[OPEN] sorry for being a dark sorcerer. as if it's my fault

[techmaturgy]

WHO: viktor and YOU
WHEN: some nebulous time during/after the village hunts
WHERE: ke-waihu and out and about
WHAT: hi I have just rolled in from the woods with the werewolf delegation and what is this
WARNINGS: possible reference to terminal illness, will add more if they come up

i. from ke-waiar with love

[At some point, after the hunts begin, a delegation arrives from Ke-Waiar. They have a new arrival with them, apparently as part of the negotiations with the Beastmaster. He looks, uh

not great.

Pale and gaunt and terrible posture with wild, uncombed hair—almost like he staggered out of the forest outside of Ke-Waiar just days ago (he did). Probably it’s because he’s had a weird few days, right? Wandering out of the woods. Lack of sleep. Disoriented, trying to make sense of where he is and how he got here. That must be it. No other reason.

It isn’t long before he’s recognized as someone not from here, and that’s about when Taksui slides in. Maybe you happen upon this guy arguing with Taksui about changing hands, or a vague lack of technology, or access to his work, or something, all in an accent that is extremely out of place. Then there’s arguing with what seems to be a young villager, who insists that she’s been assigned to assist him while he’s here—and he insists, in turn, that he doesn’t need any help.

Actually, it seems like this guy is doing a lot of arguing, and is very animated about it for someone who looks so thoroughly exhausted, apparently not at all concerned with attracting attention or any potential faux pas. Also, sometimes he coughs a lot. He’s not having a great day, or series of days, and it seems he wants to let everybody know it.]

ii. out and about

[Except, this would be a terrible open log if Viktor was just fighting with everyone for the whole thing, so.

He gets his bearings. Viktor has always been industrious, and given the alternative, he’d rather be busy than not, so he sets about exploring Ke-Waihu. Though he avoids going too far into the forest, he can be found on the outskirts, most notably at various Witches’ huts, engaging the purveyors with interest (and possibly arguing with them as well, generally about esoteric nerd stuff, oops). He will absolutely stop and ask for directions if he feels like he needs it, or maybe where he can get his hands on some of that dark water stuff (yikes). Thanks in advance!

Barring that, he seems to take interest in the small temples, though apparently not out of any religious conviction. He is—he is going to touch that offering, or otherwise move it out of place. Tell him not to do that (or don’t, I’m not your mom), he’s definitely cursed enough.]

iii. house #6

[It’s not until he gets to his designated housing that he finally allows himself to let the implications of his displacement sink in—still alive, for now. Just misplaced. Somehow.

Viktor finds it almost too much to take in, and it's not until he's alone that he allows himself to fully process what all this is supposed to mean. He needs to recuperate from the whirlwind events of the last few days, but he doesn't have time, so instead of attempting to clear his head after being shuffled from one town to another, he gives in to his frustration. There's a chair near the door that he jostles violently with his free hand on the way in, and he all but throws down the crutch they've given him before sinking down onto the nearest (un-overturned) chair with some effort, scrubbing a hand through his hair and letting out a long, shaky breath.

That's about when he realizes he isn't alone (it's you, you're here, walking into this, congratulations).]

Sorry. [He seems to have the wherewithal to be embarrassed about the temporary outburst, but at the same time there's too much exhaustion behind the apology for it to seem fully sincere. Viktor knows, vaguely, that he’s meant to be sharing this house with others.] I didn't realize anyone else was here.

[Just, you know, forgive him for having a Moment. Also he’s your new roommate. Hello!]

iv. the network option

[In other circumstances, such a device would be entirely fascinating to him. Voice transmission. Real-time image transmission, like nothing he’s ever seen before. He wishes he were in a better position to really appreciate it. Part of him almost wants to dismantle it and see if he can put it back together. There are, however, better uses for his time, which is what has him addressing the network.

No fanfare. Just the following message:]

The villagers of Ke-Waiar informed me that I was found wandering the forest while in an altered mind state. I do not remember any of this, but my physical state upon “awakening” corroborates the story.

My understanding is that this is a communication channel for the similarly displaced. Although I am under no illusions that the information I'm requesting will solve any real mysteries, please detail the following if you're able to do so:

1. The circumstances of your arrival, including any involvement/assistance from those native to this world
2. Whether or not you were lucid upon arrival, and, if not, at what point you regained your faculties

Any input is appreciated.

V

v. wildcard??

[hey I’m BRAND NEW and down for anything. Happy to write bespoke starters, or feel free to toss me a wildcard of your own. Hit me up on plurk at whitticus OR on discord at whitticus#8139!]

Comments

ii.

[traaaaaash]

[ Eda is a witch, so it stands to reason that she'd eventually stop by the local witches' huts. You know, see what it's all about, and if they have information for her. And it's about time, too, because all of her curses are getting worse. She is on unsure footing, her vision beginning to be impacted by the ancestral curse put upon her. Dark bands wrap around her wrists, and feathers stick out of her skin here and there.

However, when she steps foot into the hut, she does very much see that there seems to be an argument going on. ]

Uh. Is this a bad time? I really hope not, cause I could use some help here.

[techmaturgy]

[If you ask Viktor, it's all a bad time, because he's been kidnapped and torn away from his work and shuffled around and he's still trying to piece together the strange circumstances of his arrival. What was he doing in the forest? What was he looking for?

It doesn't help that in cruising around, he's only further disheartened by the lack of technology, everything so far removed from what he knows, that he can't help but take his frustrations out on people who he thought might have answers but don't seem to understand. Maybe it's a relief, then, to be interrupted, though for a moment he looks not unlike an animal caught in the headlights of an oncoming vehicle.]

Uh, no. I was...just leaving.

[There's nothing here that will help him--at least, nothing that doesn't come off as exceedingly shady. He gives Eda a look up and down, gaze lingering on the feathers.]

Maybe you'll have better luck.

[traaaaaash]

[ Eda raises an eyebrow, unimpressed. ]

You might have better luck by not yelling at people, you know.

[ And she does notice his prolonged glance at her feathery arms, feeling just the slightest pang of discomfort, but honestly, she's too tired for this. She's too tired to hide her curse. If he has questions, he can ask, though it's also none of his business. ]

[techmaturgy]

[He seems confused for a moment--who's yelling? Apparently it hasn't occurred to Viktor that he's raising his voice or getting increasingly animated, but he very quickly decides he doesn't want to argue about it.

At the very least, he does understand that they should probably take this outside--which, incidentally, is where he's headed. Viktor's in no real mood to be polite, so he stares, and then chooses to address it in a roundabout sort of way, kind of putting two and two together.]

Were you seeking some kind of aid from the witches?

ii

[scrapgege]

[As it happens, there is someone sweeping the ground in the area of the small temples. he is wearing robes not unlike those of the people here, and you might be excused for thinking him a local - he really doesn't stand out all that much.

But as soon as he sees those hands go for the offerings, he speaks up, nicely but firmly.]

I really wouldn't do that if I were you.

[techmaturgy]

[Yeah, yeah--he knows this is probably a bad idea, but really, he's not sure how his situation can get any worse, at this point. Viktor approaches most things with some measure of curiosity and a general lack of regard for his own preservation, and this is is no exception.

Still, when he's warned otherwise, he stills his hand. It hovers over the object but doesn't move any further.]

Speaking from experience?

[Please tell him he's not the only one dumb enough to do this.]

[scrapgege]

Those are offerings for the dead.

[Which... does not answer this man's question, but never mind.]

It's disrespectful to touch them, and give how this place work, you might earn yourself an extra curse on top of the other ones.

[techmaturgy]

[No, it doesn't, but at least he has enough social grace to nod, and withdraw his hand (momentarily, anyway--there's no guarantee he might give it another shot once this guy is gone).]

Understood. [For now. Curses is still a bit hard to swallow, but there's no denying the magical nature of this place, to say nothing of the magic that may or may not have brought him here. For a moment, it seems like he's going to back off, but then he launches into another thought.] If this, however, can bestow a curse, it stands to reason that there may be certain properties within the object itself that could, possibly, be reverse-engineered to remove the curse, as well.

[Is this how curses work? No idea. He's just going with what he knows.]

un: absterge | shhhh yes I'm taking advantage of the network option

[downswing]

Stirred into mines, pursued. Fettered.

The tyranny of another village, snow-bound.

heh heh heh

[techmaturgy]

Extremely poetic. Do you mean to say that you were taken prisoner?

[downswing]

Woke to chains.


( A subtle nuance. )

[techmaturgy]

Who was responsible?

iii.

[soloritur]

It isn't so unusual for Marcos to walk in on someone throwing the furniture around; between the cartel, stressed out mutant refugees, and Lorna, he's generally surprised when someone manages to express their anger without breaking something. Himself included. And hey, at least he didn't throw it at him. He gives him a moment, taking him in, then carries on like nothing happened.

"No worries, man." Marcos notices the crutch, and nearly asks about it, but changes his mind at the last second. Better to feel him out before he assumes he'll want to talk about that. He still offers an opening in case he needs to get something off his chest. "I know... it wasn't my first pick for a vacation spot either."

[techmaturgy]

Viktor seems more surprised by the fact that people are telling him "no worries" than the actual intrusion--back home, he would most certainly need to apologize, which is why he usually keeps such outbursts to himself. The only reason he allowed himself the reaction in the first place is because he didn't think anyone was here, but he can't say he dislikes being offered a modicum of understanding.

"Still, that was--it was rude of me."

He sounds a little more apologetic, at least. Not my first pick is kind of an understatement, and his shoulder sag, indicating that he certainly thinks as much.

"Is it just you, here?"

[soloritur]

Marcos waves off his apology. There's nobody around here who could blame him. He takes a glance around the room and notes the closed doors, but he hasn't really seen anyone come out in the last hour. He reasons that they probably would have poked their head out to see what the racket was if they were here.

"At the moment. There's a few others who come and go." And the visitors that come by pretty frequently. Since he's seen what they deal with at a few of the other houses, he counts them as lucky. At least they don't have a curfew. "You just moved in, right? ...Sorry you have to deal with all this. I know it's a lot."

The guy looks like he's had a rough time, so Marcos can only guess. He glances at the crutch again briefly, then nods to their kitchen area. "You want a drink?"

[techmaturgy]

Well, everyone's been fairly understanding, at least, though Viktor seems a little unsure of how to act in response, like he's not used to being afforded this kind of leeway. It's something of a relief that no one else seems to be in the house, mostly because he isn't sure he can process more than one introduction at this juncture.

"I spent a few days in Ke-Waiar. I've only recently arrived here."

And, perhaps, he should be thankful for housing, at the very least, but Viktor hasn't exactly stopped being angry about the situation. It's clear he isn't accustomed to this kind of hospitality, but he swallows hard and nods.

"Water. Please."

Probably not the kind of drink he was being offered, but, really, the only thing he can think to ask for.

iv. | un: ut malum pluvia | text

[somebadnews]

[ Five hasn't seen him on the network before. He used to be better at keeping track of their group, so that's... fine, and not his fault that he's had more pressing concerns.

It's been a while since anyone has asked the questions they should be asking when they get here, so he rewards him by answering none of them. ]

How did that go? They said you were alone and then someone connected you to us?

[techmaturgy]

[Duly noted--he'll circle back. For now, in the interest of sharing information, he'll be forthcoming about the circumstances of his own arrival.]

I remained in Ke-Waiar for several days. They would have liked me to stay, if not for the fact that they seemed to think I'd be useful to their delegation to Ke-Waihu. Let's say that, upon my arrival, Taksui negotiated a change of hands.

[He's not sure he's happy about that!]

[somebadnews]

[ Hm. The last group had to be rescued by human traffickers, so that’s lucky. He assumes the Merchant was behind the one pushing for negotiations. ]

Useful how?

network ► un: bluebird

[cairhien]

I arrived some months ago, a different town entirely.

( and she's seen some shit since then in getting to these villages )

Though any arrival seems to have some disorientation to it.

[techmaturgy]

And? What were the circumstances? Any further details you wish to share would be helpful to me.

[He's just trying to gather some empirical evidence!!]

[cairhien]

It was called a beacon, how most who travelled here arrived though at different points. They've travelled from place to place helping this world.

iii

[wooden_one]

[The man who walks in is dressed all in white...and also frowning very deeply. He looks annoyed but that's just his face (he is in fact, a little worried).]

What are you apologizing to me for?

[He sounds short and exasperated. Then he bends down to pick up the crutch, giving it a critical look over.]

What's wrong with your leg?

[Something must be wrong and he doesn't have the right sort of social grace to be anything but blunt about it.]

[techmaturgy]

[Okay, well. That's not at all what he expected, and he seems to be momentarily caught off guard, clearly processing the situation.]

Well, that was--it was rude.

[To bust into a house, unannounced, and have a little outburst? What's surprising is that the current occupant seems unbothered. Viktor, for his part, looks contrite, but he holds his hand out for the crutch anyway. He's used to various questions about his physical state, but he still manages to look slightly offended.]

Nothing. [Well. Not nothing, but the answer is automatic, and a little defensive, before he realizes that it's a genuine question, albeit somewhat misplaced, so he revises.] No injury. It's congenital.

[wooden_one]

[The answer didn't address his confusion at all. His frown deepens in the manner of someone who still didn't understand what the apology was for.]

I don't really care. [It may sound dismissive and maybe it was. He's seen ruder and worse reactions when people end up in bad situations.] Who's going to want an apology for something so inconsequential?

[And that's really all he has to say on the matter. He doesn't feel like he's any good at comfort but he can at least, hopefully, stop any incoming apologies. He hands the crutch back.]

A congenital problem...? [He looks between the crutch and the man, still frowning. Thinking about the dangers they keep facing and how something like this could mean life or death.

And then, because he is a man who had spent his years at SiSheng Peak inventing things for the common people without cultivation, his mind turns to tools...a better crutch, maybe. A brace, perhaps?

He was not a doctor. People are difficult and he's no good with them. But tools...tools he understands. He doesn't know this person or their struggles but he has never been sure what to do with himself if not to help others.

...but he doesn't want to outright offer assistance. After all, if he offers he can be rejected and that would be embarrassing. But if he just....feels it out, all subtle like then offer something as if it were an afterthought then even if it's not appreciated it wouldn't be so embarrassing.] Does the crutch help?