Stone's Throw

[Charon Tethras]

"It's not the vampires making up these words. They come into being because of mortals. So the undead are just playing catch-up. That doesn't impact how the language changes."

[Andreas Amell]

"Oh! Right, yes, I see. Hmm." He squints, trying to dredge up memories of the many lectures and talks his grandparents have had with or near him about linguistics. "I think, if I'm remembering correctly, that not all 'new words' are adopted into the... innate version. Like... Again, I'm not really good at this stuff, I've just heard it a lot. But, umm, there's a word in draconic that's very commonly used by Nyran and Runis that basically means 'mana construct' as a way to describe short rituals without material components or foci. But dragons hate it. They say-- all of them-- that's its sloppy and crude. People have to explain and define the word for them too. So... uh," he laughs, shaking his head. "So basically, it's really complicated and I don't really know the truth of how it works."

[Charon Tethras]

Charon snorts. "Sounds like magic."

[Diligence]

"Magic has rules the same as everything else," Dil says crossly, pupils narrowing as he gives his brother a stern look. This is a very familiar stern look, one Charon has seen and felt before from the kobold. Dil has... some strong belief about magic, in some very strange ways.

[Charon Tethras]

"Magic is bullshit sometimes and you know it," he argues, same as always. 

[Diligence]

"Bullshit, yes, but predictable, repeatable and understandable bullshit," Del counters, as is tradition. "Just because we can't yet, doesn't mean no-one knows or that someone can't know some day."

[Charon Tethras]

"If you say so," he agrees to disagree, as usual. When he's feeling more ornery, there's a longer version of the debate where he points out that Alydra controls magic and Gods are bullshit, so magic is bullshit sometimes because the gods do things to it that don't make sense. But he's not feeling it today. 

[Andreas Amell]

"Huh," Andreas says, voice a little stunned, a bit relieved and with a hint of... envy? "You, both of you, might fit even better with my-- our-- family than we thought."

[Charon Tethras]

Charon's ears swivel sharply -- a sign he's been startled, too startled/surprised to remember to turn his head like a human would. "What? Why?"

[Andreas Amell]

"This-- the language conversation and the magic one just now-- they both could have happened at Grandpa's kitchen table and fit perfectly."

[Charon Tethras]

"...oh." Charon blushes a little, ducking his head. "Right. Anyway."

[Diligence]

"That's good, right? If Charon can like... fit or whatever?" Dil asks, attention starting to drift back to his food but still mostly on the twins.

[Andreas Amell]

"Mostly yes but also no. Ish. I mean, it honestly sounds like Charon has more interest and more... passion, I guess, for magic than I do. Maybe not the breadth of knowledge, given it seems like your education was pretty focused, but you're enthusiastic and... practiced, I guess? All my knowledge is just that; knowledge. I have pretty much zero experience casting personally. I know like three long-form ritual cantrips."

[Charon Tethras]

"Long form?" he asks, aghast.

[Andreas Amell]

Andreas blinks a few times, then hesitantly replies, "y-yes? I can do a cleaning spell in about thirty seconds, that's my best one. Only takes two casts to completely clean up a full bucket of oil paint." He grins ruefully at that very specific example. Ciren, mom was so pissed.