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[corporeity]

[ Gale sips his coffee, appetite going as the subject turns to their present troubles. If not for Nick and August, he might not have tended to his arcane needs, hollowed out as he is by the affair. ]

Almost certainly. [ miserably, then. ] I watched that wretched substance change Astarion before mine own eyes.

[ Because he was too slow, too sleepy, too human. He picks at the pastry with a gloved hand, messy and entirely unhelpful in the matter of actually eating it. He sighs. ]

I’ve met others clearly affected as well. Made insecure and cruel, despite all this talk of improvement.

[ Alina, acting even more unpredictable than usual. ]

[lightandjoy]

[ It's not a good topic of conversation, but Halsin views it as a necessary one. They've solved far more difficult problems together, after all, and he gets the sense that Gale wouldn't talk about it otherwise. He keeps eating his own breakfast, his own appetite driven by practicality, though his mood darkens when he hears about Astarion. ]

It is no improvement, unless it's for some crueler goal.

[ Frowning, Halsin studies the grounds ahead of them. He chases the last bite of his bacon roll with a swallow of coffee, then continues: ]

I had been sharing a bed with a young mage, Dorian -- you may have met him. We had been having a good time together over the last few days, but yesterday morning he threw me out of his room, saying that he no longer wanted to spend any time with me. I thought I had offended him somehow, but he has been using that accursed lotion.. and now you tell me that Astarion is also changing. I fear we are headed down an evil road.

[ He glances over at Gale. ]

Do you think we could try to undo it? A cleansing spell, perhaps?

[corporeity]

[ The arch of Gale's brows sharpens, at the mention of Dorian, who had seemed to be enjoying himself when they last spoke. ]

Another young mage called Matt and I tested the lotion. We ascertained its source, a plant in the gardens, but — it refused us, Halsin. [ powerful and terrible. ] Whatever magic is at work here, it's unlike any I've known, even at the height of my power.

[ Gale shakes his head, utterly miserable. ]

We can hope that its application and presentation provide a clue as to its nature. That is to say, I suspect it needs to be re-applied to remain effective.