video; un: rosseland

[hatinacat]

Greetings and salutations, my esteemed captive audience!

[TODAY. . . your video feed is taken up by the face of a young man with a teardrop painted on his cheek and a top hat adorning the crown of his head. he presses a hand against his chest and gives the camera a polite and tiny bow, though it's clear from the angle that he's holding said camera with his other one]

Ahaha! Was that joke a bit too gauche? My apologies, I couldn't quite help myself.

[he does not actually look apologetic at all. look at him he made a funny]

All humor aside, I'm a relatively new resident of this. . . [a beat] Lovely city. ["lovely"] I haven't been here long, but already I'm learning much about worlds other than my own. Which brings me to the purpose of this communication.

[it's brief, but the astute may see Lyney flick his wrist subtly and suddenly, until a small red rose blossoms to life between his fingers. he twists the flower idly in his hand as he speaks]

I have a particular interest in magic, you see. Stage magic, to be more precise. After all, I am a great magician, and being brought to this strange land won't change this fact!

[another flick of his wrist, and he closes his flingers around the rose, which seems to just. . . vanish into thin air. where did it go??]

But I am now aware that magic can vary from world to world. In addition to stage magic, my world has Visions, and I've further learned about the existence of something called "magecraft."

If you're feeling a little bored, won't you share with me the nature of magic in your world? It's for research! I promise.

[HE'S JUST A CURIOUS MAGICIAN, THAT'S ALL]

Comments

[hatinacat]

[IF ONLY SHE KNEW HIS FRIEND WAS A CAT. . .]

[he ain't explaining it, though!]

Wangsheng. . . ah, yes! I believe I have.

[Lyney stays at least mildly informed of the happenings in other countries, thanks to-- well. his line of work that is completely unrelated to being a magician. he's fairly certain he saw that name mentioned in a report he read some time ago]

That was the funeral parlor that hosted Rex Lapis's Rite of Parting, correct?

[that event, at least, was a Big Deal (TM) in all of Teyvat, so he thinks he can mention it without coming off as suspicious]

[localweirdo]

I see that my business has reached far beyond Liyue! Good to know that there could be potential clients in the future should anything happen!

[But enough about that!]

But anyway, I should probably introduce myself. My name is Hu Tao, the 77th owner of the lovely funeral parlor! What about you? What is your name mysterious magician?

[hatinacat]

[. . . POTENTIAL CLIENTS. . . it's fine he is going to deliberately not think about his own mortality in this conversation lest that lead him down a dark path]

Of course, where are my manners? My name is Lyney, Fontaine's greatest magician! It is truly a pleasure, Miss Hu Tao.

[localweirdo]

Pleasure is mine! Now tell me, I'm curious, just how much have you heard of this new magic?

[hatinacat]

Magecraft? Admittedly, not much. I know it exists, and I know it is not the same as either my Vision or my tricks. Are you curious about how magic differs from world-to-world as well?

[localweirdo]

Indeed, I am. For you see, it is rather troublesome that I don't have a Vision anymore and that I am left to fight with little to nothing.

If there is something I can use, I want to make sure I can defend myself in someway.

[hatinacat]

[aha. . . a thought that has crossed Lyney's mind, too. especially when he didn't arrive with his trusty bow, either]

I know magecraft is something that can be learned.

[because Altria said she picked it up from other people!!]

But I do not know if the practitioner is willing to teach, or if one can simply pick up magic from another world while they are here.

Nevertheless, I am sympathetic towards your concerns.

[localweirdo]

If you do, please let me know! For I wish to show others just how strong a funeral director could be! After all, one knows better than to face me, no?

[:)]

However, in the meantime, I suppose I'll just have to go to the old fashion way of finding a long stick to train.

[hatinacat]

[okay, that one gets a chuckle out of him]

I should think so! Especially if you're truly so eager to gain more customers.

[TERRIFYING. . .]

What kind of training are you doing, if you don't mind my asking?

How dare you spam my inbox

[localweirdo]

Oh, nothing much I'm afraid. Just simple training with whatever I can find! Even finding a regular long stick is difficult.

How troublesome. If I can't find anything, I'm just bored sitting around doing nothing!

[Oh the horror!!!]

WEEPS

[hatinacat]

Simple, but better than doing nothing at all.

Say. . . would you mind a training partner? I myself use a bow, but that doesn't mean I'm not adaptable!