> This is your (text-colour:#FF7777)[DATE.] His name is (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST,] and he is a renowned and powerful (text-colour:#FF7777)[WIZARD] from across the glacial seas. > (text-colour:#1E606E)[(Inogast is an aging but starkly handsome wizard. He wears deep purple robes plastered with yellow stars, and a pointy hat. He sports round, gilded spectacles and is addorned with lavish chains, most of them attached to some sort of potion or vial at the end.) ] > It is a romantic night at the (text-colour:#FF7777)[ FLOATING GULL.] You are sat at a beachwood table, dimly lit via candle, the sway of the ocean rocking you delicately. > Go ahead and introduce yourself to (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST. ] (text-colour:#8B956D)[["Hello, Inogast!"]] > (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST] greets you vigorously, and begins grilling you over personal matters- your career, your hobbies, your... favorite hue of purple? (text-colour:#8B956D)[["Something classy and discrete."]] (text-colour:#8B956D)[["As gaudy and garish as it gets!"]]> (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST] huffs, his mustache bristling. He adjusts his spectacles. > "Well," he says, "I suppose it was best to settle that out of the gate." He rustles around in his flowing cloak and procures a glowing green (text-colour:#FF7777)[VIAL. ] > He (text-colour:#FF7777)[SMASHES] the (text-colour:#FF7777)[VIAL] onto the restaraunt floor, and a cloud of smoke erupts around him. > When it clears, he has(text-colour:#FF7777)[VANISHED,] leaving you with the bill and a sinking sense of arcanic insufficiency. (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Take it from the top |1]] > (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST'S] gloomy countenance seems to brighten at this. His magnificent white mustache twitches. > (text-colour:#8B956D)["Of course. Of course!"] He murmurs. > There is a brief lull in conversation. (text-colour:#8B956D) [[ Ask him about the CONSPICIOUS GRIMOIRE he has set on the table ]] (text-colour:#8B956D) [[ Ask him about the STRANGE INSCRIPTIONS on his necklace ]] > (text-colour:#8B956D) ["Oh, this old thing? Surprised you even took note of it..."] > The(text-colour:#FF7777) [GRIMOIRE] is a heaving tome that occupies roughly a third of the table. Its leather cover is intricately fashioned in layers, and its center is encrusted with a glimmering red jewel. > (text-colour:#8B956D)["Just a few spells I've been drafting up... a couple of hexes... nothing so special..."] > (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST'S] face could be described as (text-colour:#FF7777)[DESPERATE FOR INQUIRY. ] (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Ask him to demonstrate a spell ]] (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Ask him to demonstrate a hex ]]> INOGAST coughs violently, expelling what appears to be glitter all over the dining area. > (text-colour:#8B956D)["Goodness me, I do apologize for that."] > The wizard sheepishly waves his hands, and the stuff shimmers into a neat pile. > (text-colour:#8B956D)["Oh, these markings on my necklace? Simply..."] INOGAST visibly strains himself for a lie, something that appears to be a foreign exertion for the man. > (text-colour:#8B956D)["They are, ah..." ] > The wizard fiddles with the cuffs of his sleeve. You can see sweat accumulating on his cheeks, and forehead, and anywhere skin is visible, really. > (text-colour:#8B956D)["The thing about it is..."] > Before you can react,(text-colour:#FF7777) [INOGAST] draws his wand. There is an immolating flash, and then you are a pile of dust in your chair. (text-colour:#8B956D) [Some secrets are best left unprodded... ] (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Take it from the top |1]] > INOGAST lights up like a christmas tree. > (text-colour:#8B956D) ["Well, I suppose just one would be harmless, if I were to conduct it responsibly, yes..." ] > He (text-colour:#FF7777)[SCANS] his immediate surroundings. There are no waiters. > He begins (text-colour:#FF7777)[ENCANTING] under his breath- bizarre, guttural strings of syllables. His fingers dance spiderlike through the air, as if weaving some unseen tapestry. The air becomes(text-colour:#FF7777) [HUMID. ] (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Brace yourself ]]>[ INOGAST] snaps his fingers, and a quaint little spark flickers between his fingers, slowly kindling into a flame. > He smiles glumly. > "Obviously, this is not the extent of my abilities..." (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ "Of course, buddy." ]] (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ "Show me what you're made of!" ]]> A wet crackle reverbrates through the restaraunt, there is a propulsion of red light, and then a shadow looms over your table. > You look up to see a massive, knotted ball of fresh food- pastas, chicken, burgers, sandwiches- all suspended in midair. > And then, they are no longer suspended, and fall directly onto your table. Dishes begin sliding off. A plate of spaghetti is upended onto your freshly pressed suit. > (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST ]cackles gleefully, before a look of dread washes over him. > The (text-colour:#FF7777)[WAITSTAFF] seem to be making their way towards your table. (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Do you have a spell to clean this up? ]] (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Do you have a spell to get us out of here? ]]>(text-colour:#FF7777)[ INOGAST] nods solemnly, and begins waving his hands. The food floats into one neat (text-colour:#FF7777)[PILE] on the floor, sopping wet. > He apologizes (text-colour:#FF7777)[PROFUSELY] for the mess on your suit. (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ "It's no problem, really!"]] >(text-colour:#FF7777) [INOGAST] flips open his grimoire without hesitation. He begins to murmur a spell... > The(text-colour:#FF7777) [WAITSTAFF] march towards your table, irate eyes fixated on the wizard. (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Do not impede them ]] (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Create a distraction ]] > Two burly looking(text-colour:#FF7777) [WAITSTAFF] seize (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST] from under his arms. The spell dies in his throat as he begins flailing around wildly, and his screams are cut off as they cup his mouth shut. >(text-colour:#FF7777)[ INOGAST] glares at you as he is dragged into the restaraunt's (text-colour:#FF7777)[KITCHEN.] > You get the sense that this date went(text-colour:#FF7777) [POORLY. ] (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Take it from the top |1]] > You snatch a miniature jar hung from a chain around (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST'S] sleeve. His concentration remains unbroken. (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Drink the jar ]] (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Throw the jar ]] > He looks(text-colour:#FF7777) [RELEIVED,] but a little embarassed. > Suddenly, a large (text-colour:#FF7777)[BARN OWL] slams into the window. It seems unphased as it flaps its wings and hovers back, cocks his head, and (text-colour:#FF7777)[SLAMS] into the window yet again. > This time, the pane shatters, and the owl scampers onto the table. It is holding a (text-colour:#FF7777)[SCROLL] in its beak. > (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST SNATCHES] the scroll and unfurls it. He takes out a second, larger pair of (text-colour:#FF7777)[MONOCLES] to read it. > His face (text-colour:#FF7777)[PALES.] Before you can inquire about it, he jumps up from the table and vaults out the now-broken window. > What an odd(text-colour:#FF7777) [DATE. ] (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Take it from the top |1]] > You feel an acute and unpleasant tingling permeate your body. > You see (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST,] then (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST'S] stomach, then (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST'S] legs as you shrink lower and lower. > A(text-colour:#FF7777) [CROAK] escapes your throat. >Ribbit. (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Ribbit |1]] > You(text-colour:#FF7777) [HURL] the jar at the (text-colour:#FF7777)[WAISTAFF.] It(text-colour:#FF7777) [EXPLODES] at their feet, dispersing green smoke in a small area. > Before it clears, you hear the unmistakable sound of(text-colour:#FF7777) [CROAKING] and cute (text-colour:#FF7777)[RIBBITS.] > As the fog dissipates, you see you have turned them all into(text-colour:#FF7777)[FROGS.] > (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST] finishes the spell, and then you(text-colour:#FF7777) [WINK] out of existence. (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Scream ]] > You begin to wail into the void, only for the void to readjust and shift around you. Suddenly you are in a warmly lit (text-colour:#FF7777)[STUDY], cases of books towering around you, and odd looking chandeliers drooping from the vaulted mahogany ceiling. > (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST] is preparing you some (text-colour:#FF7777)[TEA. ] > "Quite the night we've had," he chortles. > You(text-colour:#FF7777) [AGREE.] Is this a (text-colour:#FF7777)[SPARK] you feel? Only time will tell... (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Take it from the top |1]] > INOGAST puts his head down, much like a sulking dog. > He PICKS at his food passive aggressively. > The rest of the night is TENSE and AWKWARD. Never patronize a wizard, I suppose. (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Take it from the top |1]]> (text-colour:#FF7777)[INOGAST] strains himself, eyebrows furrowed. The flame begins to grow, emitting errant embers and sparks as its size smolders. > "Power... what arresting thaumaturgy... quite the prodigal hex..." he says, his eyes rolling back into his head. >(text-colour:#FF7777)+(text-rotate-x:27)+(text-rotate-y:29)[ (click) ] > The room (text-colour:#FF7777) [EXPLODES. ] (text-colour:#8B956D)[[ Take it from the top |1]]