smartass_captain | Balder's Gate 3 PSLs/Overflow

"I'm not laughing!" Gale insists. "This is really very good, particularly for a novice. You're sure you never officially studied magic? Not even a tutor?" He traces a diagram that spreads across both pages in his lap, examining it in detail. "This is complicated stuff and, well, mostly correct, really only a couple of minuscule errors, but considering the advanced nature of the theory here, it's still very impressive."

Okay so Jim's still a prideful little lordling in some ways. He twitches a little at the 'novice' comment, even if it IS true. This is a man who will simply perish if he's not good at something he puts effort into.

But considering he has absolutely zero aptitude for utilizing magic, his academic interest in its theory will have to suffice.

"All I know has been self-taught. Either through research or conversations with magically inclined sorts over the years that I've taken notes on after the fact. It's been an area I've been interested in since I was a boy."

"And yet you haven't ventured outside of theory to casting itself? By the looks of this, you'd have made a fine candidate for Blackstaff Academy," Gale says. "Now I really will have to teach you prestidigitation! You could put all this knowledge to practical purpose."

"Ventured, yes, but I didn't get very far." Jim rubs at the side of his nose and shrugs a little bit. "I've been told very matter-of-factly that I have not a Shred of actual talent to utilize magic."

Jim's gaze falls to his journal briefly and then down to the rest of his books with a chuckle.

"Hasn't stopped me from being fascinated by the theoreticals. I find that many people with the talent to Use magic sometimes miss the more applied uses their craft could have."

"Pish-posh," Gale says with a huff. "Whoever said that was likely just a substandard teacher covering their own inadequacies. The Weave is all around us, anyone can learn to weave it as sure as anyone with access to water can learn to swim. I mean, not everyone can become a master of the Weave." Like certain a certain present (arrogant) wizard, "But anyone can learn the basics. Particularly someone with such a keen eye for detail."

Gale laughs, a good natured sound rather than mocking, and cocks his head to the side. "I would love to hear your thoughts on that, truly. Tara and I have done our fair share of spell development together, in fact."

"Well, I'd love to believe that." Jim replies with a somewhat hopeful grin. He's been told he's a waste of time and energy where the arts of the Weave are concerned, even after he's spent exhaustive hours teaching himself much of magical theory over the years. "Perhaps sometime we've a free evening you'd be willing to teach me?"

It's a grin only widening when Gale confirms he's made his own spells before.

"Fascinating! I'd love to observe if you did any of that here, though I doubt being on the road is any place for spell craftsmanship."

"Of course! I told you I would teach you prestidigitation, and I meant it, but there's always some new emergency to deal with. Still, we'll make time, I promise. Whenever you're free."

Every time Jim smiles at him like that, it's like the sun rising after a long night.

"Not ideal circumstances, no, nor do I find myself with too much time to spare. Ah, if you ever meet Tara, you should see her cat flap of displacement! One of our joint endeavors."

"Catflap of...how does that work? Where did it go to? Did you join it to a fixed location??? Like a uh...a dimension door? Or what???"

He needs his journal back he's aggressively flipping through it for a clean page to grab up a charcoal to start scrawling a diagram on to illustrate his question.

"How do you account for the instability of having the spell hold for longer than a minute?"

Gale grins and taps the side of his nose. "Ah, ah! I'm afraid I can't reveal specificities without express permission from my co-creator. When you meet her, you may ask her yourself, and I'm sure she will be delighted to discuss it with you."

He misses Tara terribly, but Jim's enthusiasm does delight him enough to ease the pain.

"Gale!" Jim snaps the journal shut and laughs. "You tease! Absolute scoundrel. You can't taunt me with something like that and then just drop the subject entirely."

With a scoff and a shake of his head, the ranger turns back to organizing his things.

"Can't believe I got excited for nothing."

Gale can't help but bark out a laugh. He's usually not so loud, but the reaction catches him off guard. "My apologies for the let down. Still, I would be happy to discuss magical theory any time you like. I'll do my best to make up for the disappointment."

Balder's Gate 3 PSLs/Overflow

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Ignore Jim pouting I cackled

wizards just gotta be cocky

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