[ Childermass shouldn't be surprised at the interest in his own magic, but he is, for just a moment, before shrugging. ]
My own magic is far from impressive, I fear. Apart from my cards, I am inclined towards more subtle spells, hence why I'd suggest silence over sound at all. Turning into shadow, vanishing from sight, becoming untrackable, opening doors... The spells you might imagine a thief would have, I suppose.
[ Even if he's left that life behind... ]
That and any spell Mr. Norrell cares to have done but is not brave enough to go out and cast himself, though he must write those down for me. I do, admittedly, ignore his spells half the time if I think the issue can be dealt with unmagically.
The grand spectacles are flashy, oui, but I've always preferred the sort of magic one can't quite see... only feel. Silence, shadow, misdirection? Those are far more elegant. Far more intimate.
[His index finger still drifts along the rim of his glass, coaxing the faintest hum from it— just enough to make the air between them quiver.]
Turning invisible, slipping through doors, vanishing from sight... très utile! And far more dangerous than you give yourself credit for, mon ami. Power that leaves no trace tends to be the kind people never see coming.
[ The way the air quivers distracts him briefly. Just some idle audiomancy, from something so small...? ]
I do appreciate you saying such, but it is these small, quiet tricks that remove me from actual consideration as a magician, along with the matter of my own background.
[ It's stated are merely a fact, though. Childermass is not one to dwell on shortcomings, real or imagined. If others disagree with his standing as a magic user, then let them. He cares very little. ]
Not that any of that has stopped me from learning as much about magic as I can. I do think the way I turn into shadows is something that came to me naturally when I was younger, much like the cards, but the rest I did need to learn from study and observation.
[Like a candle's flame pulled toward a draft, Lobelia's attention sharpens. Not overt, not theatrical, but unmistakably intent. The air around his glass faintly shivers as if recalling his touch.]
Mm... So these gifts weren't born from study alone. Intéressant. Turning to shadow, slipping past locked doors... that is not the magic of a man who lacks power, cher loup. That is the magic of someone who understands the value of subtlety. Of being underestimated.
[He leans in, smile thin.]
Since your talents came to you so young, do you consider them a blessing? Or do you see them more as mere tools?
[ There's a smirk that comes to Childermass' face as Lobelia lands upon the part of being underestimated. As Lobelia leans in, he does so, similarly, putting an elbow up on the table as he does, leaning his weight upon that. ]
...it would seem you've landed on the truth of the matter, sir. I have no interest in the people of England knowing there is a third magician knocking about.
[ How uncaring he is when he downplays his own ability, how unbothered he is when he mentions being treated as less of a magician than the other two. ]
Ah, though I do not know if I was even aware that young. I only knew no one could ever catch or find me when I did not want to be caught or found. Others might have called that a blessing. I do not, nor do I wish to relegate magic to a mere tool, either.
If anything, I might compare them to a sense, the same as sight or hearing.
[Oh, that smirk. It thrills him. It's less the satisfaction of being right and more the pleasure of finding shared ground— of slipping, together, into the quiet places where men like them actually live. Silence, subtlety, invisibility... these are not inconveniences. They are shelters, tools, and masks. Even Lobelia knows that— else he would never have survived his own beginnings.]
Mm. Bien sûr, you wouldn't want them to know. Power is safest when it's unseen and sweetest when it's underestimated, oui?
[His smile broadens, as soft and sly as a knife sheathed in velvet.]
You see yourself clearly, cher loup. And, perhaps rarer still... you allow yourself to be seen. I'm quite lucky.
[ Rare enough to be understood in such a way that Childermass can actually forgive Lobelia for being French— wait, no, okay, he doesn't care about that, but it is still good to find such mutual ground. ]
Seems only fair, doesn't it? I can hardly ply you for the secrets of your audiomancy and not share any part of myself in return, now can I?
[There is nothing that forgives the crime of being French, let's be real here. Lobelia is just pleased to have the company of another mage with no inclination to kill him.]
Mm! I only wish I could show you the full extent of my magic... and in turn, that I could witness yours. We are both inclined to work alone, but it's our similarities that fascinate me.
Go on! Tell me more about yourself, Monsieur Childermass. Whatever you are comfortable revealing. You may not think yourself a fascinating man, but I disagree.
[ There's another sound of amusement, however quiet, and he leans back in the booth again. ]
Only if we're exchanging tit-for-tat. I am not a man who likes to speak of himself at length, you realize.
[ And Lobelia must, if he realizes how much he works alone, how much he works in secret, but he won't leave him without some tidbit to tempt him with. ]
But I am willing to say that before I found myself in the service of a magician, I was quite the thief. It is why I believe that trick with the shadows came naturally to me. I cannot recall a single time that I have been caught.
[Lobelia's smile curls. Sure. He'll answer Childermass's questions like a good boy... so long as he takes care to ask the right ones.]
Oui. We shall make it an even exchange.
[But the mention of Childermass's former occupation widens his grin. Intriguing— and perfectly befitting a man born of shadow.]
C'est fascinant. I wonder if a dash of luck played its part as well. Ah, but there is one thing about being slippery enough to escape every snare with your life...
[ There isn't so much as a waver in his face when Lobelia suggests that. To escape every time is to leave people behind, and, well, Childermass offers a slight nod after a moment of thought. ]
Yes... I learned quickly to work alone.
[ And have no friends, but that, he's found, makes people sad when it's said out loud. ]
It was wiser to be a one-man operation or, more aptly, one-boy, I suppose. Most of my years spent as a thief were before I was a grown man.
[Ah, but he doesn't have to worry about making Lobelia sad. The knowing look in his eyes says he understands. His slow nod suggests it's nothing to shed a tear over, familiar as the notion is.]
Je comprends. What others would call underhanded or delinquent is how men like us survive. It isn't a crime unless you get caught.
[Even then, Childermass might balk if they compare the skeletons in their closet.]
But tell me, are you happier being alone? It's hard to be without companionship— anyone who would deny that is fooling themselves.
[ At least one person here who would not mourn Childermass' isolated lifestyle, then. ]
Am I? It's a good question, though I do not think I have a good answer to it. I am neither happy nor unhappy with it. I have my work, and that requires all my focus, though I am not wholly without companionship, and that is enough for now.
But I believe I've shared enough for my part. What of you? Is there anything you would not mind sharing?
[Neither happy nor unhappy... Lobelia smiles wryly. What an unfortunate commonality they share. But then, he imagines Childermass understands the true shape of happiness even if he seldom holds it. Most people do.]
Moi? I'm an open book, but I fear I may bore you with stories of my youth. I was simply a boy who lived along the shore of a vast inland sea with his loving family... Quite the idéal childhood.
[ That brings some surprise to Childermass' face, if not much. He'll raise his eyebrows at that, but magic takes all types, as does genius, so why not a boy from a simple and kind life? ]
I admit I did not expect that, though now that I think of it, I was not sure what I expected, either. Is that where the idea of the shells for your magic came from? That inland sea?
You're a sharp man, Childermass... and I suppose that depends on the mage.
[lobelia realizing he doesn't give a damn about any of the other magic users in his world]
Some of them call on divine forces, others follow rigid schools of magic... but fewer still have created their own magical framework in the way I have with my audiomancy. Simply put, there are no others who practice it, and only one master. A shame, non?
A shame... Possibly. It would depend on whether you mean to never pass it down to an apprentice or not, though I would suggest you do, or, if not that, write of it. Much of magic's history has been lost to time in my own England, as magic began to die out, and no one was left to teach or even write any it down.
[Clearly, Lobelia had not considered it until now. An apprentice... a living legacy for a form of magic he alone created. Why keep it to himself?]
You make a fine suggestion! I may do that, however, a good student is hard to find. Moreover...
[SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHS]
...Admittedly, I am not the most patient teacher. I fear whoever studies under me would need considerable patience and wit for such an arrangement to work out.
A good student tends to appear when necessary. You need only look. It is not an easy task, though, especially if you have no patience for it. Hm... Someone with a high tolerance for nonsense, then, could be suitable.
[ Although that is not meant to mean Childermass himself is volunteering, far from it. Audiomancy is fascinating, but he is a silent man with quiet magic, and quite the opposite of who should be learning such a noisy magic. ]
A musician, too, I would think, though you never know where you'll find a likely lad or lass.
[And as it happens, Lobelia has met someone here who fits the description of a proper student nicely. Something with a tolerance for bullshit, an inclination towards sound and music... It sure would be a shame if Ramuda beefed it, huh.]
I know precisely who I'll choose, in that case! Provided he's interested, that is.
[ Yeah, it sure would be. Would be such a shame! If! Ramuda! Beefed it!
Although with how quickly Lobelia decides he's found someone who fits that description, Childermass can't help but raise his eyebrows, curious, and... honestly, he's spent enough time with Ramuda by now to have an idea himself. ]
Do you? Hm. I suppose he would be suitable.
[ Yeah, it's kind of obvious. It's like, who else would it even be? ]
[Ah, so Childermass suspects he knows his choice, then? That's unsurprising. Lobelia grins, delighted by his sharp mind.]
While he is a suitable choice, there are ethics to be considered, non? Not everyone who has the aptitude for wielding magic will do so responsibly.
[don't talk to me about irony]
Plus, there is always a cost to pay. Nothing comes cheap, and especially not magic. I would have to verify how much Ramuda is willing to exchange for such power.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[Lobelia almost sounds offended. Almost! Childermass's question is a fair and valid one for which Lobelia has an easy answer.]
There is little in this world that is more unbearable than deafening silence. I could, très certainement, but why deny the world its sound?
[Index finger idly circling the mouth of his wine glass, Lobelia leans forward.]
Even so... your magic has me quite curious. You are skilled in divination, oui? What other tricks hide up your sleeves?
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My own magic is far from impressive, I fear. Apart from my cards, I am inclined towards more subtle spells, hence why I'd suggest silence over sound at all. Turning into shadow, vanishing from sight, becoming untrackable, opening doors... The spells you might imagine a thief would have, I suppose.
[ Even if he's left that life behind... ]
That and any spell Mr. Norrell cares to have done but is not brave enough to go out and cast himself, though he must write those down for me. I do, admittedly, ignore his spells half the time if I think the issue can be dealt with unmagically.
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The grand spectacles are flashy, oui, but I've always preferred the sort of magic one can't quite see... only feel. Silence, shadow, misdirection? Those are far more elegant. Far more intimate.
[His index finger still drifts along the rim of his glass, coaxing the faintest hum from it— just enough to make the air between them quiver.]
Turning invisible, slipping through doors, vanishing from sight... très utile! And far more dangerous than you give yourself credit for, mon ami. Power that leaves no trace tends to be the kind people never see coming.
Are these tricks born of study or necessity?
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I do appreciate you saying such, but it is these small, quiet tricks that remove me from actual consideration as a magician, along with the matter of my own background.
[ It's stated are merely a fact, though. Childermass is not one to dwell on shortcomings, real or imagined. If others disagree with his standing as a magic user, then let them. He cares very little. ]
Not that any of that has stopped me from learning as much about magic as I can. I do think the way I turn into shadows is something that came to me naturally when I was younger, much like the cards, but the rest I did need to learn from study and observation.
no subject
Mm... So these gifts weren't born from study alone. Intéressant. Turning to shadow, slipping past locked doors... that is not the magic of a man who lacks power, cher loup. That is the magic of someone who understands the value of subtlety. Of being underestimated.
[He leans in, smile thin.]
Since your talents came to you so young, do you consider them a blessing? Or do you see them more as mere tools?
no subject
...it would seem you've landed on the truth of the matter, sir. I have no interest in the people of England knowing there is a third magician knocking about.
[ How uncaring he is when he downplays his own ability, how unbothered he is when he mentions being treated as less of a magician than the other two. ]
Ah, though I do not know if I was even aware that young. I only knew no one could ever catch or find me when I did not want to be caught or found. Others might have called that a blessing. I do not, nor do I wish to relegate magic to a mere tool, either.
If anything, I might compare them to a sense, the same as sight or hearing.
no subject
Mm. Bien sûr, you wouldn't want them to know. Power is safest when it's unseen and sweetest when it's underestimated, oui?
[His smile broadens, as soft and sly as a knife sheathed in velvet.]
You see yourself clearly, cher loup. And, perhaps rarer still... you allow yourself to be seen. I'm quite lucky.
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Seems only fair, doesn't it? I can hardly ply you for the secrets of your audiomancy and not share any part of myself in return, now can I?
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Mm! I only wish I could show you the full extent of my magic... and in turn, that I could witness yours. We are both inclined to work alone, but it's our similarities that fascinate me.
Go on! Tell me more about yourself, Monsieur Childermass. Whatever you are comfortable revealing. You may not think yourself a fascinating man, but I disagree.
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Only if we're exchanging tit-for-tat. I am not a man who likes to speak of himself at length, you realize.
[ And Lobelia must, if he realizes how much he works alone, how much he works in secret, but he won't leave him without some tidbit to tempt him with. ]
But I am willing to say that before I found myself in the service of a magician, I was quite the thief. It is why I believe that trick with the shadows came naturally to me. I cannot recall a single time that I have been caught.
no subject
Oui. We shall make it an even exchange.
[But the mention of Childermass's former occupation widens his grin. Intriguing— and perfectly befitting a man born of shadow.]
C'est fascinant. I wonder if a dash of luck played its part as well. Ah, but there is one thing about being slippery enough to escape every snare with your life...
You tend to leave a trail of amis behind.
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Yes... I learned quickly to work alone.
[ And have no friends, but that, he's found, makes people sad when it's said out loud. ]
It was wiser to be a one-man operation or, more aptly, one-boy, I suppose. Most of my years spent as a thief were before I was a grown man.
no subject
Je comprends. What others would call underhanded or delinquent is how men like us survive. It isn't a crime unless you get caught.
[Even then, Childermass might balk if they compare the skeletons in their closet.]
But tell me, are you happier being alone? It's hard to be without companionship— anyone who would deny that is fooling themselves.
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Am I? It's a good question, though I do not think I have a good answer to it. I am neither happy nor unhappy with it. I have my work, and that requires all my focus, though I am not wholly without companionship, and that is enough for now.
But I believe I've shared enough for my part. What of you? Is there anything you would not mind sharing?
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Moi? I'm an open book, but I fear I may bore you with stories of my youth. I was simply a boy who lived along the shore of a vast inland sea with his loving family... Quite the idéal childhood.
no subject
I admit I did not expect that, though now that I think of it, I was not sure what I expected, either. Is that where the idea of the shells for your magic came from? That inland sea?
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Oui! I discovered the wonders of the conque when I was but a boy. They are my signature, you might say.
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[ A given, more or less. ]
Is it common to use physical components for magic in your world, then?
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[lobelia realizing he doesn't give a damn about any of the other magic users in his world]
Some of them call on divine forces, others follow rigid schools of magic... but fewer still have created their own magical framework in the way I have with my audiomancy. Simply put, there are no others who practice it, and only one master. A shame, non?
no subject
A shame... Possibly. It would depend on whether you mean to never pass it down to an apprentice or not, though I would suggest you do, or, if not that, write of it. Much of magic's history has been lost to time in my own England, as magic began to die out, and no one was left to teach or even write any it down.
no subject
[Clearly, Lobelia had not considered it until now. An apprentice... a living legacy for a form of magic he alone created. Why keep it to himself?]
You make a fine suggestion! I may do that, however, a good student is hard to find. Moreover...
[SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHS]
...Admittedly, I am not the most patient teacher. I fear whoever studies under me would need considerable patience and wit for such an arrangement to work out.
no subject
[ Although that is not meant to mean Childermass himself is volunteering, far from it. Audiomancy is fascinating, but he is a silent man with quiet magic, and quite the opposite of who should be learning such a noisy magic. ]
A musician, too, I would think, though you never know where you'll find a likely lad or lass.
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[And as it happens, Lobelia has met someone here who fits the description of a proper student nicely. Something with a tolerance for bullshit, an inclination towards sound and music... It sure would be a shame if Ramuda beefed it, huh.]
I know precisely who I'll choose, in that case! Provided he's interested, that is.
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Although with how quickly Lobelia decides he's found someone who fits that description, Childermass can't help but raise his eyebrows, curious, and... honestly, he's spent enough time with Ramuda by now to have an idea himself. ]
Do you? Hm. I suppose he would be suitable.
[ Yeah, it's kind of obvious. It's like, who else would it even be? ]
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While he is a suitable choice, there are ethics to be considered, non? Not everyone who has the aptitude for wielding magic will do so responsibly.
[don't talk to me about irony]
Plus, there is always a cost to pay. Nothing comes cheap, and especially not magic. I would have to verify how much Ramuda is willing to exchange for such power.
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