek training in. I admire you for your aspirations." As he speaks, Edemie moves to the center of the front of the room. "Now, in order to unbind you, I must do each of you one at a time, to ensure that the unbinding is successful. As you know, not everyone is able to become wielders of the arcane. The tower is willing to refund those that are unable, with our deepest apologies, and well wishes for your future endeavors." Pointing at the closest of the students, Edemie has him approach and places his hand on the youth's head--the unbinding session had begun. There were seven students in the room to be unbound. Kichirou's distance from the others had led him to be last, and four candlemarks had already passed. Of the six that had been up before him, only two had been unbound. The thought that he too would find himself unable to persue the arts of iconomancy briefly crossed the young kemite's mind, and his breath caught in his throat. While he had been holding an aire of indifference, Kichirou truly found the unbinding ritual interesting. Moving up slowly to stand before the bard, Kichirou stands tall. His eyes lock onto the grey orbs of the robed man, and Edemie grasps the sides of the Kirin's head, thumbs pressed gently, but firmly against the younger kemite's forehead. As Kichirou watched Edemie, the man obviously concentrating, he felt as if something at the corner of his vision wasn't quite right. Unable to shift his head, for the bard's graps, Kichirou shifts his eyes, trying to locate the cause of the odd feeling. What...what is that...? he thinks to himself as he tries to track down that which would not be seen. It was in slight desperation that Kichirou turned his eyes directly back to Edemie, only the man was no longer there. The room... The room was no longer there. Spinning, Kichirou suddenly realized that he was no longer held in place by the other mage. The boy found himself standing in a room that seemed so very familiar. It should afterall, as it was the room he had last seen his father in. It was said that an unbinding had odd effects on different people. Is this some trick? Heartbeat increasing as he recognizes where he is, Kichirou can't seem to bring himself to move. His eyes, locked at one spot in the room, rest upon the body that had haunted his dreams for five years now. His father laid in the same spot, chest ripped apart by the blade, just as before. This time however, the young kemite noticed with uneasiness, his stomach feeling like it was beginning to knot up, that his father's face was smiling.

[Kichirou Esaka]

Was this how it was? Did I not notice? The boy was beginning to doubt his sanity. He had envisioned this scene millions of times, and he always remembered his father's face being stuck in an agonizing, open mouthed grimace of pain. Why was he smiling now? Forcing his will upon his legs, taking wobbley steps, Kichirou brings himself to stand next to, and then kneel at, his father's body. It was with a shakey hand that Kichirou traced the wounds on his father's chest. When his father had been killed, the words "The Honorless Kemite" had been raggedly carved out. It was not the same this time! Instead, the wound was cleaner cut, as if by a surgical blade, and it's words were truer words than the insult that had been laid upon his dead father five years ago. "My Blood is My Honor" is what the kemites new inflicted epitaph read. It was all too confusing to Kichirou, and his eyes sought out his father's face, hoping for answers. Almost in response, the eyes of his father shot open, the smile on his face growing wider. "My son. It is a man's blood that gives him honor...gives power. Always remember that." Just as quickly as he had been animated, so too did he quickly fall dead again. Kichirou had no chance to speak. Even if he wanted to he could not--his voice simply wouldn't come. Gasping the sides of his head, he closes his eyes and tilts his face upwards, letting out a silent scream. "...aAaAah!" The end of his scream startled him to silence, causing him to leap back--leap back from the hands of Edemie. Eyes searching the bard for answers, Edemie smiles warmly. "You are unbound, and unattached to any of the planes. May your path into Ikos be a successful one." Eyes moving to the candle that kept track of the time in the classrooms, Kichirou cannot believe his eyes. What had seemed like moments had been almost an entire candlemark. He had watched the seeminly uneventful unbindings before him, and wondered what had taken so long, but even in his own unbinding he could not fathom the cause. Pulling himself into a desk, Kichirou lays his head into his hands. What had I seen? What was it's meaning? Power in blood? The boy would have spent more time contemplating his vision had his mind not been snapped to the present by his Professor. "Excellent my students! Three out of seven is indeed a great thing. It is rare to be able to enter the world of arcana, you should feel blessed and lucky. Now, speaking of luck, how about we begin your path of enhancing that luck. Don't worry, you can rest as we practice this. This will be the last excercise of the day." Watching Professor Shmedley, Kichirou was still a bit shaken up. His emotions had been a bit repressed since the death of his father, and thiis unbinding seemed to be a catalyst of letting those emotions suddenly burst forth and overwhelm the kemite all at once. It was all he could do to focus his attention on the Iconomancer as he began to draw intersecting lines on the board in chalk. "This...this shall be the first of three runes that you shall learn. It is with this rune, that you shall become attuned to the Plane of Runes, bound to it and all it has to offer you."

[Kichirou Esaka]

Kichirou watched as his professor drew the symbol on the board in front of him. His mind still raced with the conotations of the vision he had seen moments ago. I wonder what it means... he was thinking to himself as Schmedley finished at the board. "This symbol is known as Karowl," the tubby man began, snapping Kichirou's attention back to him. "While it has many meanings, we shall be using it to symbolize your rite of passage into the art of Iconomancy." Taking a seat at his desk, the professor leans back into his chair, letting his eyes fall upon the three students still in the class. "As practitioners of Ikos, you shall be free to learn your own ways of depicting your symbols. For now, I want each of you to retrieve a parchment of paper as well as the quill and ink from within your desks." Following the instructors commands, Kichirou and the other students lift the top of their desks, opening it like the lid to some newly discovered treasure chest. Within was the promised equipment, the parchment stacked neatly and slid to one corner of the compartment under the desktop, and the ink and quil laid next to the stack. Withdrawing the materials, Kichirou will close the top of his desk and place everything on top, turning his eyes back to Schmedley. "Remember that the first step is to create intent for the purpose of your sigil. In this case, your intent should have something to do with learning Ikos. Once you have your intent set in your mind, I want you to draw the symbol. It is important that you draw it whichever way seems most comfortable. Just like true artists, no two Iconomancers create exactly the same rune." With this knowledge, Kichirou dips the quill into the ink, bringing the tip just barely over the paper. I want to be bound to the Plane of Runes! Kichirou thinks matter of factly in his mind. It was perhaps one of the strongest thoughts he had ever had on anything since his father's death. Kichirou had recalled his father mentioning how some iconomancers thought that the way in which an ikos rune was drawn could affect how the wish would manifest. While he also mentioned that many more thought the idea to be ridiculous, Kichirou figured the idea couldn't hurt matters. Four quick strokes of the quill and Kichirou had the frame of the rune completed.

[Kichirou Esaka]

From what Kichirou had been told, drawing a sigil from outside in made the wish more personal. Two more strokes created the cross inside the box, and two more angled strokes finished up the sigil. Kichirou, having finished, merely stared at his rune, his intent still held strongly within his mind. A strange, warm feeling seemed to rush through him for a moment, but it wasn't for very long--similar to a shiver down one's spine, but more pleasant. It would seem, he had been bound by the rune to his chosen Plane of essence. It was from here, that Kichirou's life would become more interesting. With all of the students having completed their first wishes, Schmedley breaths heavily as he stands up once more. "More than likely that will be one of the only wishes you will ever make with an obvious result. Ikos tends to work in mysterious ways, and there are many angles that can affect the outcome of your intentions." Opening a drawer in the large desk that he had been sitting at, the professor thums through what appear to be some documents, closing the drawer back after removing a few sheets. Waddlign over to the three students, he gives them each one of the three sheets. "There is a difference between seeing lines drawn on paper, and truly seeing the essence of a true rune. On this sheet of paper, you will find seventeen runes, including the one you just learned. As it is very rare for any two Iconomancers to think alike, it would be unfair to mandate the two runes you learn from this point. The runes listed have no meanings printed on this page, as it is your own connection to the drawings that shall dictate what you choose. Decide, and you shall be given time to practice drawing your runes. The better a runes appearance, the better it's chance for effect." Motioning the students to the door, Shmedley smiles. "Feel free to practice on your own, but remember, your mind will only allow three runes to be imprinted upon your conscience. Tomorrow, we shall discuss some basic arrangement of your runes into what we call sigils, allowing you to gain more benefit from using more than a single rune. See you tomorrow." Eyeing the paper containing the runes, Kichirou decides that he would contemplate his choices, only choosing the runes when he is sure of the connection he gets from them. Leaving eveerything else there, the kemite begins stands, following the other two students towards the exit. As he does, he notices Shmedley grabbing the papers the students had previously drawn on, smearing them with more ink so that the runes were no longer recognizeable. Catching the young student's raised eyebrow, Shmedley only shakes his head. "It is a lesson I forgot to share. As a user of Ikos, it is best to destroy your runes after using them. It has been known to cause adverse effects when thinking about the purpose of rune when it still exists in front of you. Do not worry, I shall go over it tomorrow." "Okay..." Kichirou replies weakly as he turns and exits the door. Adverse effects? I wonder what might happen if I had thought about the rune I had drawn earlier? An image of Kichirou becoming a mishappen form of his old self as his body twisted up into a rune of its own sent a shiver down his back. He had wished to be bound to the Plane of Runes...weren't all runes bound to that same plane? This would not be all fun and games it seems, and Kichirou would have to put some effort into his studies of Ikos. Surely the benefits would be worth the amount of work.

[Kichirou Esaka]

That night Kichirou found himself eying the page containing all of the different Ikos runes that he was meant to choose from. Professor Schmedley had said the runes would choose the user more so than the other way around, but the Kemite could not feel any sort of pull coming from any of the particular symbols. Setting down his drinking glass and leaning back, Kichirou sinks into the lush, cushioned chair of the Kirin library. This had once been the office to his father, but the younger Kemite had taken it up as his refuge since his father had died. It was here that he would brood over the events of the past few eras. Tonight, it would be here that he found out what runes would be the next to learn, but nothing seemed to come from him. Running a hand over his face, Kichirou slams his other hand down on the fine oaken desk in front of him out of aggitation. The glass rocks as the Iconomancer's hand barely makes contact with it's edge as it comes down, and the dark liquid within spreads out across the contents of Kichirou's desk. Sliding back, to avoid the spillage from staining his clothes, Kichirou rises to his feet, angry at himself for causing such a mess. With quick motions he begins sopping up the liquid with the lesser important papers that are on the desk, but his body freezes as his eyes fall upon the paper that he'd been studying but moments before. The drink had spread out across the page, covering the symbols and smearing the ink. What caused Kichirou to freeze however, was the fact that all but two of the symbols had been smeared. It seems that his symbols had chosen him after all. "Urum and Zala," says Professor Schmedley the next morning, naming the two runes that Kichirou had chosen. Writing the names down on a sheet of paper, the large man waddles over the other two students and lists their choices on the paper as well. Making his way back to his desk, Schmedley sits down into his chair, the poor thing creaking under the stress of the weight, but not giving in. "Amazingly, you all three chose different runes, so I will go over their meanings with you individually. In the meantime, you will notice a small book in each of your desks. While I discuss the rune choices with one student, I want the others to study up on the basic mechanics behind arcana. While they aren't necessarily required to perform Iconomancy, it is a good knowledge to have." Pointing at one of the other students, beckoning him to approach the desk, Schmedley begins speaking softly to him. Watching them for a few moments, Kichirou will turn his attention to the book inside his desk, drawing it out and examining the cover. Basic Arcanomechanics were imprinted on the soft cover of the book in black lettering. With a steady hand, he turns open the cover and begins reading the material inside. Within, Kichirou found some rather interesting material. The material spoke of techniques useable by practitioners of most arcana, and while Meditation was something that even Iconomancers practiced, a few of the other terms were new to him. Introduction: The casting of any spell from the six arcana spheres (Druidism, Elementalism, Mysticism, Necromancy, Sorcery and Thaumaturgy) begins in the same way. Whereas Song and Ikos has slight variations. There are just a few exceptions to a single way of casting a spell, like the use of arcane items or techniques like Mana Reshaping. The mage has to follow a few steps which he learns as an Initiate to cast a spell. These are the base steps: • Meditating • Achieving Clara • Merging Vis with Ara • Focusing on the Plane • Channeling Essence • Essence becomes Mana • Shaping Mana • Releasing the Spell The mage Meditates to achieve Clara, a state of mind in which he can see and interact with Arcana. In Clara the mage merges Ara and Vis together thus creating an Arcalysis, an arcane reaction which takes his mind to the Astral Plane. In the Astral Plane the mage Focuses upon his Essence Plane. When the mage has Focused on his sphere’s Plane, he begins Channeling Essence back to the Material Plane. There the Essence becomes Mana. When the mage has created Mana, he shapes it into a spell and then releases it. Meditation: The very first step that a mage takes is Meditation. It is a process when the mage tries to calm his mind and directs all his thoughts to a single goal – reaching Clara, otherwise known as Meditative Trance, the state of mind when he can see the world of arcana and interact with it. Meditation is not a complicated process, however while it is easy to understand, mages who just begin training in arcana have difficulties when trying to meditate and reach Clara. With practice mages are able to reach Clara faster, therefore an experienced Initiate may take five minutes, while a newly Unbound one shall take up to ten minutes. After each Promotion, the mage’s mind gets linked further to the arcane world and therefore it becomes easier to reach Clara. However lack of practice can make even a high level mage struggle when meditating. On the other hand, lower level mages use calming and peaceful environments or even soothing drinks and relaxing perfumes of incense to ease the process. "The mage sat down, took a deep breath and closed his eyes. After a few minutes he succeeded pushing all the thoughts of work and cold weather out of his mind and another minute later his thoughts were only about the world of arcana and the state of Clara. The smell of incense helped him keep his thoughts from straying and as he kept on focusing on the task, his mind finally broke through. The mage reached Clara." Clara: When the mage meditates successfully, the end result is always Clara. When he reaches this state, he can see and interact with Arcana. The mage can see Ara, Vis, most arcane items, most spells and Mana, as well as the rest of the world which he could see before Clara. However to every mage these things and the world of Arcana look different. To most Ara looks like strange clouds, streams or other fibres that occupy and flow in and through the air, water and everything else. They can be of any colour, texture and density. Vis and Mana look similar to Ara and are also completely individual to every mage. Most arcane items, arcane environments or spells always become visible while in Clara. That is usually because the mage can see that Ara or Vis is not in its usual, ordinary shape, but seems to have something amiss and does not flow naturally. Sometimes that stands out and Mana itself can be seen, especially on instant spells, and sometimes those things are harder to spot. When the mage can see Arcana, he begins to interact with it in order to cast a spell. When mages are Unbound they are able to drag Ara, which is all around and visible, towards them to mix with their own Vis, which is inside of them. These two components, the mage’s personal power – Vis, and the power around – Ara, are essential when creating Mana. When Ara and Vis merge, an arcane reaction called Arcalysis occurs. During it the mage’s mind is taken to the Astral Plane, a place from which a mage retrieves the Essence of his Sphere. The mage loses all connection to the Material Plane and can no longer see it. While the mind is in the Astral Plane, it is believed that time stops and begins to move only when the mind is back in the Material Plane. Like with most things that are related to Arcana, the Astral Plane looks different to each mage, however to all it is seen as a place which occupies and holds all Essence Planes. "The mage reached Clara. There the world of arcana opened up for him. He could see yellow, transparent clouds of Ara flowing around him, so the mage began to drag them towards himself, where it mixed with his Vis creating an Arcalysis. Instantly the view changed and his mind now flowed in the Astral Plane."

[Kichirou Esaka]

Flipping through the pages, Kichirou attempted to absorb all the knowledge he could. While some of the information wasn't required for the practicion of Iconomancy, perhaps one day it may be of some use to the young Kemite. Focusing: When the mage’s mind is freely flowing in the Astral Plane, he has to Focus on the Essence Plane which belongs to his chosen Sphere of Arcana. A druid would Focus on the Nature Plane, while a sorcerer would Focus on the Force Plane. The mage can Focus – concentrate and reach out to the plane, just like he is able to reach out for Ara. Mages are able to accomplish that as easily and naturally as breathing or moving. Usually the mage is unable to Focus upon any other Essence Plane than his own. However, mages who train in two or more spheres can reach all planes they have been trained in. With the time still unmoving, the mage can take a few seconds or much longer while Focusing. However not all mages succeed in accomplishing this or train for months to achieve it. "In the Astral Plane the mage began Focusing upon the Plane which belonged to his chosen sphere - Druidism. Soon enough his mind found the desired Nature Plane and its Essences, and so the mage began Channeling." Channeling: When the mage has successfully completed Focusing, he needs to begin the final step to create mana, after which he can begin shaping it into a spell. When the mage has Focused on his Essence Plane, he begins Channeling Essence from that Plane. The portion of Essence that a mage can take out of the Planes is proportional to the amount of Vis and Ara that he has mixed. Therefore, the mage has to mix a lot of Ara with his Vis, before going to the Astral, to be able to Channel a lot of Essence and thus create a powerful or complicated spell. After Channeling a terminal amount of Essence, the connection to the Astral gets broken and his mind returns to the Material Plane. Upon the Material Plane Essence becomes Mana, which is tinged with the mage's Vis. Here the time begins moving again and the mage has to complete the final step towards casting a spell - shaping that mana into a desired spell. "The mage began channeling nature essence from the Nature Plane into the Material Plane. He channeled all the essence that he could. Since he had used only a small amount of Vis when mixing it with Ara, he wasn’t able to channel more essence than was required for the desired Initiate spell. Therefore the connection to the Astral broke after he had channeled it and his mind returned, the view changing into that where he had been before. The essence became Mana in the Material Plane, so the mage began shaping it into a spell." Shaping: When the mage has created Mana, the material that makes up a spell, he can begin shaping it into a spell. There are five Mana Shaping techniques that a mage can use, however at once the mage is able to use only one as an Initiate, two as an Apprentice, three as an Adept, four as a Master and whole five as an Archmage. Some spells that are limited in power require two or more shaping techniques and for that reason can only be created by higher level mages or as a higher level spell. Lower level mages take more time when shaping a spell, whereas higher level mages can shape a low level spell really fast, however still take time to shape a spell of their level. Before the mage learns an Adept technique called Create Spell, he is unable to create spells of his own, only to replicate those that have been Imparted to him. Therefore Initiates and Apprentices are able to use Mana Shaping techniques only in a certain Imparted way, which creates only those certain spells. Though, the technique Reshape Mana gives a bit more freedom for Apprentices. For most mages Mana Shaping techniques are too hard to grasp and therefore they cannot advance to Master. Fortunately for Initiates and Apprentices, they do not need to understand how to use these techniques or how they work. The knowledge on how to shape certain spells is always Imparted to them by their Masters. These mages shape the spells automatically and as a reflex, simply copying them from their mind, without full knowledge of how it really works. It is called Imparted Shaping. "The mage began shaping mana into a spell. The one he aimed for was a simple Initiate spell called Growth, which made plants or seedlings grow on the spot. Without even thinking how he did it, in a small amount of time the mage had shaped Growth from the back of his mind and then released it on the nearby plant." Releasing: When the mage successfully shapes mana into a desired spell, all he has to do is release it upon a target, be it an object, person or even environment. The spell instantly begins to take effect, whereas the mage loses a portion of his Vis, which recovers over time. Right after releasing the spell, the mage loses Clara and can no longer see or interact with the Arcana world. In order to create another spell, he has to meditate all over again. However Adepts and higher level mages are able to maintain Clara even after releasing the spell if they have the Staff of Arcana or have Evolved. "The mage released the spell upon a plant. Instantly the plant began growing higher and bigger, taking a greater form. However a few moments later it stopped growing and remained in its new form, for that was all the power that the spell had given it. After releasing the spell the mage could no longer see Ara, nor anything else arcane, however his spell was completed. Just as well he could feel that his Vis had been drained a portion." It all seemed so much more complicated than what he would have to do in relation to Ikos. Then again, other spheres had much more immediate results after all. The young Esaka was deep into his readin when he heard Schmedley call his name. Looking up suddenly, Kichirou tucks the book under his arm, and walks up to the Professor's desk, taking a seat on the opposite side of the larger man. "Yes Professor?"

[Kichirou Esaka]

Eyes looking expectantly at his Professor, Kichirou awaited what Schmedley would have to say about the two runes that he had chosen--or rather the runes that fate had chosen for him. Interestingly enough, he could find nothing about them in his father's study, though to be perfectly honest he didn't know their names. "Let's see," Schmedley says, looking at the sheet of paper in front of him. "Kichirou Esaka...you're runes were Urum and Zala." Sliding a few papers towards the younger Kemite, Schmedley points at them. "These are samples of both runes. Like any form of art, know two artists are exactly the same, and your runes will contain flares or strokes distinctly your own. You may use these to practice until creating the rune becomes natural." Giving Kichirou a moment to examine the rune samples, Schmedley will lean in against his heavy desk, weazing a bit from the effort. "That first rune, on the papers I handed you, is Urum. Like all runes, there are many meanings behind Urum. From an alphabet standpoint, this would be a 'u'. When drawn, it can be used for many intents involving the feelings of union, community, and cooperation. While it is up to an Iconomancer to decipher the many uses his runes might be applied to, I can at least point you on the right track." Nodding as the larger man spoke, Kichirou ran his finger over the rune on the sample. "I understand," the Kirin says just loud enough for Schmedley to hear. "Union, community, and cooperation. I assume that any feelings with similar intent could be done through the use of this rune as well, correct?" Smiling, Schmedley nods his head, happy that his student is able to catch on--the Esaka family were indeed bright ones. "You are correct. As long as you have a clear idea of what you wish to accomplish, this rune can be the catalyst of anything within that nature of thinking." Placing a finger on the papers in front of Kichirou, Schmedley slides the top page to the side. "This second one is known as Zala. It represents a 'z', and can be used for intents involving promise, rebirth, and cleanliness. There are other meaning behind Zala and Urum both, but now that you know their names, finding information on them should be easy. It is with these three runes, Urum, Zala, and Karowl that you will begin your path into Ikos." Waiting to see if Kichirou had any questions, which he didn't as of yet, Schmedley will wave in the direction of the student's desk. "Go ahead and take a seat. You can practice applying your runes on your own time, but for now we have other things to go over." Smiling, Schmedley will heft his large body up from the chair, his cheeks growing a bit rosy from the effort. "Allright then class, the final, formal lesson will be on this." Running his chalk along the board, the professor scrawls out the word 'Sigil'. A sigil is what you use when applying intent to a rune. You have already done that once, when I had you become attuned to the Plane of Runes. While some of you might no a bit about sigils, it's more than simply drawing a rune and wishing for an event to occur.

[Kichirou Esaka]

Pointing at one of the other students, Schmedley will continue his lecture. "You managed to get attuned through the creating of a sigil from one rune. It was a clear and concise intent, but what if you wish something that is less clean cut. The more chance there is in something not occuring, the more runes you will need to try and shift the odds more favorably." Turning to the board again, Schmedley draws a circle, a square, and a triangle. "For now, we shall pretend that these are Ikos Runes, each with their own individual meanings. Normally taught to Apprentice students, sigils can be produced in a variety of fashions. For initiates however, we shall simply produce sigils consisting of multiple runes in a line." Pointing his chalk at the first sigil, the circle, the Professor continues. "While there are as many methods to this as there are stars, I shall demonstrate one of them. In one case, the first rune can indicate what you want done. The second, this square here, would indicate the target of your intent. The triangle, would be in the place of how you wish your intent to manifest. Using this setup, I could wish for knowldge, targeting me, in the form of education." Returning once more to his desk, the professor wipes his brow with a cloth from his pocket. "The rest of your studies shall be in your own hands. You may come here and ask questions, or study at home. Either way, it is the task of all Iconomancers to discover more and more about the art. There are many things that can only be learned by your own studies. So, that being said, class is dismissed." Standing up from his desk, grabbing the small stack of papers, as well as the booklet on Arcanomechanics, Kichirou will begin to head out of the classroom. Passing the desk of Professor Schmedley, the young kemite smiles and nods. "Thank you Professor. Should I have any questions, I will seek you out." Filing out of the classroom with the other two students, Kichirou makes his way back to the Kirin Compound. He wanted to know more about his runes and their powers. This would be his obsession for some time, something that he could become strong in, where his brother was not.

[Badb]

Level 1 Ikos approved! +2 XP to Ikos. Approved by GM Badb