text;

[sidecars]

If anyone cares
That Ever Young pool this planet's been bragging about
Supposedly makes you look ten years younger
Well, it works

[ Which is exactly why Bucky isn't using video this time around. ]

Comments

video;

[liberaltus]

Sounds like it might be a double edge sword. On the one hand if you're old or if you life's experiences have wizened you prematurely- looking younger might be nice.

[We all know where he's going with this.]

But when you're already young, exactly how young do you really want to look? Not much of a difference between being 20 and 30 years of age, but between being 10 and 20...

[Dorian was an adorable 10 year old, but still.]

And is it an enduring change or does the luster wear off eventually? Imagine the disappointment! Or relief perhaps?

video;

[sidecars]

Oh it does eventually
I made sure to rattle the staff until they gave me a suitable answer
If I'm stuck like this forever I will cry
CRY I TELL YOU

Or draw on a fake beard maybe

video;

[liberaltus]

It's almost like magic, yes? And with any sort of desire fulfilling magic there's always a catch.

Let's hope they were telling you the truth and not simply making an attempt to placate you. I didn't bring a handkerchief with me, though I suppose I could stock pile. Drying tears is busy work.

text;

[sidecars]

This can't be perpetual
It can't be!
I wouldn't allow it!
They should have put up a damn sign to warn the already young about this!!
This is on them

I will sue!
I will write petitions!
Boycott and tear down the establishment!

[liberaltus]

Excellent choice! And far more practical than crying as I doubt there would be enough material to mop up those tears. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps, as many of my previous mentors used to say.

[And now it's time for a little bit of devil's advocate.]

Though I do wonder, if you're a non-believer, would a warning sign be effective?

[sidecars]

[ SIGH. ]

No, probably not.
I would still be in this exact position
Curse this boyish curiosity of mine!

[liberaltus]

Not that curiosity is a bad thing, but perhaps this should serve as a cautionary tale? [A look before you leap kind of deal.] Unfortunately I am limited in my ability to offer comfort, I've no aging magic or potions in my arsenal.

[And the only kind of magic he knows of that could achieve such a thing is blood magic...that's not happening. Perhaps a bedtime story instead?]

[sidecars]

[ WOW FUCK YOU, PAL!! And why are you talking magic and potions?? Wait a minute... ]

Are you calling yourself a wizard?
Is that what you are saying to me right now?

[liberaltus]

[Someone must be the voice of the pragmatist, if not Dorian, than who?]

A Mage, but I suppose that is just splitting hairs. Is that a problem?

[sidecars]

Uhhh I don't think so
Unless you're an evil mage
Or a sorcerer!
I've had enough of those to last me a lifetime already thank you

So what's your best magic trick?

[liberaltus]

Oh no, being an evil mage requires you to have a license that denotes you as a magister...or mages who are prone to using blood magic.

[Because blood magic is evil!]

Trick? [He sounds mockingly offended by that.] Like pulling a gold royal from behind your ear or floating a card?

[He knows what you mean, he simply has to give you a hard time about it.] My favorite spells tend to be the ones that can burn your face off. The flashier the spell the more I like it...so I suppose my favorite branch of magic under the mage's skill tree would be Inferno and my favorite spell would have to be Flashfire.

[sidecars]

[ Wow, Bucky is so unimpressed. He can make fiery explosions too ya know? It's called a homemade bomb. ]

Honestly, I think I'd rather watch you float a card...

[ Hah ahaha eat it!! ]

[liberaltus]

[Homemade bombs don't have the same gravitas, they are not nearly as flashy. Additionally you can't control a home made explosive as Anders has proven, another story, however.]

And I'd rather watch a cow milk a farmer, but sadly that's not how things work. Though there are moments where sparkle fingers do come in handy.

[And it's not a waste of his talents at all.]

[sidecars]

[ ........ Shit, Bucky would like to see that, too. ]

So what do you do with all this fire and sparkly fingers?
Are you a wandering vagabond, charming your way into villages to impress kiddies for a few bucks?
Ooo do you have a show name?

[liberaltus]

[Wouldn't everyone?]

I kill things, for the most part, but I can bind spirts, manipulate the dead, create barriers...it's a rather long list. Sparkle fingers, however, that is for adults only.

[And he did say that he was 10 years younger]

While I have plenty of charm the only wandering I did was from the north to the south to help fight a war against an ancient darkspawn and his archdemon. So no show name, no children- too many of them were caught up in the mage rebellion.

[sidecars]

You kill "things"?
That's a strange way to put it

Wait, so does that mean you're a soldier?
A magical soldier?
A military wizard??

[liberaltus]

Well I suppose that's all magic seems to be about these days, killing things, but protecting and fixing things as well. The official word is that magic is supposed to serve mankind...there are convenient interpretations.

There are battlemages yes. They're not exactly Templar or Chevalier, but they do like to engage enemies close up in order to read the fear in their eyes.

[sidecars]

And does that include you?
Or would it mess up that dashing mustache of yours

[ You silly dandy you. ]

[liberaltus]

It is rather dashing isn't it.

[And thanks for that, his ego is a high maintenance thing, if not stroked often Dorian will just have to do it himself]

But to answer your question, no. Most mages prefer observing the terror at a safe distance. I'm much to discerning and cautious to put myself face-to-face with someone who could best me hand-to-hand. These muscles are clearly for show.

[sidecars]

Clearly
What if you could best them at hand-to-hand?
There's a lot of us here that can teach you
Why keep a weakness around?

[liberaltus]

Because I have excellent teeth and I want to keep them that way? Not that it would hurt to try, I suppose, if there's enough interest in teaching a novice.

[Still sounds barbaric to him.]

[sidecars]

Please, I've been fighting on the front lines for years and I haven't had my teeth knocked out
Know why?
Because I know how to take a bastard down twice my size before he even knows what hit him
You don't have to be big to do maximum damage if you know how

Plus, it's our job to train crewmembers
Well, I'm technically weapons training officer
But unlike the big lugs teaching self-defense
I've got the underdog corner of the market locked down

[ You're not the only one with an ego, Dorian. Flips hair!! ]

[liberaltus]

Sadly, I haven't your talent for survival. I've learned how to wield my staff like a spear which is why there's always a blade attached to it, so I know forms. It's necessary to know that much in the way of self-defense during cool down periods.

Fisticuffs...it sounds like such a Qunari thing. [They were very skilled indeed at clubbing people over the head.

Ah, that Last statement draws a laugh from Dorian, not a mocking laugh, but an amused one.]

Everybody loves an underdog, myself included. Do those impressive credentials come with a name?

[Because Dorian knows how to flatter an ego in much the same was as his own.]

[sidecars]

What the hell is a Qunari?

The name is Jim Barnes
And if you too worried it'll look bad when a 11 year old kicks your butt
I'll say no more about self defense you delicate flower you

[liberaltus]

A Qunari is something between a human and a dragon...massive, warlike. I wouldn't want to arm wrestle one, not even their women.

[Their women are burly!]

Dorian of House Pavus, a pleasure. [Someone used to be wealthy.] Oh my wounded pride, it's squishy, you know- so I appreciate the consideration before hand.