Onwards and Upwards (Work DTA + Spell Copying No Slots)

Rae returns to work at the Academy after an eventful couple of weeks of adventuring, having met lots of new people and learning new things about the new home they have found themselves in, they approach this week of work with a newfound focus and determination. Which does pay off! From their time out adventuring they have found a lot of value in waiting, watching, and learning from those more capable instead of rushing in. On their first adventure, they were the first into combat and it meant they were hurt severely. And similarly, they were too keen to rush into doing their best on their first shift that they made some mistakes. This time, Rae listens intently to the instructions of their superiors at the Academy and makes good progress developing their knowledge of how to best do their job.

After finishing their last shift of the week, Rae is walking down one of the hallways of the academy. They take their hair down from a simple half up ponytail to relax a bit and flick through a small journal they have on them. At the same time, Archie Haltuhr has just exited one of the empty offices that haven't been occupied in a while. Archie is a human male, of some fifty years of age. He is dressed in a refined manner, and is slightly embarrased that he's been caught eyeing up an office he shouldn't be in. But, he's also noticed his witness, is a familiar new face around the Academy. Archie addressed them:

"Oh... hello. You're new here aren't you? I'm fairly new myself. I'm Dr. Archie Haltuhr. Pleasure to meet you. Are you working here to fund a lifestyle of adventuring?"

Rae looks up a little startled, not used to being recognised, but quickly gives a little bow and smiles in response.

“Pleasure to meet you too Doctor! I’m Rae, just Rae. That’s right actually, I guess there are quite a few like me around if it was that easy to guess?”

Archie closes the door behind him with his telekinesis.

"I think like finds like in these places. What brought you here to Kantas, let alone the Academy, Rae? And please, call me Archie."

Rae hardly even notices the telekinesis, they aren't particularly observant.

"I'd say I'm here learn, in both cases! I've never been anywhere but my hometown all my life, so I'm hoping to meet lots of different people, see different things and hopefully get a bit more knowledge under my belt. What about you, Archie?"

"The fruitless pursuit of advancing human longevity," Archie said dryly. "I've picked a particularly hard subject matter to progress in. But, I do like the challenge, and I of course would benefit from positive results. And, also, a couple of friends who arrived here before me, were responsible for me coming out here to join them."

Archie begins very obviously looking around Rae's person for something.

"Tell me Rae, how's your spellbook coming along? I know I felt unprepared sauntering into my first adventure here, wondering if I had foolishly ignored to learn this spell or that, let alone whether I'd foolishly prepared this spell over that spell on the day that that spell would have been perfect."

Rae looks incredibly intrigued when Archie talks about the focus of his studies, they take a moment to think about what that means and get a little excited smile on their face, then snaps back to reality.

"Oh! My Spellbook!"

Rae reaches into their backpack and produces a beautiful old tome which has small gemstones embedded in the cover.

"I just recently managed to crack a couple of more powerful spells I hadn't been able to figure out before, so I'm making good progress! Though I'm worried I don't have enough of the basics.. Perhaps I'm rushing to push my limits without first really getting some essentials down."

They nervously flip through the pages and scan the incantations they've written, as if reconsidering every decision they've made to be a misstep in their book.

"Ah!" Archie exclaimed, observing Rae's spell book. "Booming Blade and Shadow Blade. I believe I have before me someone who has studied Bladesinging, if I'm not mistaken? Hmm?"

"Well, I believe that's what it would formally be known as, yes." Rae replies. "When I was introduced to it, it was just the most natural way to channel my magic into what I was already good at, staying light on my feet and focused. I only found out later it had a proper name."

Rae scratches the back of their head a bit sheepishly.

"Fascinating. A natural mage then." Archie responds.

Archie unfastened the buckle on his satchel with his hand and allowed his telekinesis to extract his spell book and hold it out in front of him, opened at the index page.

"Have a look. I have my spells categorised alphabetically, but over here," Archie telekinetically flipped the pages, and then produced his magic quill to act as a pointer, "you'll find an index based on spell complexity." Archie smiled, proud of his indexing work. "Who have you adventured with?"

Rae looks on in wonder as they watch the telekinesis at work and read through the spellbook's pages.

"I've met quite a range of people while I've been here, I don't know how many you know. But just recently I helped a woman named Silvia, alongside another woman named Delilah, a kobold named Digs, and a lizardfolk woman named Pipper."

Archie nods along at hearing the names.

"I know of those adventurers. I've heard good things about them." Archie looks away for a second, and then back at Rae. "And have you met any of the wizards? There's a little club I think you should join. We help each other with learning new spells. And, do say if there's anything in my spell book that takes your fancy? I'm more than happy to let a fellow academically-inclined adventurer copy a spell. The gold for practising the spell though, you'll have to obtain yourself, haha."

Rae looks up, excited at the prospect of meeting new wizards.

"I haven't! Oh that sounds brilliant, that sort of thing is exactly what I've been looking for."

They take a moment then to look through Archie's book and consider the spells.

"Well since I mentioned learning the basics, I would love to copy the Identify and Comprehend Languages spells from you if that isn't too much hassle! I think they would be really helpful in my journey to learn a lot more about the world."

"Very good. How about we have an assistant bring us refreshments to one of these empty offices. Hmmm, better yet one of the study rooms..." Archie paused to lean in a little, before continuing more siliently "... I've got my eye on one of these unoccupied offices, you know? At least one of the two facultly members who are AWOL is unlikely to be coming back." Archie nodded confidently about the matter, before standing back up straight and saying, "you can copy the spells then, if it please you?"

"That sounds brilliant, thank you Archie!"

Rae nods along very keenly, eager to get started.

"Splendid. Let us be off. But before we do, on behalf of our little Wizard Club; welcome!"

And so, the two continue to converse, and with Archie's aid, Rae adds a couple of new spells to their spellbook that they are sure will aid them moving forward.