Jump 242: Anima: Beyond Fantasy

Jump #242: Anima: Beyond Fantasy
>Page of Swords: The approach of an unexpected challenge, to be met with clear thought and just action.
You know what's unexpected? Being CONSTANTLY summoned and forced to do someone else's bidding. The challenge is to twist that to my benefit.
>Age: 20
>Location: Calista
>Identity: Human Mage
>Drawbacks: Hideous (+100), Familiar (+100), Immortal Soul (+200), Unnatural (+400, known summon)
>Freelancer's Talents (1200)
Learning to be on par with a professional in ANY profession given a small investment in time? Fuck yeah, I'm Uber, version 2.0. I should study magic and achieve a professional level of knowledge in every single field of it.
>The Gift (Free, Mage)
Aw, and it's not even my birthday! How thoughtful.
>Gestureless Casting (1100, Mage)
>Wordless Casting (1000, Mage)
I shall pause a moment to impart a brief lesson in magic.
It takes three things to successfully cast magic, as we all learned in Hogwarts: the Wand, the Word, and the Will. To be more specific, the physical focus that directs magic, the mental focus that channels magic, and the will to open a connection to magical power in the first place.
Compromise permits flexibility at the cost of effectiveness and accuracy - there's a reason no one is throwing a silent Killing Curse, let alone a wandless one.
The trade offs? Well, not needing a magical focus (wand) is obvious, if impractical, meaning you can essentially never be disarmed. Usually limited to short ranged, weak spells. Stirring a drink, illumination of a wand not in one's hand, and so forth.
Wordless casting lets you channel spells far more quickly as you could move your focus, and as any wizard who has experienced a duel will tell you, quantity has a quality all its own.
Being able to do either of these things without a loss in effectiveness is a force multiplier. Being able to do both could, arguably, make one a walking force of nature.
Now then, on with the show.
>Summoner (Free, Mage)
Well, at least I can do the research and figure out how to summon myself. Because that totally does anything of value.
>Increased Zeon Recovery (800, Mage)
Days to months to recover my power? Are you crazy? Recovery happening four times faster is beneficial, though perhaps not ideal, admittedly.
>High Magic (500, Mage)
This, on the other hand, IS ideal: normally you simply can't USE this sort of power without something interesting, like a lost magical city. You'd better believe I'll be making good on THIS.
Hmm, where was that spell to eliminate cancer worldwide again..?
>Opposite Magic (300)
Why should I be limited by something so petty as polar opposites? I've got magnetic monopoles in the warehouse, I should be able to study everything that I wish.
>Black Book (Free, Mage)
Eh, it's a nice starting point for study.
>Soul Shards (Free)
Not a horcrux, right? Right.
>Ring of Erebus (200, Mage)
Oh, now isn't this nice, an all-around magical boost. I'll have to add this to my gauntlet.
>Companion Import (0)
As usual, all of my companions sans Hart get a local setting. Mister Roboto isn't much for magic, thankfully.

Well, if anyone sees behind what wrappings cover my body while I'm here, it's going to be an incredibly unpleasant sight for them - seems I'm showing the worst aspects of being a shoggoth and/or walking wound in the world. Even my shadow seems to be acting up. The constant flashbacks and conflicting memories don't help either, and I tell you what, it is SUPER annoying to be doing one thing and then end up summoned clear across the country to some idiot who wants me to do his bidding and/or homework. And when someone summons me it's even MORE obvious that I'm something horrifying that man was not meant to know.

Ugh.

Anyway.

I REALLY wish that I had the points to spare to be able to get the Seeker of Names perk, but I have other means to find out the true name of things that I encounter, even if they're probably more exhaustive. Same with Nemesis abilities, frankly; they seem useful to say the least. But the raw power of the local magic is unquestionably what I need to be going for.

The other thing that I need to be going for is more real estate to add to Konasse. The city went from a half million to ten times that much, and with all the new buildings, there's only so much space to be had. I hear this Megas Therion is quite a place, and integrating it into the growing metropolis that is Konasse sounds like something right up my alley.

Also, seriously, where's that spell that eradicates cancer? I'm definitely going to use it.