Viktor (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
techmaturgy) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
westwhere2022-04-24 09:12 pm
techmaturgy) wrote in westwhere2022-04-24 09:12 pm
[OPEN] sorry for being a dark sorcerer. as if it's my fault
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
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, uhii. out and about
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.]
[Except, this would be a terrible open log if Viktor was just fighting with everyone for the whole thing, so.iii. house #6
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.]
[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.iv. the network option
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!]
[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.v. wildcard??
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
[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 atwhitticus OR on discord at whitticus#8139!]
no subject
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.]
no subject
And then you'll have to perform a task for them for them to remove the curse. That's usually how those work.
[It's not science, but there's a logic to it nonetheless.]
They did tell you about the Ancestors' curse, right?
no subject
Again, are you speaking from experience?
[Just tell him everything about getting cursed and breaking curses, please. That will make all of this much faster.]
It was explained to me. [A sort of half-scoff.] I'm meant to atone for someone else's actions.
no subject
[He nods at the the succinct explanation.]
Yes, that's basically it. It's... very strange. They seem to think it a great honor, too, for some reason.
no subject
[Said a little skeptically. He's not about to call into question the superstitions and customs of this strange place in which he's found himself, but he is going to grumble about having to participate in them. He's not sure he really believes in curses, but how else can he explain...most of this?]
As you might imagine, I don't feel honored.
[He feels pissed off, mostly.]
no subject
[To say the least. They're not crippling, but they're very much not a good time either.]
no subject
Please describe.
[You know, just so he can prepare himself. Cannot believe all of this is for real.]
Have you managed to lift yours?
no subject
[In rather embarrassing places too.]
The ancestor whose curse I was carrying was a girl who tried to steal her twin sister's fiancée. I had some help to organize a ghost marriage so her soul could be linked to someone else.
no subject
[Just, give him a second. It's not that he doubts any of this, it's just that he possibly finds it all a little ridiculous. The idea that this curse--whatever it is--will manifest physically is just a bit hard to swallow.]
And for those of us who are, perhaps, not accustomed to such afflictions--where would you suggest we start?
no subject
[Xie Lian is very, very used to the physical effects of curses, unfortunately, so that part was the least surprising to him. He didn't like the particular effects themselves, though.]
Well, the easiest way is for you to start from the ancestor's specific curse. normally, they should have told you what they did to get cursed. working from there, you can try to find a way to atone for it.
no subject
[Souls unfettered in the afterlife. Makes sense. Viktor is, at least, trying to keep an open mind about all this--he's been transported to a strange world against his will, so practically anything is possible.
He might be skeptical, but he listens attentively.]
They did tell me, yes. Though I do wonder how they might define proper 'atonement'.
no subject
[he gives a little shrug and starts sweeping again.]
They don't seem too hung up on that part as long as you do it sincerely.
But I still wouldn't touch the offerings to the dead if I were you. You never know.
no subject
[He might be scoffing about it now, but when push comes to shove—or when he starts to realize that the curse, and its effects, are very much real—he’ll take it seriously. For now, he can at least agree that he shouldn’t be messing around with things for the dead. He’s pushed his luck enough.]
Thank you for your…assistance.