seventy-ninth labyrinth

[lord_wizard]

[It's been quite a long time since he's done this, which comes with it's own bit of regret. He'd been so caught up in everything the castle had thrown at him he had ignored his responsibilities. Granted, they were responsibilities he'd given himself, but there was no reason to pretend they didn't exist once he'd started, as easy it was to use Chimera as an excuse for dinner parties, which wasn't to say that would stop him in the future.]

Fellow residents, I will attempt to take up as little of your time as I can, but I would like a few moments of your time. If you do not yet know me, my name is Felix Harrowgate. I started a group here for magic-users I call Chimera. I assure you there is nothing sinister in the name. It is namely metaphorical for a number of reasons I will not bore you with in detail, but in short relate to our functions which are research and, when needed, defense of other residents. If neither interest you, we can at least offer you a certain amount of camaraderie of a peer group.

[Dictated away from the Fifth Doctor]

I bring this up now because it's possible one of those final conditions has arisen. If anyone here knows the Doctor, specifically the one known as Five, it appears he's been overtaken by some type of loss. He is clearly not himself and possibly dangerous to others. I cannot be certain what the cause it, but possession has been a problem here before. If anyone has an idea or has encountered him recently, I would appreciate you coming forward.

Current members, please weigh in with any ideas.

Comments

[inlifesname]

Not exactly. [Not without losing her powers, anyway. Her powers and all memory of having them. And breaking vows is always a move in the Lone One's favor.] But I wasn't saddled with it- I chose it. And it's one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

[lord_wizard]

You can see how someone might argue that it is still a rather large thing to ask a young person to chose? That perhaps you lack the life experience and wisdom to weigh that decision?

[inlifesname]

Yeah, I can see it. Believe me, I heard a lot about it from my parents when they first found out.

[lord_wizard]

I would imagine so. [Felix only knows how actual parents would operate in theory]

Although...if both you and your sister have the talent, do your parents as well?

[inlifesname]

No, it runs on my dad's side, but it skipped him. My aunt does, though.

[lord_wizard]

So your father was at least aware of the possibility?

[inlifesname]

No, actually. I'm the first wizard in my family to be kind of open about it; I didn't even know about my aunt until I got involved in some wizarding business while I was visiting her.

Where I'm from, saying that you're a wizard is a good way to get people to think you've lost your mind.

[lord_wizard]

That or burned at the stake, from what I hear. It seems terribly common with people from Earth. Magic always seemed to be a hidden or feared thing.

[inlifesname]

Yeah, the burned at the stake thing is mostly historical by my time. Thankfully. We still have to hide it, though. There's a word for it in the Speech- well, it's an acronym, really. But we call a place where wizardry has to be hidden sevarfrith.

[lord_wizard]

Sevarfrith. Fascinating. [And you just know he's making notes now. Now that the lecture is over, his voice is picking up that vaguely excited tone he gets when he's learning something new. Especially when it relates to magic]

In your experience, are such places more or less common than the alternative?

[inlifesname]

[See, she likes that geeky tone much better than the lecture.]

It's way less common, at least in my universe. In most places, wizards are treated sort of like...visiting dignitaries.

[lord_wizard]

Does it have anything to do with how common the knowledge of your oaths are to those particular worlds?

[inlifesname]

Maybe. You'd have to do a study on the history of wizardry in each place to know, I guess.

[lord_wizard]

Tell me a little about the history of wizardry in your own world.