Calendarlogs
Jacks White Oak Field Trip Goblin Market Day 240330
The eclectic gathering at the White Oak Bookstore set the stage for an unconventional field trip led by Jack. With Rachel, Annie, Silas, Joel, Viktorin, and Kayly making up the group, Jack introduced the crux of their adventure: a visit to the elusive Goblin Market, a realm offering various magical services. Not all participants were strangers to this hidden marketplace, but the journey promised new insights and revelations for everyone involved. As they prepared to navigate the occult pathways leading to this mystic bazaar, questions about accessing the market sparked discussions on magic, sentient doors, and the importance of having the right tools—or friends—to find one's way there. Jack's distribution of strange iron keys and the enchantment lesson that followed marked the beginning of their metaphysical expedition, underlining the key theme of exploration both of the external world and of the self.
The Goblin Market itself was a hive of supernatural trade and intrigue, offering everything from weapons to darker, more ambiguous magical items. Jack pointed out specific items of interest, such as a silver electronic collar capable of neutralizing supernatural powers and the controversial use of infant hearts within the goblin commerce system. The revelation that magic, though occasionally harnessed for good, fundamentally drew upon elements of corruption set a somber tone amidst the market's chaotic allure. Despite the vibrant exploration and interaction with the market's offerings, this venture into morality's grey areas left the students with much to ponder. Questions regarding regulation, the ethics of magic, and the personal toll of navigating such a morally ambiguous landscape lingered as they made their way back, the heavy metal soundtrack blaring in the van underscoring the day's profound, if unsettling, educational journey.
(Jack's [White Oak] Field Trip: Goblin Market (Day))
[Fri Mar 29 2024]
In the White Oak Bookstore
Towering bookshelves laden with an eclectic array of titles and genres dominate the expansive space. Soft, ambient lighting filters through the large windows, casting a warm, inviting glow on the polished wooden floors and the cozy reading nooks nestled amidst the book-laden shelves, fostering an atmosphere of intellectual exploration and contemplative reprieve. The faint aroma of freshly printed pages and the distant rustle of turning book leaves intermingle with the hushed whispers of browsing customers.
It is about 50F(10C) degrees.
Rachel reciprocates Annie's wave with a nod. She hangs by the door, presuming that not long after, they'll be departing through it, anyway.
"Well!" Jack tells Rachel, Annie, Silas and Joel. "This looks like our crew for our field trip, which is good, since we will all fit in the van. We're starting here at the bookstore to discuss the -how- of getting to and then inside the Goblin Market," he says. "So, by way of some introduction: the market is a hidden, extra-dimensional space that sells and provides a variety of magical services. Like the Institute, its proprietors are neutral in the various conflicts that ebb and flow in the world," he says. "Who has been to the Market before?"
"We will make it up in spirit," Silas agrees with Annie, listening to her speak of those out of town names and with Rachel's entrance he turns and waves towards her, "Rachel, hey there. I thought I saw you walking around earlier, good to see you, it has been a while."
Joel glances back and gives a faint smile of greeting to Rachel as well as he stands there, hands in his pocket, wearing that faint air of nervousness that seems to be a bit of a coping mechanism for him. He turns his attention to Jack, listening quietly before raising a hand "Only briefly, someone brought me along to get a nightmare charm for the dreaming class."
Annie raises her hand, even if she wasn't really subtle about her familiarity with the market earlier. "Yep, I have a few times."
Silas raises his hand in response to Jack's query, "I have been to the market before."
Rachel acknowledges everyone at once, her hand again lifting -- except for Viktorin, who she doesn't seem to have noticed. Or maybe she's, in fact, answering Jack.
Viktorin slips inward, giving a brief wave towards Jack. "Good aft, Father. A pleasure to see you." Towards everyone else, he gives a brief nod.
"...I should've just caught a ride with you," Rachel tells Viktorin, wry. "That would've been faster."
"I know Mr. Teptic has, too," Jack says. "The goblin market is accessed by occult doors," he explains to those gathered here -- Viktorin, Rachel, Annie, Silas, Joel and others. "Does anyone know how to -find- those doors?" he says. "I can tell you: they move, periodically, and are generally located in shops in Haven and the surrounding areas."
"I normally ask my friends," Viktorin tells Jack, shrugging. "I'm not a wizard."
"I just ask someone and they typically seem to know," Annie answers Jack, rubbing at her chin, her tactic finding a door to the mystical market quite similar to Viktorin's method.
Joel quietly shakes his head in response.
"I know that with the right magical talent and perhaps focus you can sometime sense these things," Silas says to Jack as he upnods Viktorin in greeting once the man arrives as well, "It isn't always obvious, but I have found them that way myself which is useful for informing friends who might not have the ability, like Vik, it seems."
Rachel lofts a lazy finger at Annie and Viktorin both. She concurs; ask.
"Comes our sorcerer," Jack nods to Silas. "Someone who has magical training can sense the mystic link to the Market," Jack shares with Viktorin, Annie, Rachel and Joel. There's a nod to Kayly. "Otherwise, it is in fact time to phone a friend." He pauses. "Once you get to a location with the market present, how do you find you way in?"
OOC: Market doors show up on 'shop info' if you have an arcane focus. You will see a line in the shop info that says 'You sense a magical link.' You will need to individually view each shop info to see the line, however.
Viktorin states to Rachel, "I fear I had to conduct a smidge of business before this. I might have to leave class early for other business, but, I'm happy to attend and support in the meantime."
"That's handy, I guess. Must mean I have not a magical drop of blood in me," Annie heaves a dramatic sigh, shaking her head. She turns to Silas, prodding his shoulder. "You're gonna need a wizard's hat."
Glancing over towards Jack, Viktorin waits patiently for any guesses to come forth.
Kayly makes her way into the bookstore, hanging around the door for the moment, and giving a polite nod in Jack's direction, otherwise not speaking up yet.
Silas looks with some sense of satisfaction on his features when Jack does let him know he was correct in his answer. He turns to look beside himself at Annie after the prod to his shoulder and his face brightens, just some, with a slight smile as he says, "Do I go with the classic Gandalf style or something different? We'll talk after class about it."
Rachel shakes her head at Viktorin 'it's neither here nor there.' She happens, in that exchange, to miss Jack's question. She looks back at Jack his silence confuses.
Rachel shakes her head at Viktorin 'it's neither here nor there.' She happens, in that exchange, to miss Jack's question. She looks back at Jack. His silence confuses.
Joel clearly hs no answer to this as well, falling silent as the class grows, brow knit in concentration.
"It's not just that hat," Jack shares with Annie. Reaching for the box, he begins to distribute a series of strange iron keys. "When you are a location with a door to the market, you will see a magical door on the wall -- if you have the right equipment," he shares. "Those of you are who members of the social groups in town will find that your society's symbol is enchanted to serve as a key to the market, but others will need to wear a carry a key. I will teach you all the enchantment to make one now."
Viktorin says "Pardon me a moment, please."
Annie holds a hand out to receive one of those iron keys, eyes lighting up at his promise to teach them an enchantment. Maybe she is not consigned to be a muggle after all. "Neat," she says in gratitude, shaking her head at Silas. "You'll probably want one with a ridiculously large brim."
Viktorin ducks out politely, hand reaching to his ear-piece
Raising Jack's voice, Jack explains, "You can turn any object into a key to the goblin market -- jewelry, clothing, even your phone -- but I prefer a key. Magic is about shared belief." There's a pause. "And so using objects with some gravitas in rituals make the fabric of magic function more smoothly. Each of you, hold up your key," he says. "And then repeat after me." He takes a breath.
"Obsecro vos spiritus aeris et tenebrarum," Jack invokes, his Latin a low chant. "Fac huius oblationis clavem aliquam aperire ad vistas alienas ianuam."
OOC: Any object can be made a goblin market key. To make an object a market key, type 'customize key'. In this case, it would be 'custom key key' and it will turn it into a key.
"If you need privacy, you need to move further than that," Annie offers her own brief lecture to the class.
Rachel holds up her key, but awaits someone else to repeat after Jack. His long string of Latin might be beyond her memory.
"Obsecro von spiritus..." Is as far as Annie can get before her eyebrows twist up, conveying her difficulty in keeping up with the Latin. "Something like that." She settles with the bare minimum, tucking the key into her pocket for safekeeping.
Joel blinks a little, studying the key in his hand for a moment. Then he holds it up, slowly repeating the latin phrase, his eyes focused in fascination on the metal in his fingers.
Silas takes the key into his hands and says at least the first part of it, might fumble through the last, but it is the essence that counts, maybe?
Jack comments, "This is why people need to come to Latin class more often." A smile for Joel. "Very good," he says. "Anyone need a little more time?" he says. "Otherwise, we're going to head down to the van to head to the door. We'll use the one at Camp White Oak," he says.
"I'll write it down and practice," Annie promises, though her dedication is dubious, what with her just sitting in the class today as a special case.
Given that most everyone's failed this exercise, save Joel -- damn you, Joel -- Rachel's probably safe to skate on by without ever having landed on the right words. She texts something on her phone, and then casts a quick look at Viktorin.
Kayly mutters the latin phrase under her breath, slowly, until it seems that she gets the desired effect, and gives a slight nod to herself.
"I think I am good to go," Silas says to Jack as he pockets the key now afterwards, tucking it away safely.
"Miss Menendez," Jack calls out to Kayly.
"Alright," Jack says, gesturing to the van. "Load on up. We may not fit everyone in the van," he says. "So if someone gets left behind, meet us at Camp White Oak. That can be you, Mr. Teptic, since I know you might need to step out early."
Viktorin nods easily towards look
Viktorin nods easily towards Jack.
Jack turns on Christian rock again as he drives.
"What is that?" Annie asks in alarm as that music starts to play.
"Music!" Jack tells Annie brightly.
Joel lifts his eyebrows at the choice of music, keeping his expression carefully neutral.
Rachel opens the window, choosing to freeze everyone who hasn't dressed wisely to death.
Viktorin says "Good to know. Thanks for your assistance. You are a blessing to us all."
"It sure is," Annie is forced to agree, breathing in sharply as they are buffeted by the cold wind for a spell. She must have taken more offense with the Christian rock, as she voices no complaint at the cold.
"Now then," Jack says, leading everyone into Camp White Oak. "Who sees a door here?" he says -- gesturing towards a blank section of tent wall to the south.
Viktorin distractedly holds his finger to his ear-piece, sighing in relief. His expression softens a bit.
Kayly follows Jack up to the camps supply shop, and glancing around after a few moments at the priest's question she lifts a hand up.
Silas steps out of the van and into Camp White Oak, sharing a look briefly with Annie and he chuckles softly, shoulders lifted into a shrug, "I am not sure if I see one, but they always do hide themselves well."
Joel blinks a little as he peers to the south "Can't say I do..."
Viktorin glances at Silas. "Look south. Hold your key."
"Oh right, I need that. Normally I am just wearing something that lets me," Silas says to Viktorin.
Viktorin nods easily towards Silas, "Yeah, that's understandable. I'm always wearing mine anyways."
"Hold your key," Jack tells Joel, nodding in approval to Silas. "If you performed the ritual correctly, you'll see it."
Joel slowly grasps, and then blinks as his vision shifts "Huh..."
Viktorin glances towards Jack. "If they can't see the door, what happens if I open it?"
"Everyone see it now? Jack wonders.
OOC: When holding or wearing a key or society symbol, you'll see market doors. They just look like locked doors. If you own a shop, you can set a wall to be possible for a market door with the decorate command."
"Everyone see it now?" Jack wonders.
OOC: When holding or wearing a key or society symbol, you'll see market doors. They just look like locked doors. If you own a shop, you can set a wall to be possible for a market door with the decorate command.
Jack tells Viktorin, "They can still follow you through, but they will be quite confused."
Rachel cants her head and squints. She probably doesn't see anything -- but rarely do students in a group admit to shortcomings.
Viktorin nods briefly.
Annie shakes her head. "Not me," Annie informs the class as a whole, peering at the key in her hand. "But my enchanting needs some improvement." Perhaps the anomaly, no qualms with admitting her shortcomings. "I do have an actual key back home though," she puts out there, tucking the key back inside of her pocket. "No worries."
Joel keeps his eyes on the door, as if not quite trusting for its vision to remain.
"Now then -- " Jack smiles. "Now we step through," he says.
"And here we are," Jack tells the class, leading Viktorin, Annie, Silas, Rachel, Kayly and Joel through the door. They stepped south, but through some strange non-euclidean twist of space they emerge from the western door. There may be some queasiness. "Travelers use chalk to mark the doors," Jack tells the students. "But beware: if they've not been updated, the door can lead you sometimes into the deep forest, and the outcome can be very dangerous indeed."
"That door used to spit you out into the middle of the forest, very deep, surrounded by mist in a place that would certainly at least get you captured if you weren't fully prepared," Silas answers Viktorin while stepping after Jack and the group, moving up closer to Annie as he says, "Mine is working, so just stick close and..." They're inside. He looks through the stone passageway afterwards, looking somewhat relieved to be inside of the dim tunnel.
"But who's the first to mark the door? Do they just... trial and error? Someone's always the sacrificial lamb?" Rachel's not asking anyone in particular. She's incredulous enough to pose the question to the room at large. And because every steps is, apparently, treacherous she doesn't take a single one without someone else first paving the way.
"Blessed be whoever keeps these doors updated then," Annie states with sincere appreciation. She knows what happens if you get caught out in the forest with the mists. "I'll stick right close," she promises Silas, affording him a gentle lean at the shoulders, eyes darting here and there, trying to take stock of their surroundings while mildly disoriented.
Kayly glances around the hallway, peering at the doors and the chalk markings, as she asks Jack, "How often do these exits tend to change?"
Viktorin glances over towards Silas. "Ah," he states, giving a small nod. "I thought it could be that. Or I'm literally being dropped into a volcano or something. Thus, why I didn't try it."
Jack says to Rachel and Annie, "You mark it when you come through. I marked these doors when I came through with the evening class on Tuesday night." He pauses. "They change weekly, so always check the chalk marks when you emerge. Whatever door you come through," he says. "The market lies to the north." A pause. "We're really going to just get a taste of the market this trip," he says. "We'll have another field trip to really explore it."
Jack leads the class into the goblin market proper. It's a bustling place, full of all sorts of travelers, and the defrocked priest takes up a spot near one of the traders. "This is the market," he says. "We'll come back to explore the magical workshop over there on another trip, but it's helpful indeed. The library here is frankly similar in character to the one at White Oak," he says. "As a student, I might use that one." A pause. "Most of what they sell here in the south side of the market is weapons, often illegal, but I want to call your attention to one item..."
"Your best bet when coming in here is to just leave the same way you came because you can verify it leads to where it did when you entered," Silas says to the others as he walks close by to Annie, offering an a shoulder to lean against, sticking close as he walks through the tunnels and looks like this place gave him some energy, more lively, than he was outside earlier.
Silas avoids the beef steak on the ground while approaching the trading area with the group and he actually gets a couple pieces of paper to take with him during the trip, smiling aside to Annie, "They have good paper here."
Joel keeps close to the group, watching where he's walking. He's more or less taking things in stride, but there is still a tension about his shoulders, an intense awareness that normals rules don't currently apply.
Annie strays some from the group as they arrive at the bazaar, fancying a stall with some equipment. After picking out a gasmask and a compass, she flashes a card, and is promptly waved away with her new goodies. Once she returns to the assembled class, she asks Jack. "Which one?"
"The thing I want to point out to you here is this," Jack tells the class. He points to a silver electronic collar on sale. "This is a device that, if placed on the neck of a supernatural, can be locked on. When it's locked," he says, "it disables their powers." He pauses. "The artisans here can customize them in a variety of ways, but once it's locked? The technology prevents the use of most abilities."
OOC: If someone is wearing a neutralizer collar, you can lock it on them with 'lock person' and they cannot remove it or unlock it. Another person can unlock it with 'unlock person.' You can customize a collar object, but good practice is to make it clear what it is even if it is customized.
"Any questions before we move north?" Jack wonders to the class. "We'll wrap up with a tour of the northern section of the bazaar and break by 2:30," he tells everyone. "We'll do a follow-up to see the Magical Workshop."
Silas looks dubiously at the slightly worn landmine now as if wondering should one use a secondhand explosive device? He doesn't touch it, but does begin to move back towards the group after collecting more of the paper they sell down here and follow Jack.
"Even though the magical workshop is to the south," Jack tells the class, "the northern part of the bazaar is where the most mystical items are." Again, he stands near the trader. "Off of this area is a sparring space, a workshop for advanced technology..." He indicates the arena and the Engineering Workshop. "An alchemical laboratory, similar to the magical workshop, and then the Fleshforming Clinic." A nod to the north. "A bar and hostel is to the north. Notable there is that they sell mandrake tea. Anyone know what mandrake tea is?"
Joel follows along with a wry little smile on his lips as he glances back toward the stalls they're leaving behind. He glances toward Jack at the question "Something to do with entering the nightmare, I think?"
Rachel mumbles an answer under her breath. It's snarky -- something about 'the best way not to get ambushed by Tomas.'
Annie nods her head affably, running a hand along the back of her neck, eyes landing on Joel as he answers Jack. "I think they let you see through the nightmare. Like, spotting things there without actually traversing it yourself," she motions vaguely while speaking her piece.
Jack nods to Joel. "With mandrake tea in your system, you will be able to see into the nightmare -- but it will also be easier to be pulled into it or into the realm of dreams." There's a wry smile at Rachel. "You can see the stalls here sell nightmare charms, compasses... and darker things. That blood is vampire blood," he says. "It can have powerful effects." There's a silent moment as he regards the heart of an infant. "But it is not the most terrible thing the goblins sell."
"Does mandrake tea have any side effects?" Annie wonders, eyes drawn to the specified wares. Her eyes squint at the heart once it is revealed who they exactly belong to. "Huh," she sounds out her skepticism.
"The ability to be pulled in more easily," Jack tells Annie. "These hearts are kind of currency for the goblins," he explains to the class. "In the fleshforming clinic, they can be traded for that primeval power." He pauses. "I've said it before and I will say it again," he says. "Magic is fundamentally evil." He says, as some puissant sorcerer. "It can be used for good things, but it is fueled, fundamentally, by corruption."
OOC: If you buy an infant heart, you can use the fleshforming command on yourself once in the fleshforming clinic.
"We're almost at the time I said we'd be done," Jack says to the class. "Any last questions?"
Jack's spoken of weaponry, items of the occult, and body parts for sale. What's more, he admits to their evil. "So, all of this--" With her finger toward the ground, Rachel draws the outline of a circle. "Heavily controlled, right? Presumably you need some kind of license, or... proof of sanity." Outside of a black market. "So this is a 'know what's out there, don't partake' deal."
"...Right?"
Silas looks over off towards the fleshforming clinic and back to the trader who sells those valuable infant hearts. He reaches up to run a hand into his hair and says, "Hopefully won't be needing any of that anytime soon."
Joel grimaces a little at the more gruesome aspects, keeping his hands in his pockets as he looks silently back at Jack, apparently quite ready to head back by now.
"None of this is controlled at all," Jack tells Rachel grimly. "That's why White Oak exists -- the only guardrails, Miss Cai, are those in your conscience." And perhaps those imposed by people with power -- but then aren't they, too, corrupt? On that note, he smiles around the class, his expression a little hollow. "We'll head back to the vans now."
Annie eyes the hearts on display a good while, the signage above them just about affirming what Jack claims. They are not shy at all about what they're hawking here, which draws a strained smile from her. Though to Silas and even Joel alike, she jerks her thumb at the hearts. "You can apparently get bigger tits using those," she claims candidly.
"True," Jack tells Annie. "But there are perhaps better ways. We'll have a class on fleshforming some time soon, too."
"Among other things," Annie tacks on after stepping back into Haven.
Jack reaches for the radio again on the way back to the Institute. This time, it's not Christian rock: it's some heavy metal, full of the sounds of damnation.
The seriousness of the conversation and the content referring to infant hearts has Silas in a contemplative mood and look, before Annie's spill of information and candid efforts causes him to laugh awkwardly, "That is true, you can at least get bigger tits, but I wonder if it is worth it for the sacrifice needing to be made?"
"To be honest, this isn't any better than before," Viktorin states about the heavy metal.
And this time, Rachel opens the window perhaps to avoid having that infernal music break eardrums.
"Sister Abigail would claim this music is sinful," Annie claims at Jack as the heavy metal blares out, otherwise keeping her expression neutral to hide whether she approves or disapproves the music.
"So she would," Jack agrees with Annie -- a little wistful, perhaps, for the long-absent sister.
Annie lowers her voice as an aside, hand veiling her lips as she states to the class, "But she probably thinks breathing is sinful."
"And here we are." Jack pulls up. "Have a good afternoon, students," he shares. "Any last questions before I head out?"
"No, Father Jack, thank you for the lesson," Silas says to Jack as he steps out of the van and remains near it while looking up to the sky with a grimace. He tucks his hood over his head and looks at the other students, and the one auditor, Annie, "Looking forward to the next one."
"Well. Go with God," Jack offers the students. "I've some business to handle over the holiday, but I will see you all next week."
The Goblin Market itself was a hive of supernatural trade and intrigue, offering everything from weapons to darker, more ambiguous magical items. Jack pointed out specific items of interest, such as a silver electronic collar capable of neutralizing supernatural powers and the controversial use of infant hearts within the goblin commerce system. The revelation that magic, though occasionally harnessed for good, fundamentally drew upon elements of corruption set a somber tone amidst the market's chaotic allure. Despite the vibrant exploration and interaction with the market's offerings, this venture into morality's grey areas left the students with much to ponder. Questions regarding regulation, the ethics of magic, and the personal toll of navigating such a morally ambiguous landscape lingered as they made their way back, the heavy metal soundtrack blaring in the van underscoring the day's profound, if unsettling, educational journey.
(Jack's [White Oak] Field Trip: Goblin Market (Day))
[Fri Mar 29 2024]
In the White Oak Bookstore
Towering bookshelves laden with an eclectic array of titles and genres dominate the expansive space. Soft, ambient lighting filters through the large windows, casting a warm, inviting glow on the polished wooden floors and the cozy reading nooks nestled amidst the book-laden shelves, fostering an atmosphere of intellectual exploration and contemplative reprieve. The faint aroma of freshly printed pages and the distant rustle of turning book leaves intermingle with the hushed whispers of browsing customers.
It is about 50F(10C) degrees.
Rachel reciprocates Annie's wave with a nod. She hangs by the door, presuming that not long after, they'll be departing through it, anyway.
"Well!" Jack tells Rachel, Annie, Silas and Joel. "This looks like our crew for our field trip, which is good, since we will all fit in the van. We're starting here at the bookstore to discuss the -how- of getting to and then inside the Goblin Market," he says. "So, by way of some introduction: the market is a hidden, extra-dimensional space that sells and provides a variety of magical services. Like the Institute, its proprietors are neutral in the various conflicts that ebb and flow in the world," he says. "Who has been to the Market before?"
"We will make it up in spirit," Silas agrees with Annie, listening to her speak of those out of town names and with Rachel's entrance he turns and waves towards her, "Rachel, hey there. I thought I saw you walking around earlier, good to see you, it has been a while."
Joel glances back and gives a faint smile of greeting to Rachel as well as he stands there, hands in his pocket, wearing that faint air of nervousness that seems to be a bit of a coping mechanism for him. He turns his attention to Jack, listening quietly before raising a hand "Only briefly, someone brought me along to get a nightmare charm for the dreaming class."
Annie raises her hand, even if she wasn't really subtle about her familiarity with the market earlier. "Yep, I have a few times."
Silas raises his hand in response to Jack's query, "I have been to the market before."
Rachel acknowledges everyone at once, her hand again lifting -- except for Viktorin, who she doesn't seem to have noticed. Or maybe she's, in fact, answering Jack.
Viktorin slips inward, giving a brief wave towards Jack. "Good aft, Father. A pleasure to see you." Towards everyone else, he gives a brief nod.
"...I should've just caught a ride with you," Rachel tells Viktorin, wry. "That would've been faster."
"I know Mr. Teptic has, too," Jack says. "The goblin market is accessed by occult doors," he explains to those gathered here -- Viktorin, Rachel, Annie, Silas, Joel and others. "Does anyone know how to -find- those doors?" he says. "I can tell you: they move, periodically, and are generally located in shops in Haven and the surrounding areas."
"I normally ask my friends," Viktorin tells Jack, shrugging. "I'm not a wizard."
"I just ask someone and they typically seem to know," Annie answers Jack, rubbing at her chin, her tactic finding a door to the mystical market quite similar to Viktorin's method.
Joel quietly shakes his head in response.
"I know that with the right magical talent and perhaps focus you can sometime sense these things," Silas says to Jack as he upnods Viktorin in greeting once the man arrives as well, "It isn't always obvious, but I have found them that way myself which is useful for informing friends who might not have the ability, like Vik, it seems."
Rachel lofts a lazy finger at Annie and Viktorin both. She concurs; ask.
"Comes our sorcerer," Jack nods to Silas. "Someone who has magical training can sense the mystic link to the Market," Jack shares with Viktorin, Annie, Rachel and Joel. There's a nod to Kayly. "Otherwise, it is in fact time to phone a friend." He pauses. "Once you get to a location with the market present, how do you find you way in?"
OOC: Market doors show up on 'shop info' if you have an arcane focus. You will see a line in the shop info that says 'You sense a magical link.' You will need to individually view each shop info to see the line, however.
Viktorin states to Rachel, "I fear I had to conduct a smidge of business before this. I might have to leave class early for other business, but, I'm happy to attend and support in the meantime."
"That's handy, I guess. Must mean I have not a magical drop of blood in me," Annie heaves a dramatic sigh, shaking her head. She turns to Silas, prodding his shoulder. "You're gonna need a wizard's hat."
Glancing over towards Jack, Viktorin waits patiently for any guesses to come forth.
Kayly makes her way into the bookstore, hanging around the door for the moment, and giving a polite nod in Jack's direction, otherwise not speaking up yet.
Silas looks with some sense of satisfaction on his features when Jack does let him know he was correct in his answer. He turns to look beside himself at Annie after the prod to his shoulder and his face brightens, just some, with a slight smile as he says, "Do I go with the classic Gandalf style or something different? We'll talk after class about it."
Rachel shakes her head at Viktorin 'it's neither here nor there.' She happens, in that exchange, to miss Jack's question. She looks back at Jack his silence confuses.
Rachel shakes her head at Viktorin 'it's neither here nor there.' She happens, in that exchange, to miss Jack's question. She looks back at Jack. His silence confuses.
Joel clearly hs no answer to this as well, falling silent as the class grows, brow knit in concentration.
"It's not just that hat," Jack shares with Annie. Reaching for the box, he begins to distribute a series of strange iron keys. "When you are a location with a door to the market, you will see a magical door on the wall -- if you have the right equipment," he shares. "Those of you are who members of the social groups in town will find that your society's symbol is enchanted to serve as a key to the market, but others will need to wear a carry a key. I will teach you all the enchantment to make one now."
Viktorin says "Pardon me a moment, please."
Annie holds a hand out to receive one of those iron keys, eyes lighting up at his promise to teach them an enchantment. Maybe she is not consigned to be a muggle after all. "Neat," she says in gratitude, shaking her head at Silas. "You'll probably want one with a ridiculously large brim."
Viktorin ducks out politely, hand reaching to his ear-piece
Raising Jack's voice, Jack explains, "You can turn any object into a key to the goblin market -- jewelry, clothing, even your phone -- but I prefer a key. Magic is about shared belief." There's a pause. "And so using objects with some gravitas in rituals make the fabric of magic function more smoothly. Each of you, hold up your key," he says. "And then repeat after me." He takes a breath.
"Obsecro vos spiritus aeris et tenebrarum," Jack invokes, his Latin a low chant. "Fac huius oblationis clavem aliquam aperire ad vistas alienas ianuam."
OOC: Any object can be made a goblin market key. To make an object a market key, type 'customize
Rachel holds up her key, but awaits someone else to repeat after Jack. His long string of Latin might be beyond her memory.
"Obsecro von spiritus..." Is as far as Annie can get before her eyebrows twist up, conveying her difficulty in keeping up with the Latin. "Something like that." She settles with the bare minimum, tucking the key into her pocket for safekeeping.
Joel blinks a little, studying the key in his hand for a moment. Then he holds it up, slowly repeating the latin phrase, his eyes focused in fascination on the metal in his fingers.
Silas takes the key into his hands and says at least the first part of it, might fumble through the last, but it is the essence that counts, maybe?
Jack comments, "This is why people need to come to Latin class more often." A smile for Joel. "Very good," he says. "Anyone need a little more time?" he says. "Otherwise, we're going to head down to the van to head to the door. We'll use the one at Camp White Oak," he says.
"I'll write it down and practice," Annie promises, though her dedication is dubious, what with her just sitting in the class today as a special case.
Given that most everyone's failed this exercise, save Joel -- damn you, Joel -- Rachel's probably safe to skate on by without ever having landed on the right words. She texts something on her phone, and then casts a quick look at Viktorin.
Kayly mutters the latin phrase under her breath, slowly, until it seems that she gets the desired effect, and gives a slight nod to herself.
"I think I am good to go," Silas says to Jack as he pockets the key now afterwards, tucking it away safely.
"Miss Menendez," Jack calls out to Kayly.
"Alright," Jack says, gesturing to the van. "Load on up. We may not fit everyone in the van," he says. "So if someone gets left behind, meet us at Camp White Oak. That can be you, Mr. Teptic, since I know you might need to step out early."
Viktorin nods easily towards look
Viktorin nods easily towards Jack.
Jack turns on Christian rock again as he drives.
"What is that?" Annie asks in alarm as that music starts to play.
"Music!" Jack tells Annie brightly.
Joel lifts his eyebrows at the choice of music, keeping his expression carefully neutral.
Rachel opens the window, choosing to freeze everyone who hasn't dressed wisely to death.
Viktorin says "Good to know. Thanks for your assistance. You are a blessing to us all."
"It sure is," Annie is forced to agree, breathing in sharply as they are buffeted by the cold wind for a spell. She must have taken more offense with the Christian rock, as she voices no complaint at the cold.
"Now then," Jack says, leading everyone into Camp White Oak. "Who sees a door here?" he says -- gesturing towards a blank section of tent wall to the south.
Viktorin distractedly holds his finger to his ear-piece, sighing in relief. His expression softens a bit.
Kayly follows Jack up to the camps supply shop, and glancing around after a few moments at the priest's question she lifts a hand up.
Silas steps out of the van and into Camp White Oak, sharing a look briefly with Annie and he chuckles softly, shoulders lifted into a shrug, "I am not sure if I see one, but they always do hide themselves well."
Joel blinks a little as he peers to the south "Can't say I do..."
Viktorin glances at Silas. "Look south. Hold your key."
"Oh right, I need that. Normally I am just wearing something that lets me," Silas says to Viktorin.
Viktorin nods easily towards Silas, "Yeah, that's understandable. I'm always wearing mine anyways."
"Hold your key," Jack tells Joel, nodding in approval to Silas. "If you performed the ritual correctly, you'll see it."
Joel slowly grasps, and then blinks as his vision shifts "Huh..."
Viktorin glances towards Jack. "If they can't see the door, what happens if I open it?"
"Everyone see it now? Jack wonders.
OOC: When holding or wearing a key or society symbol, you'll see market doors. They just look like locked doors. If you own a shop, you can set a wall to be possible for a market door with the decorate command."
"Everyone see it now?" Jack wonders.
OOC: When holding or wearing a key or society symbol, you'll see market doors. They just look like locked doors. If you own a shop, you can set a wall to be possible for a market door with the decorate command.
Jack tells Viktorin, "They can still follow you through, but they will be quite confused."
Rachel cants her head and squints. She probably doesn't see anything -- but rarely do students in a group admit to shortcomings.
Viktorin nods briefly.
Annie shakes her head. "Not me," Annie informs the class as a whole, peering at the key in her hand. "But my enchanting needs some improvement." Perhaps the anomaly, no qualms with admitting her shortcomings. "I do have an actual key back home though," she puts out there, tucking the key back inside of her pocket. "No worries."
Joel keeps his eyes on the door, as if not quite trusting for its vision to remain.
"Now then -- " Jack smiles. "Now we step through," he says.
"And here we are," Jack tells the class, leading Viktorin, Annie, Silas, Rachel, Kayly and Joel through the door. They stepped south, but through some strange non-euclidean twist of space they emerge from the western door. There may be some queasiness. "Travelers use chalk to mark the doors," Jack tells the students. "But beware: if they've not been updated, the door can lead you sometimes into the deep forest, and the outcome can be very dangerous indeed."
"That door used to spit you out into the middle of the forest, very deep, surrounded by mist in a place that would certainly at least get you captured if you weren't fully prepared," Silas answers Viktorin while stepping after Jack and the group, moving up closer to Annie as he says, "Mine is working, so just stick close and..." They're inside. He looks through the stone passageway afterwards, looking somewhat relieved to be inside of the dim tunnel.
"But who's the first to mark the door? Do they just... trial and error? Someone's always the sacrificial lamb?" Rachel's not asking anyone in particular. She's incredulous enough to pose the question to the room at large. And because every steps is, apparently, treacherous she doesn't take a single one without someone else first paving the way.
"Blessed be whoever keeps these doors updated then," Annie states with sincere appreciation. She knows what happens if you get caught out in the forest with the mists. "I'll stick right close," she promises Silas, affording him a gentle lean at the shoulders, eyes darting here and there, trying to take stock of their surroundings while mildly disoriented.
Kayly glances around the hallway, peering at the doors and the chalk markings, as she asks Jack, "How often do these exits tend to change?"
Viktorin glances over towards Silas. "Ah," he states, giving a small nod. "I thought it could be that. Or I'm literally being dropped into a volcano or something. Thus, why I didn't try it."
Jack says to Rachel and Annie, "You mark it when you come through. I marked these doors when I came through with the evening class on Tuesday night." He pauses. "They change weekly, so always check the chalk marks when you emerge. Whatever door you come through," he says. "The market lies to the north." A pause. "We're really going to just get a taste of the market this trip," he says. "We'll have another field trip to really explore it."
Jack leads the class into the goblin market proper. It's a bustling place, full of all sorts of travelers, and the defrocked priest takes up a spot near one of the traders. "This is the market," he says. "We'll come back to explore the magical workshop over there on another trip, but it's helpful indeed. The library here is frankly similar in character to the one at White Oak," he says. "As a student, I might use that one." A pause. "Most of what they sell here in the south side of the market is weapons, often illegal, but I want to call your attention to one item..."
"Your best bet when coming in here is to just leave the same way you came because you can verify it leads to where it did when you entered," Silas says to the others as he walks close by to Annie, offering an a shoulder to lean against, sticking close as he walks through the tunnels and looks like this place gave him some energy, more lively, than he was outside earlier.
Silas avoids the beef steak on the ground while approaching the trading area with the group and he actually gets a couple pieces of paper to take with him during the trip, smiling aside to Annie, "They have good paper here."
Joel keeps close to the group, watching where he's walking. He's more or less taking things in stride, but there is still a tension about his shoulders, an intense awareness that normals rules don't currently apply.
Annie strays some from the group as they arrive at the bazaar, fancying a stall with some equipment. After picking out a gasmask and a compass, she flashes a card, and is promptly waved away with her new goodies. Once she returns to the assembled class, she asks Jack. "Which one?"
"The thing I want to point out to you here is this," Jack tells the class. He points to a silver electronic collar on sale. "This is a device that, if placed on the neck of a supernatural, can be locked on. When it's locked," he says, "it disables their powers." He pauses. "The artisans here can customize them in a variety of ways, but once it's locked? The technology prevents the use of most abilities."
OOC: If someone is wearing a neutralizer collar, you can lock it on them with 'lock person' and they cannot remove it or unlock it. Another person can unlock it with 'unlock person.' You can customize a collar object, but good practice is to make it clear what it is even if it is customized.
"Any questions before we move north?" Jack wonders to the class. "We'll wrap up with a tour of the northern section of the bazaar and break by 2:30," he tells everyone. "We'll do a follow-up to see the Magical Workshop."
Silas looks dubiously at the slightly worn landmine now as if wondering should one use a secondhand explosive device? He doesn't touch it, but does begin to move back towards the group after collecting more of the paper they sell down here and follow Jack.
"Even though the magical workshop is to the south," Jack tells the class, "the northern part of the bazaar is where the most mystical items are." Again, he stands near the trader. "Off of this area is a sparring space, a workshop for advanced technology..." He indicates the arena and the Engineering Workshop. "An alchemical laboratory, similar to the magical workshop, and then the Fleshforming Clinic." A nod to the north. "A bar and hostel is to the north. Notable there is that they sell mandrake tea. Anyone know what mandrake tea is?"
Joel follows along with a wry little smile on his lips as he glances back toward the stalls they're leaving behind. He glances toward Jack at the question "Something to do with entering the nightmare, I think?"
Rachel mumbles an answer under her breath. It's snarky -- something about 'the best way not to get ambushed by Tomas.'
Annie nods her head affably, running a hand along the back of her neck, eyes landing on Joel as he answers Jack. "I think they let you see through the nightmare. Like, spotting things there without actually traversing it yourself," she motions vaguely while speaking her piece.
Jack nods to Joel. "With mandrake tea in your system, you will be able to see into the nightmare -- but it will also be easier to be pulled into it or into the realm of dreams." There's a wry smile at Rachel. "You can see the stalls here sell nightmare charms, compasses... and darker things. That blood is vampire blood," he says. "It can have powerful effects." There's a silent moment as he regards the heart of an infant. "But it is not the most terrible thing the goblins sell."
"Does mandrake tea have any side effects?" Annie wonders, eyes drawn to the specified wares. Her eyes squint at the heart once it is revealed who they exactly belong to. "Huh," she sounds out her skepticism.
"The ability to be pulled in more easily," Jack tells Annie. "These hearts are kind of currency for the goblins," he explains to the class. "In the fleshforming clinic, they can be traded for that primeval power." He pauses. "I've said it before and I will say it again," he says. "Magic is fundamentally evil." He says, as some puissant sorcerer. "It can be used for good things, but it is fueled, fundamentally, by corruption."
OOC: If you buy an infant heart, you can use the fleshforming command on yourself once in the fleshforming clinic.
"We're almost at the time I said we'd be done," Jack says to the class. "Any last questions?"
Jack's spoken of weaponry, items of the occult, and body parts for sale. What's more, he admits to their evil. "So, all of this--" With her finger toward the ground, Rachel draws the outline of a circle. "Heavily controlled, right? Presumably you need some kind of license, or... proof of sanity." Outside of a black market. "So this is a 'know what's out there, don't partake' deal."
"...Right?"
Silas looks over off towards the fleshforming clinic and back to the trader who sells those valuable infant hearts. He reaches up to run a hand into his hair and says, "Hopefully won't be needing any of that anytime soon."
Joel grimaces a little at the more gruesome aspects, keeping his hands in his pockets as he looks silently back at Jack, apparently quite ready to head back by now.
"None of this is controlled at all," Jack tells Rachel grimly. "That's why White Oak exists -- the only guardrails, Miss Cai, are those in your conscience." And perhaps those imposed by people with power -- but then aren't they, too, corrupt? On that note, he smiles around the class, his expression a little hollow. "We'll head back to the vans now."
Annie eyes the hearts on display a good while, the signage above them just about affirming what Jack claims. They are not shy at all about what they're hawking here, which draws a strained smile from her. Though to Silas and even Joel alike, she jerks her thumb at the hearts. "You can apparently get bigger tits using those," she claims candidly.
"True," Jack tells Annie. "But there are perhaps better ways. We'll have a class on fleshforming some time soon, too."
"Among other things," Annie tacks on after stepping back into Haven.
Jack reaches for the radio again on the way back to the Institute. This time, it's not Christian rock: it's some heavy metal, full of the sounds of damnation.
The seriousness of the conversation and the content referring to infant hearts has Silas in a contemplative mood and look, before Annie's spill of information and candid efforts causes him to laugh awkwardly, "That is true, you can at least get bigger tits, but I wonder if it is worth it for the sacrifice needing to be made?"
"To be honest, this isn't any better than before," Viktorin states about the heavy metal.
And this time, Rachel opens the window perhaps to avoid having that infernal music break eardrums.
"Sister Abigail would claim this music is sinful," Annie claims at Jack as the heavy metal blares out, otherwise keeping her expression neutral to hide whether she approves or disapproves the music.
"So she would," Jack agrees with Annie -- a little wistful, perhaps, for the long-absent sister.
Annie lowers her voice as an aside, hand veiling her lips as she states to the class, "But she probably thinks breathing is sinful."
"And here we are." Jack pulls up. "Have a good afternoon, students," he shares. "Any last questions before I head out?"
"No, Father Jack, thank you for the lesson," Silas says to Jack as he steps out of the van and remains near it while looking up to the sky with a grimace. He tucks his hood over his head and looks at the other students, and the one auditor, Annie, "Looking forward to the next one."
"Well. Go with God," Jack offers the students. "I've some business to handle over the holiday, but I will see you all next week."