LateNightHacking Louis Archives Stories Brian W. Antoine

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This is a set of notes describing the canon, with references. My goal is to capture a master list of background details (trivia) that I can refer to when writing stories set in the nas Kan universe. Anything in parenthesis is my speculation!

Brian enhances Bob's computer so Penny can access it directly. [Hlw]

Bob smokes. [Hlw]

Brian's maximum teleport range is from one side of the Earth to the other (7,900mi)[OWD]. By [WkV], Brian can teleport to the moon (240,000mi) - more specifically, about 2 light seconds (370,000mi) [WkV].

Brian has a lab, which is a place to practice magic and get away from things when life gets too hectic. The lab is hollowed out of the center of a nearby mountain and only accessible by gate or teleportation [OWD]. As of [OWD], Penny is at home(?) and does not have full access to the lab. The walls are rough hewn stone [OWD]. Brian's main lab is in Antoine Peak. [WkV]

Brian and Penny create a remote test lab on the far side of the moon once Brian can teleport that far. [WkV]

Brian has a gate on the wall behind his bedroom door at home. When activated, there are symbols around the edge representing various destinations that can be selected. One of these is the lab at Antoine Peak. [WkV]

Brian prefers the name Terra for his homeworld [OWD].

As of [OWD], Brian is very allergic to Velans, and starts sneezing (gets heavy hayfever symptoms) very quickly. He takes antihistamines to control his allergies. As of [WkV], he is still taking antihistamines. He has considered trying to cure his allergies, but is stil too concerned about possibly fatal mistakes.

As of [OWD], Brian describes himself as a "freshman" mage. In [WkV], Brian says, "Kal's a fair Mage, but not quite up to my level." (I think this is an anomaly, as Kalindra is an Archmage before Brian is.)

Brian is very sensitive about privacy. This produced arguments with Kimi when she was teaching him telepathy [OWD]. "I was more than a little afraid of somebody screwing around in the heart of what made me unique." [OWD] He is also enraged when Wythdantis modifies his immune system to fix his allergic reaction to Velans [OWD].

Brian is "about as empathic as your average rock" but is empathicly sensitive to Kalindra from the very beginning, which he finds puzzling. [OWD] Similarly, Kalindra is the only one able to telepathically read is mind reliably [OWD]. Brian and Kalindra "overlapped" minds to fire the final shot of the laser. The swapped some memories. An echo of this link allows Brian to translate Velan but fades such that by the time he leaves he can't even sense her emotions. [OWD]

Brian has an engineering bent and likes to know how things work, and notices technical details about the world around him (such as Kalindra's gait). It drives Kimi crazy when he keeps asking her why, when she's trying to teach me something. [OWD]

Brian fell into the Velan atmosphere (helped by the Velan telekinetics) after firing the last laser shot at the asteroid. The resulting fire ball earned him the name Brain "Starfire". [OWD]

Brian snores, much to Kalindra's disgust [OWD].

After saving Kalindra's world, Brian visits her every couple of months. Kalindra visits Brian once or twice a year. [WkV].

When Brian takes the job of builing the first Sunbeam reactor to the Velans, it is important to him that he "pay" for the reactor, not get it for free. He doesn't wan't it to seem like he is trading the survival of the planet Velar for a "funny shaped hunk of metal." "I helped because I could, not because I wanted something in return." [WkV]

Brian likes Jonny Quest and has Penny record the Jonny Quest Cartoon Festival for him. [WkV]

Brian's Family Brian has an Aunt (and other family) who he visits for Thanksgiving. [WkV]

As of [OWD], Kalindra is Velar's ArchMage.

Kalindra loves lemon drops. In [OWD], after eating a lemon drop, Kalindra radiates an "outrageous emotional storm" and Brian asks if sugar is a Velan aphrodisiac. Kalindra blushes at this, and then the other mages tease her about blushing. She arrogates the bag of lemon drops. (It's not clear whether she reacted strongly to the lemon or the sugar, or what emotion she was radiating, or why Brian used the term aphrodisiac. If she was suddenly subject to an embarrassing surge of lust, at whom was it directed? and if this made her embarrased, why would she then steal the bag?) Brian also makes a mental note never to give Kalindra a green M&M [OWD]. Also, "Kalindra tuned out the world to enjoy her sugar high" [OWD]. (There is no indication in [OWD] that sugar affects other Velans. None of the other mages try to steal a lemon drop.)

When Kalindra and Brian overlapped minds, Brian gets some memories from Kalindra: a fuzzy face leaning over my crib and talking; a smell that said "mother"; and the thrill of being accepted as an apprentice by Falindra [OWD].

Kalindra wanted to visit Earth, and Brian finally decided schedule her visit on Halloween. That year she was hassled by a party-goer who worked in a theater costume department. She visited again the following Halloween, but with an added illusion to make it look like she was actually wearing a costume [Hlw]

As of [OWD], Kimi is Earth's ArchMage.

Kimi believes the Velans are really kitsune (mischevious fox spirits) and tells Brian to abandon all contact with them. Brian disobeys her for the first time and ignores her [OWD].

There are voids where magic does not work. [WkV]

Teleportation requires detailed visual knowledge of the destination. This requires that you either have already visited the destination, or have been in close telepathic contact with someone who has. "Nothing else works to give you the sensory clues needed to memorize that spot so you can later return to it." [OWD]

Brian and K'tka developed the gate spell. [OWD]

Brian and K'tka only created one gate before K'tka's death. The spell takes almost six hours to complete, and has points where the caster can stop and rest. Brian uses a focus stone when creating a gate. [OWD]

Unlike teleportation, a visial reference is not needed to open a gate. Geographical coordinates can be used, but any rough coordinates in the form of a direction and distance from starting point can be used. [OWD]

The exit point of an open gate can be shifted by adjusting the spell. [OWD]

The spell is designed to work best when anchored to something at each end for safety. [Brian:] "If the anchor flexes any, it can cause problems I'd rather not think about". When anchoring a gate, first the gate and the anchor must be aligned. The gate and the anchor will glow golden. The anchor will shiver once and emit a low bass tone, then fall silent as the spell completes. An anchored gate requires a great deal of energy to destroy. [OWD]

The first gate to Velar was anchored to an arch about eight feet wide and nine feet tall. A gate can be closed down to an idle state such that things can no longer pass through it. When idle, the interior of a gate will appear as a gray fog. [OWD]. Closed down to a bare minimum, the gate is big enough to be self maintaining and to pass messages through [Hlw].

The gate on the wall in Brian's bedroom is invisible when inactive. Energy and sketching its outline activate the gate, showing destiantion symbols around the edge. A destination can be selected by focusing on one of the symbols. The interior of the gate goes jet black before snapping onto focus on a new destination. The exit point of this gate in Brian's lab looks like a normal door. [WkV]

At the time of [OWD], humans do not know how to use magic for healing. As of [WkV], Brian says he has coinsidered trying to cure his allergies, but still considers it too dangerous.

Humans can perform a levitation spell [OWD]. Brian teaches Falindra how to create a Flight Field (which may be the same spell). Brian also developed the Environment Field, needed to create a physical environment around a person so he can survive in space, underwater, etc. [OWD]. Humans can perform a shield spell, which is used to shield the planet from the laser in [OWD].

Humans can perfom illusion spells, but they are a pain to keep active. Alcohol just makes this even harder [Hlw].

(Brian magelocked a door in an earlier version of [OWD] but it was edited out.)

A Magelight is a spherical ball of light created by magic. Is shape can be manipulated. Changing one into a cylinder and adding energy will convert one into a laser. [OWD]

Human magic creates a spell as layer on layer of interwoven threads which are created sequentially and combine to form the desired result. To remember all the steps, Brian creates and sings mnemonic songs. Velans have a different approach [OWD]. (See "Velan Magic".)

At the time of [OWD], there are only three qualified Mages on Earth. Kimi is the ArchMage.

Mages on Earth must keep their knowledge of magic secret. If they are ever discovered, they face persecution by religious fanatics. [OWD]

It is the duty of human Mages to watch for and eliminate threats to their world. Brian calls it their "charter". This includes preventing asteroids from hitting the Earth, among other things. Over a thousand years ago, the ArchMage and her partner use telekenisis to deflect a fragment of a comet away from Earth. Each time it returns the current ArchMage pushes is a little further away. [OWD]

Human mages:

• Brian - Male. [TWA]. Natural magic color (of magelights) is blue. Taught by Kimi. [OWD]
• Kimi - Female. Earth's ArchMage [OWD]. (See her entry for details.)
• K'tka (dead) - Male. Researched the creation of the gate spell with Brian. Provided the coordinates for the first gate, which was created before he died. [OWD]

Velans can use magic for healing; for example, correcting bad eyesight [OWD].

Kalindra uses a wooden staff to help cast spells. It flares with light when used [OWD].

Magic is well known on Velar. Probably close to one percent of the population has at least a minor talent of some kind, though the number drops quickly as ability gows. There are less than a dozen people who would qualify as a Mage. Mages are highly regarded. [OWD] However, Velan mages still tend to "live out our lives being alone and lonely", often not becoming a member of a family. [OWD]

Velans can perform a hologram spell [OWD]. Some Velans have telekinetic talent [OWD]. Velans can perform a spell to view things at a distance (like a telescope?) [OWD].

Masindra performed a spell by chanting. [OWD]

Velan mages use their star as an energy source for powering large spells. [OWD]

It is possible for Velan mages to act together in a meld, if taught [OWD].

Velan magic creates a spell in its entirety all at once. "Velans simply seemed to go into a light trance, think about it, and smile when everything suddenly happened." A Velan will need to understand how the spell as a whole works and cannot build a spell sequentially [OWD].

Healing Velan healers are very passionate about the wellbeing of their patients. Brian describes Wythdantis as feisty, and Kalindra says that good healers are. "The very best are those who can channel the feelings we have about our children, towards their patients. You do nothing that might make a healer angry with you, if you value your pelt." [OWD] There is a "slight glow" around the healer when they are affecting someone [OWD].

Velan Mages:

• Kalindra - Female. ArchMage of Velar. Apprentice to Falindra. [OWD]
• Falindra ne Ven - Male. One of the three at the initial meeting. Very respected by Kalindra. Pelt almost solid gray (old). Stays calm during the initial meeting fiascos and is gutsy enough to closely inspect Brians small laser. He is not acrophobic. [OWD]
• Benindra - Male. One of the three at the initial meeting. Older than Kalindra. Initially believes Brian is an artificial construct and not a Mage. Brian fires a warning laser shot at him. [OWD]
• Masindra - Female. One of the three at the initial meeting. Older than Kalindra. Quiet, but tends to ask the most direct questions. [OWD]

Penny helps by monitoring computer systems Brian is responsible for [Hlw].

Penny starts joking in [OWD], evidence that this collection of electronics and magic was developing a personality, which Brian found hard to believe. Also, she shows evidence of superb hacking ability by getting information from places Brian "doesn't want to think about"[OWD].

Penny picked Kalindra's dress design for her second Halloween visit, which Kalindra loved and left the other guys at the party in shock [Hlw]. She designs a few more dresses in case Kalindra's friends are impressed enough to request one for themselves [Hlw]. By [WkV], Penny has made another dress that she has Brian take to Kalindra.

Technology When Brian first visits Velar, he passes along a well-used road but meets few people. He walks by many farms, and gets the impression that Velar is not real high on the industrial scale. When he reaches a town, it is hard to tell where the forest ends and the town begins. There are lamp posts, but they are not nearly as bright as human street lights. "The base of each pole contains a small deuterium fusion power source that is replaced as needed. Each light comes on at sunset and shuts itself off later at night if nobody is around." The lamp posts are not wired together, since that would require tearing up the ground for repairs or to extend the system. Velans prefer such a system because while it may take more effort to maintain, it is more aesthetically pleasing. A tiny fusion cell is commonly available on Velar as a power source. [OWD]

Velans have high enough technology to manufacture a matter/antimatter reactor to Brian's specifications (at least as well as he can manufacture it himself on Earth). [WkV]

Velar has at least a few cities ("one of our larger cities" is mentioned) [OWD].

A Velan (the natives of the planet Velar) looks roughtly like an Earth fox. The hair is longer than a fox's. They are roughly human shaped, but also have a tail, fur, and a face reminiscent of an Earth fox. Kalindra is about five feet tall, and her ears stick an inch or two higher. Kalindra's pelt is "fairly thick" and a deep red color. [OWD]

A Velan's ears are mobile and will track sound [OWD]. Ears also show emotion. Kalindra's ears "rose up and began to quiver" when she went from being very scared and ashamed to very hopeful [OWD]. When the other Velan mages meet Brian and are upset about him being there, "their ears were laying flat against their skulls". [OWD]

Despite their fur, Velans can visibly blush due to embarrassment [OWD].

Nodding is a human gesture, not a Velan one [OWD].

Velans do not bounce when they walk, they glide. [OWD] (This is energetically expensive/wasteful, thus unrealistic. :) )

"Velans are very self conscious about their tails." [OWD] A Velan's tail is prehensile to a certain extent [OWD].

Velans wear clothes. Kalindra is first seen in a loose fitting blouse and a skirt covered with dozens of tiny pockets. She also wore a cloak made from a lightweight silk-like material, the same deep red color as her fur. Due to their fur, Velans tend to wear lightweight clothes [OWD]. Velans like bright colored and patterned fabrics. The first shirt Kalindra give Brian "put the loudest Hawaiian shirt I had ever seen to shame. The damned thing was almost fluorescent!" [OWD]

Velans have claws. When Kalindra swiped Brian across the chest, she left four gashes (implying four fingers and thumb not used, or three plus thumb) [OWD]. (Kalindra "extends a single claw", but it is not clear whether Velan claws are retractable or this is synecdoche indicating she is pointing a finger [OWD].)

Velans move much faster than humans and are much stronger. [OWD] For example, Velans have no problem making a chair out of stone because they have would no problem moving it (unlike a human) [OWD].

Velans have their own language (not English) [OWD]. A Velan laugh is a 'huff' or 'wuff' sound [OWD]. In other ways, Velan expressions of humor are similar to human - pounding on a table, laughing so hard as to fall off a hair, tears, hiccups [OWD]. Velans cry when sad [OWD].

Velans are afraid of heights (acrophobic). Only a handful are born without this fear, and are highly honored for the tasks that only they can perform. Kalindra is not bothered while at the top of the nine-foot arch, but is disturbed at the thought of learning how to fly [OWD]. Velans are more comfortable building down than up, and use wide spiral walkways that never allow a direct view downward of moret than ten feet [OWD]. When Falindra flew, he was the first Velan to fly in one form or another for more than a thousand years. There are crude gliders documented in their central library, but it is extremely rare for anyone to have both means and desire to actually build one [OWD].

Velans count in groups of eight, as Masindra did when demonstrating the size of the asteroid. [OWD]

Velans do not take offence the way humans think of it. The human concept of "insult" is roughly equivalent to embarrassment for Velans, and their normal reaction is to return embarrassment in kind. The art of the practical joke is highly developed as a means of revenge. [OWD] "Velans don't get mad, they get even through their sense of humor." [OWD]

Only in the most severe of circumstances do Velans resort to violence. In most cases, only a direct threat to a child will evoke a deadly response. Assuming the attacker survives the attempts to subdue him, he may offer a Velan apology. [OWD]

A Velan apology is only done to atone for threatening the life of another or causing loss of life. In the ritual, the apologizer offers up his life. The receiver of the apology may choose to take or not take the life offered. [OWD]

The last war fought on Velar is only rememberd as an old legend in the history books. [OWD]

Kalindra is horified when she first strikes Brian, and can't even explain how it was possible. Attacking another being is almost unknown on Velar. The attack makes Kalindra doublt her own sanity. [OWD]

(Velans have a highly refined code of honor, dishonor, and family.) When Kalindra attacks Brian, she says "my actions have brough dishonor to my name and to my world." [OWD] Becasue the asteroid will impact on top of one of their large cities, Kalindra states that she can't let all those people die unless she is dead first [OWD]. "Velans tended to put their racial needs above their own." [OWD]

(It's not clear whether Velans can get angry. From the above, it sounds like they don't under most circumstances. Instead they get indignant and embarrassed. However, ways of expressing embarrassment sure look like anger. Benindra jumps to his feet and snarls. Kalindra growls at the assembled mages, and later makes and "angry rumble". She threatens Brian with a claw in his chest. However, immediately afterward, Brians says "she wasn't feeling anything that I could recognize as anger". [OWD]) The first time Brian feels anger from Kalindra is when the asteroid stops responding to the laser (and hence is an imminent threat to her people) [OWD].

Velans never developed anything like the religions of Earth [OWD]. (Unclear whether this refers to religion as a whole, or religion encouraging fanatical persecution.)

Velans do have news services (and they love a media circus just like their human counterparts) [OWD]. "They are slightly psychotic to begin with, and were relying on the fact we don’t get physically violent to try and force their way inside to talk to you." [OWD]

Before Falindra leaves, Kalindra steps forward and rubs her cheek against Falindra's, and then Brian's. Falindra's eye looked a little bit brighter than before as he bowed. Brian does not know the significance of this. (It does show that bowing is (probably) a gesture of respect among Velans. Also, the cheek rub is probably similar to a hug - a pretty young girl hugging an old man would boost his spirits.) [OWD]

Velans adjust better to Brian's appearance when he visits than people on Spokane would adjust to Kalindra's, "though it was still funny to watch the reaction of travelers passing through her home when I was there." [WkV].

Names Velans only have one personal name, and the last part of that name is gained when that person chooses what they will do with their life. Only when they are mated do they acquire their second name. [OWD] Using only the first name without a suffix is the form an adult uses in talking to a child, and it is humiliating to address an adult that way. [OWD]

Suffixes: