[Story/Post]

[knowinginthedark]

[Story Time]

He felt like he was going to go insane, soon.

Well, maybe he technically already had-- after all, he'd been like this for so long, it was bound to make anyone a bit nuts. The unaging aspect, the inability to die, the whispers and pressure on his back...

Okay, he'll admit it: he was already crazy, but at least he was still conscious of it.

But he could tell the patience of the god hanging off of his reconstituted spine was growing thin. He had done everything he could right now to go as slowly as possible in the whole set-up, just to buy time, but he could only keep his thoughts so separate for so long, and do things with only so much subterfuge.

No, he had to think of something to set off this powder keg, and soon.

Of course, he really hopes that someone's caught on by now enough that they might stop him-- a reasonable excuse to not go through with what he's trying to do, since if he succeeds in setting off the first circle to exorcise whoever is attached to his alternate, well.

The next step isn't going to be great for the city, regardless.

Tarou kept his thoughts to himself as he wrote things down by hand-- he found it helped to make sure there were copies of his research around. After all, he never knew what was going to happen to him. Just because he can't die doesn't mean he should expect that it'll never happen, and it... Well, it also helped to ignore the steady burning sensation on his arm, as though it was trying to tell him to hurry up.

Eventually however, he had to put down his pencil and get up, rubbing the arm where his mark was, muttering.

"Come on... just one or two more weeks, then this mess'll be over with..."

----

[Post]



So, hey, totally embarrassing and maybe an odd question to ask about, but.

Does anyone know anything about catalysts? Say you want to do something but it requires a power source, would anyone know anything about those?

For research purposes, mostly, I'm wondering what the general knowledge level is for that.

Comments

[voicesofspirits]

You're the researcher who's been around SAI now and then, right? I'm Ruka, SAI's Duel Spirit researcher and one of the leads of the research and exploration team. I've been meaning to get round to talking to you, but I've been fairly busy.

I don't know much about about catalysts... I guess it depends on the situation it's for? I'm really curious to know about what you're researching, though.

[knowinginthedark]

Oh! I think I've heard about you a bit, yes, the first time I was around SAI. It's nice to finally be meeting you.

Mostly thinking about how rituals work, actually. You know the Ritual monsters in Duel Monsters, yes? You could say that the spell card itself is the catalyst that sets off the ritual, causing the noted monsters to be sacrificed for it. So I wish to look more into them and the overall mechanics in historical usage.

[voicesofspirits]

Oh, that's a really interesting thing to look into!

I guess you could look beyond the spell card being the catalyst and examine the 'contents' of the spell card too. Some of the ritual spells are based on items, locations, or various other elements, though I guess it all comes down the things that are 'magically charged', I guess?

[knowinginthedark]

This is true. Of course, the ritual itself and the catalyst go hand-in-hand in a lot of cases. You would need something specific to successfully do such a ritual, though admittedly in the portrayal of the game itself, such things are glossed over outside of needing a specific card to set it off.

Though I'm talking as well about historical usage that might not be so noticeable, but it's why I'm trying to see what different catalysts are used, or could be thought of.

[voicesofspirits]

Hmm, I'm not sure about historical usage but I do have a lot of books in my office. I kind of collect any books I think might be good for my research and my office is like a mini library at this point, so maybe I have something that might help you?

[morethaneverauburn]

Isn't that basically money? Money helps with such things, sir.

[knowinginthedark]

Money? No, no, I'm thinking something more magical.

[morethaneverauburn]

Ah. Magic. All I know much about magic is it does wonders for my skin.

But money should help regardless, no?

[knowinginthedark]

I guess if the tribute involved requires you to burn money?

[morethaneverauburn]

Money gets you whatever you need to tribute, dear.

[lunaseafuture]

I would think the energies of the moon should suffice for most anything unless you're being a damned fool.

[knowinginthedark]

Oh, but only if the moon is perfectly full, perfectly crescent, or perfectly new.

Depends on what you're doing, after all!

[lunaseafuture]

There are ways to enhance those states, but yes.

[knowinginthedark]

Still, though, moonlight is really only one possible aspect as a trigger or a catalyst for what I'm researching. I'm looking for all types.

[lunaseafuture]

Other forms of such magic strike me as dangerous. Best to stick to lunar magic and or psychedelics.

Anything else is a fool's errand.

[wherethemiceare]

It's, like, best to eat a lot of things.

[knowinginthedark]

I guess something like that would cost a lot of energy...

[wherethemiceare]

Just undo your belt buckle and get ready to munch.

[knowinginthedark]

Sadly, I only get access to leftovers.

[wherethemiceare]

... Oh, it's because of Mister Fishie.

I dunno, maybe an artifact?

Though I think Ashley has a lot of those locked up, and our mom has even more, so kinda sparse on what's available and stuff.

[redderthanred]

... Would a magic necklace that turns you into things count?

[knowinginthedark]

Oh. Yes. Something like that would actually work.

... Hnm, I feel like I saw something about that before... Where was it...

[redderthanred]

Otherwise, my mom and grandmom say you should just offer cheesecake and lipstick. And money to shrines.

My friend, Artemis, says it's reckless to use anything other than the moon and cards for the purposes of enchantment and divination.

And uh, my friend, Ms. AFD, says it's about "Just Do It".

With like magic and rituals and stuff...?

[knowinginthedark]

Which was it... hnmm... Oh! Wait, now I remember.

There was a girl on the school island who turned into some monster-- I think one of those Nephthys ritual monsters-- and started chasing one of the student aides down, who was wearing a glowing crystal. Wonder what ended up happening to that.



Though, ah... Yes, there's a lot of different ways to do things. I think it all depends on what you can put your belief into?

[redderthanred]

Hrm... I guess...