Qabian
08-12-2008, 03:30 PM
((Edited the full conversation with some creative eavesdropping license to save some people's sanity, hehehe. Not that it'll do much good, I'm sure.))
The orc woman slumped forward at the first empty table she found in the World's End. She'd spent most of the day trying to track down a mage to get her as far as Shattrath and just needed a break. She tried to order three drinks at once, but Kylene insisted on bringing refills as she finished what was in front of her.
She nursed her drink and let her attention wander to the conversations around her. At the table directly across from her, Lady Ninorra sat at a table with a few books open around her, and that Magister Qabian -- he looked so familiar for some reason -- leaned back against the same surface without bothering with a chair. Trying not to make her eavesdropping too obvious, the orc watched them out of the corner of her eye.
==
Ninorra looked up in thought, her fingers lazily drumming against the table.
"Music has methods. Not unlike math, patterns arise that tend to be universal, and are thus more pleasing than music that does not. However, what I think is so interesting is the response. Did you know that children who listen to a certain type of music early in life tend to be more intellectually capable than others, when they grow? Music aids in brain development, you see. And while it is true that this is caused by certain synapses that are received by one's brain, one can not develop purely due to understanding why.
"The genius lies in being able to decipher music, and to apply it without sound reason. When a person can compose a piece of music without set rules, they demonstrate their ability to comprehend advance mathematics without aid. People who are musically trained have also been proven to have advanced cognitive development. Even our memories are enhanced by musical training. Isn't that fascinating?"
Smiling brightly, she nodded towards the man beside her.
"Music begets knowledge, and knowledge begets power. So if power is one of your primary concerns, Qabian, I might suggest picking up a guitar."
Qabian stared at her as though she'd just told him she was the current incarnation of Deathwing. He shook his head almost sadly. "That's not what I -- no. Just no. I can't even express how very -- no.
"Contrary to what you may think, I heard a certain amount of music in my formative years. I had as much taste for it then as I do now. I would challenge all those premises you seem to believe inherently true. Perhaps consistent exposure to mathematical patterns via any available perceptive sense might enhance cognitive development, but," and here his grin returned, "if we are to base the value of music on -- what did you call him? A brilliant musician? I think his continuous failure in terms of intellect speaks more than adequately as a counterargument, hm?
"There is no such thing as comprehending advanced mathematics without aid. What aid? The aid of your own mind? That's not aid. If brilliant musicians can be so thoroughly unimpressive in every way..."
He laughed. "No. Music begets nothing, except possibly a ruined complexion?"
"I hardly think that my skin is a direct cause of my profession," she said with a sigh. "But you always liked picking things. Just to prove my point, maybe you should give some thought to how magical talent is used? People tend to memorize spells through study, correct? Well, if prolonged exposure to music and training in memorization and discipline aid one in their memory and cognitive development, don't you think that it might just help them in their spell casting as well?"
She smiled sweetly at him.
"As for your example, that is a completely different matter. People's reasoning is not often connected to their brilliance in other fields. While he might make decisions that you and I do not agree with, his talent for spell casting might outshine someone who knows nothing of arpeggios. Brilliance is subjective, in all matters. Besides..."
Ninorra knit her eyebrows, thinking back for a moment.
"It wasn't so much his skill that I was impressed with. It was his expression. There are many musicians that can create beautifully technical pieces of music, and yet they possess absolutely no emotion behind them. Szordrin once played for me with such beautiful precision that I could hear his soul through his music. He no longer does that, with me. Perhaps it is my uninspiring presence, but in either case..."
She looked back up at him.
"When a composer can fit several different instruments harmonically in his mind without the need of pencils or paper, he is demonstrating his ability to collect different sounds and pitches just as a mathematician might demonstrate the ability to multiply large sums in their head. Or, in our case, the ability to pick apart various areas of our magical expertise and combine them to create a desired effect. The only difference is that usually, music is created for pleasure. Even you can't escape the logic behind that."
"What logic? Brilliance is only subjective in art, which is what makes it pointless in the first place. In all other fields, it may exist by degree, but it is either present or it is not," Qabian insisted.
"All of those things, expertise in memory, calculation, design, can be accomplished perfectly well without music. Those most respected -- hm, those I most respected never used nor needed music. You seem to insist it's necessary. I do not see any evidence of that. You insist it enhances. Perhaps it enhances those not born with the gift of a mind that can function adequately and even excellently without it. More pity to those who need it, then. And the soul --" He coughed, interrupting his own train of thought.
"Besides, I meant your skin is a direct effect of your failure of a friend's profession, seeing as music failed to give him the intellect you would claim it gives the capability to achieve, and thus he failed to help your condition.
"You also seem to imply that magic is not used for pleasure." The corner of his lips twisted in a shrewd grin.
"A different sort of pleasure, to be certain," she corrected. "And my friend's profession is not something I'd like to exploit. Being near him as he is now, he no longer looks at me as he once did. It's akin to looking at his corpse."
She yawned, using the back of her hand to cover it.
"I've other doctors who are still attempting to help me. I don't doubt Szordrin's skill, or as you would say, his want of it, but I don't think that he has the inspiration to help me. At least with the others that I speak to, they seem encouraged to give me aid. Now, regarding the words you keep putting into my mouth..."
Ninorra rolled her eyes.
"I never said that music was required for brilliance. Only that it has been proven to aid in it. Now, you can take that as you will, but I find it rather inspirational. And while I know that you're wary of my vocals, I wonder if you might like to hear some piano recordings? I have several that have been magically recorded, in case you'd like to have it play while studying to something of that nature. Many of them are inspired by my own spells. "
Qabian shook his head. "No. I don't want anything from you beyond the amusement of a few words. It's not every day someone accuses me of boiling kittens. You see, unlike music, words have value.
"If every field of study required the appreciation of a fickle audience of delusional liars and daydreaming children to be considered to have any effect, nothing would ever be accomplished. Everyone would die of horrible diseases they couldn't figure out for themselves, and no one would know the true pleasure of the art of magic. What a horrible place the world would be," he said with a dramatic flourish, the back of one hand to his forehead. "Nothing like it is now, I'm sure."
Serious again, he shrugged. "Friends exist to be exploited, but if you're too much of a coward... well, I suppose you're lucky he's an oaf and would probably just kill you in the attempt even if you could be bothered to make the request."
Ninorra grinned,"I had no idea that you would be so insulted with the idea of boiling kittens. I imagine that if boiling kittens had a desired effect, you wouldn't hesitate. Unless I'm mistaken in your love of magic, of course. As for exploitation, you should know as well as anyone that uninspired aid usually causes more harm than good. If I were to ask for your help,for example, and you didn't want to... you would obviously not do as good a job as someone who -would- want to help. This is the case, regarding myself and Szordrin. The last thing I need is for someone to feign interest just to leave me dead."
She sighed and shrugged.
"At least with paid physicians, they're inspired by money."
Qabian smirked, "Ah, I don't feign interest. If I had no intention of helping you, I would tell that to your face. In fact, I believe I did something similar, didn't I? Or I wouldn't tell you, but I would never do half the task because of a lack of inspiration. I'd simply find the inspiration to do something far worse.
"And I wasn't insulted. That was a compliment. But I suppose once you hear enough sarcasm, it's difficult to detect its absence. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same with music. All the more reason to stay away from it."
"Actually, that idea has some merit. The more music you listen to, the more you can hear it in other mediums. From a baby's laughter, to the simple sound of water flowing through a stream... life has it's own natural music."
She smiled again.
"But that is all romantic nonsense, and yes, your voice does tend to carry a dry monotone air to it. I suppose that's all part of your roguish charm."
"Mm, and my roguish charm is as much nonsense as the pervasive nature of music."
He sat forward, watching the entrance of the tavern without adding further words, as though distracted by his own unshared train of thought.
==
"Do you want a refill?"
"What?" The orc woman looked up, blinking at the barmaid in her distraction as she'd been trying to follow Qabian's line of sight.
Kylene leaned over in front of the orc and pointed at the nearly full tankard in front of her. She'd been paying more attention to the conversation than to her drink, obviously more susceptible to a certain level of gossip in her current state of exhaustion. The orc snarled at the barmaid, picked up the mug, and quaffed it in its entirety, and tossed it carelessly back onto the table, wiping her mouth on the back of her arm.
"Yes."
Kylene rolled her eyes and pushed a full mug in front of the orc, taking away the empty one with her.
==
When she turned back to the pair whose conversation she had been following, a cloaked figure entered the tavern and made a point of passing directly in front of where Qabian sat against the table, pushing back a plain brown hood as she walked by, revealing a not particularly remarkable dark haired Sin'dorei. The new arrival did not turn to face anyone or make any motion of recognition or greeting, but continued to the back of the tavern, taking a seat at a table in the shadows.
Qabian watched the new woman pass, then leaned over and gave Ninorra's shoulder a condescending pat. "I'll leave you to your Frostwolves then. I'm sure they're glad to have a soldier who looks about ready to keel over and die at any moment. Just don't forget to actually use the things they gave you. After all, illusion is the better part of valor," he said before standing up and brushing more nonexistent dust from his robes.
"Have fun with your lady friend," Ninorra said dismissively, giving a non-committal wave of her hand.
Qabian grinned, straightening his robes as he moved off to the back of the tavern where the woman had gone. "That's me. All about the fun."
==
The orc watched him move away, but when he sat down again he was out of her hearing distance, and the tones he used with the new woman were far quieter than those he'd been tossing back and forth with Ninorra.
She sighed and turned her attention back to her drink, trying to remember exactly where it was she knew that elf from.
The orc woman slumped forward at the first empty table she found in the World's End. She'd spent most of the day trying to track down a mage to get her as far as Shattrath and just needed a break. She tried to order three drinks at once, but Kylene insisted on bringing refills as she finished what was in front of her.
She nursed her drink and let her attention wander to the conversations around her. At the table directly across from her, Lady Ninorra sat at a table with a few books open around her, and that Magister Qabian -- he looked so familiar for some reason -- leaned back against the same surface without bothering with a chair. Trying not to make her eavesdropping too obvious, the orc watched them out of the corner of her eye.
==
Ninorra looked up in thought, her fingers lazily drumming against the table.
"Music has methods. Not unlike math, patterns arise that tend to be universal, and are thus more pleasing than music that does not. However, what I think is so interesting is the response. Did you know that children who listen to a certain type of music early in life tend to be more intellectually capable than others, when they grow? Music aids in brain development, you see. And while it is true that this is caused by certain synapses that are received by one's brain, one can not develop purely due to understanding why.
"The genius lies in being able to decipher music, and to apply it without sound reason. When a person can compose a piece of music without set rules, they demonstrate their ability to comprehend advance mathematics without aid. People who are musically trained have also been proven to have advanced cognitive development. Even our memories are enhanced by musical training. Isn't that fascinating?"
Smiling brightly, she nodded towards the man beside her.
"Music begets knowledge, and knowledge begets power. So if power is one of your primary concerns, Qabian, I might suggest picking up a guitar."
Qabian stared at her as though she'd just told him she was the current incarnation of Deathwing. He shook his head almost sadly. "That's not what I -- no. Just no. I can't even express how very -- no.
"Contrary to what you may think, I heard a certain amount of music in my formative years. I had as much taste for it then as I do now. I would challenge all those premises you seem to believe inherently true. Perhaps consistent exposure to mathematical patterns via any available perceptive sense might enhance cognitive development, but," and here his grin returned, "if we are to base the value of music on -- what did you call him? A brilliant musician? I think his continuous failure in terms of intellect speaks more than adequately as a counterargument, hm?
"There is no such thing as comprehending advanced mathematics without aid. What aid? The aid of your own mind? That's not aid. If brilliant musicians can be so thoroughly unimpressive in every way..."
He laughed. "No. Music begets nothing, except possibly a ruined complexion?"
"I hardly think that my skin is a direct cause of my profession," she said with a sigh. "But you always liked picking things. Just to prove my point, maybe you should give some thought to how magical talent is used? People tend to memorize spells through study, correct? Well, if prolonged exposure to music and training in memorization and discipline aid one in their memory and cognitive development, don't you think that it might just help them in their spell casting as well?"
She smiled sweetly at him.
"As for your example, that is a completely different matter. People's reasoning is not often connected to their brilliance in other fields. While he might make decisions that you and I do not agree with, his talent for spell casting might outshine someone who knows nothing of arpeggios. Brilliance is subjective, in all matters. Besides..."
Ninorra knit her eyebrows, thinking back for a moment.
"It wasn't so much his skill that I was impressed with. It was his expression. There are many musicians that can create beautifully technical pieces of music, and yet they possess absolutely no emotion behind them. Szordrin once played for me with such beautiful precision that I could hear his soul through his music. He no longer does that, with me. Perhaps it is my uninspiring presence, but in either case..."
She looked back up at him.
"When a composer can fit several different instruments harmonically in his mind without the need of pencils or paper, he is demonstrating his ability to collect different sounds and pitches just as a mathematician might demonstrate the ability to multiply large sums in their head. Or, in our case, the ability to pick apart various areas of our magical expertise and combine them to create a desired effect. The only difference is that usually, music is created for pleasure. Even you can't escape the logic behind that."
"What logic? Brilliance is only subjective in art, which is what makes it pointless in the first place. In all other fields, it may exist by degree, but it is either present or it is not," Qabian insisted.
"All of those things, expertise in memory, calculation, design, can be accomplished perfectly well without music. Those most respected -- hm, those I most respected never used nor needed music. You seem to insist it's necessary. I do not see any evidence of that. You insist it enhances. Perhaps it enhances those not born with the gift of a mind that can function adequately and even excellently without it. More pity to those who need it, then. And the soul --" He coughed, interrupting his own train of thought.
"Besides, I meant your skin is a direct effect of your failure of a friend's profession, seeing as music failed to give him the intellect you would claim it gives the capability to achieve, and thus he failed to help your condition.
"You also seem to imply that magic is not used for pleasure." The corner of his lips twisted in a shrewd grin.
"A different sort of pleasure, to be certain," she corrected. "And my friend's profession is not something I'd like to exploit. Being near him as he is now, he no longer looks at me as he once did. It's akin to looking at his corpse."
She yawned, using the back of her hand to cover it.
"I've other doctors who are still attempting to help me. I don't doubt Szordrin's skill, or as you would say, his want of it, but I don't think that he has the inspiration to help me. At least with the others that I speak to, they seem encouraged to give me aid. Now, regarding the words you keep putting into my mouth..."
Ninorra rolled her eyes.
"I never said that music was required for brilliance. Only that it has been proven to aid in it. Now, you can take that as you will, but I find it rather inspirational. And while I know that you're wary of my vocals, I wonder if you might like to hear some piano recordings? I have several that have been magically recorded, in case you'd like to have it play while studying to something of that nature. Many of them are inspired by my own spells. "
Qabian shook his head. "No. I don't want anything from you beyond the amusement of a few words. It's not every day someone accuses me of boiling kittens. You see, unlike music, words have value.
"If every field of study required the appreciation of a fickle audience of delusional liars and daydreaming children to be considered to have any effect, nothing would ever be accomplished. Everyone would die of horrible diseases they couldn't figure out for themselves, and no one would know the true pleasure of the art of magic. What a horrible place the world would be," he said with a dramatic flourish, the back of one hand to his forehead. "Nothing like it is now, I'm sure."
Serious again, he shrugged. "Friends exist to be exploited, but if you're too much of a coward... well, I suppose you're lucky he's an oaf and would probably just kill you in the attempt even if you could be bothered to make the request."
Ninorra grinned,"I had no idea that you would be so insulted with the idea of boiling kittens. I imagine that if boiling kittens had a desired effect, you wouldn't hesitate. Unless I'm mistaken in your love of magic, of course. As for exploitation, you should know as well as anyone that uninspired aid usually causes more harm than good. If I were to ask for your help,for example, and you didn't want to... you would obviously not do as good a job as someone who -would- want to help. This is the case, regarding myself and Szordrin. The last thing I need is for someone to feign interest just to leave me dead."
She sighed and shrugged.
"At least with paid physicians, they're inspired by money."
Qabian smirked, "Ah, I don't feign interest. If I had no intention of helping you, I would tell that to your face. In fact, I believe I did something similar, didn't I? Or I wouldn't tell you, but I would never do half the task because of a lack of inspiration. I'd simply find the inspiration to do something far worse.
"And I wasn't insulted. That was a compliment. But I suppose once you hear enough sarcasm, it's difficult to detect its absence. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same with music. All the more reason to stay away from it."
"Actually, that idea has some merit. The more music you listen to, the more you can hear it in other mediums. From a baby's laughter, to the simple sound of water flowing through a stream... life has it's own natural music."
She smiled again.
"But that is all romantic nonsense, and yes, your voice does tend to carry a dry monotone air to it. I suppose that's all part of your roguish charm."
"Mm, and my roguish charm is as much nonsense as the pervasive nature of music."
He sat forward, watching the entrance of the tavern without adding further words, as though distracted by his own unshared train of thought.
==
"Do you want a refill?"
"What?" The orc woman looked up, blinking at the barmaid in her distraction as she'd been trying to follow Qabian's line of sight.
Kylene leaned over in front of the orc and pointed at the nearly full tankard in front of her. She'd been paying more attention to the conversation than to her drink, obviously more susceptible to a certain level of gossip in her current state of exhaustion. The orc snarled at the barmaid, picked up the mug, and quaffed it in its entirety, and tossed it carelessly back onto the table, wiping her mouth on the back of her arm.
"Yes."
Kylene rolled her eyes and pushed a full mug in front of the orc, taking away the empty one with her.
==
When she turned back to the pair whose conversation she had been following, a cloaked figure entered the tavern and made a point of passing directly in front of where Qabian sat against the table, pushing back a plain brown hood as she walked by, revealing a not particularly remarkable dark haired Sin'dorei. The new arrival did not turn to face anyone or make any motion of recognition or greeting, but continued to the back of the tavern, taking a seat at a table in the shadows.
Qabian watched the new woman pass, then leaned over and gave Ninorra's shoulder a condescending pat. "I'll leave you to your Frostwolves then. I'm sure they're glad to have a soldier who looks about ready to keel over and die at any moment. Just don't forget to actually use the things they gave you. After all, illusion is the better part of valor," he said before standing up and brushing more nonexistent dust from his robes.
"Have fun with your lady friend," Ninorra said dismissively, giving a non-committal wave of her hand.
Qabian grinned, straightening his robes as he moved off to the back of the tavern where the woman had gone. "That's me. All about the fun."
==
The orc watched him move away, but when he sat down again he was out of her hearing distance, and the tones he used with the new woman were far quieter than those he'd been tossing back and forth with Ninorra.
She sighed and turned her attention back to her drink, trying to remember exactly where it was she knew that elf from.