Eleven (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bearshermark) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
westwhere2021-07-03 05:16 pm
bearshermark) wrote in westwhere2021-07-03 05:16 pm
[OPEN] words engraved in the sand
WHO: Eleven and every OPEN
WHEN: Travel month
WHERE: On the road to Taravast~
WHAT: All the things
WARNINGS: blood rain, and mention of sickness (thanks Xie Lian)
1. Riding Tips?
Eleven doesn't consider himself an expert on many things, but having won a few notable horse races, he feels somewhat obligated to approach anyone looking out of their depth when it comes to their mounts.
"Hey." He does his best to temper the amusement in his eyes and tone. "I might be able to help you, if you'd like."
2. Sick
Whatever enjoyment he'd gleaned from that first day of travel was swiftly lost that evening over dinner, and through the course of the day immediately following. Face pale and his expression tight with discomfort, Eleven fought down bouts of queasiness with the singular focus of not getting sick all over his horse.
Later, as the sun began to set, he brought his horse up to the nearest person he recognized and pitched his voice to a low almost-whisper lacking all usual vigor.
"..Have you heard when we're stopping?"
3. Camp
Once he's more or less recovered from his bout of illness, Eleven sets about camp with a familiar smile and eagerness to help. Setting up tents, supply distribution, relaying messages and with the self-appointed task of helping look after their collection of elk, horses, and donkeys.
Then with his non-toxic dinner in hand, he seeks out a familiar face to settle next to.
"Mind if I join you?"
4. Watch
He'd been forced to opt out of shifts for the nights he spent recovering from his illness, but determined to make up for it, Eleven signed himself up for every night thereafter.
Between the mists and the harpies, accompanied by the occasional voice on the wind, there is plenty to be watchful of.
"The horses are getting nervous," he observes with a frown and a will to go to them. Their ears twitch, hooves pawing at the ground on occasion.
"Do you think we should check...?"
5. Tar Collection
It isn't pleasant work, shoveling tar into barrels. Stepping in it, getting it all over his gloves and boots; black, stuck ink that enjoys staining everything it touches. He takes to wearing his cloak to cover his travel wear while he works, at peace at least with the idea that every ounce of muck they pried out of the waters would help the nearby plants and wildlife.
And well, after turning all his leftover coin to Wei Wuxian for supplies again, Eleven is looking forward to possibly having coin enough to treat himself to a good meal once they finally reach the city.
Sometimes, he thinks he sees something in the murk; an odd latticework of shadow reflecting back at him. After a few occasions of this over the days, he finally dredges up the nerve to ask:
"Is there... something in there, you think?"
6. First blood rain
The rain came unexpected, late into the night. He'd been certain there weren't clouds enough for rain. The wetness was expected, but then after, the smell and odd warmth, the thickness of it-
Eleven lifted a hand and smeared it like ink between his fingers, then called up a brief flame to examine it by.
"This can't really be-"
Heart in his throat, he snuffed the flicker of fire and let a new chill soak through him as he glanced wildly about for a source while it soaked into his hair and slid down his scalp. He couldn't suppress a grimace, or the shudder that accompanied it as the nausea from his previous illness threatened to resurface. His voice, taking a turn for distress as nothing seems to stand out.
"What is happening?"
7. Wildcard!
[ooc: hmu with anything adjacent to these prompts, or anything else that suits this travel time! feel free to pm/plurk if you'd like to work out anything in particular]
WHEN: Travel month
WHERE: On the road to Taravast~
WHAT: All the things
WARNINGS: blood rain, and mention of sickness (thanks Xie Lian)
1. Riding Tips?
Eleven doesn't consider himself an expert on many things, but having won a few notable horse races, he feels somewhat obligated to approach anyone looking out of their depth when it comes to their mounts.
"Hey." He does his best to temper the amusement in his eyes and tone. "I might be able to help you, if you'd like."
2. Sick
Whatever enjoyment he'd gleaned from that first day of travel was swiftly lost that evening over dinner, and through the course of the day immediately following. Face pale and his expression tight with discomfort, Eleven fought down bouts of queasiness with the singular focus of not getting sick all over his horse.
Later, as the sun began to set, he brought his horse up to the nearest person he recognized and pitched his voice to a low almost-whisper lacking all usual vigor.
"..Have you heard when we're stopping?"
3. Camp
Once he's more or less recovered from his bout of illness, Eleven sets about camp with a familiar smile and eagerness to help. Setting up tents, supply distribution, relaying messages and with the self-appointed task of helping look after their collection of elk, horses, and donkeys.
Then with his non-toxic dinner in hand, he seeks out a familiar face to settle next to.
"Mind if I join you?"
4. Watch
He'd been forced to opt out of shifts for the nights he spent recovering from his illness, but determined to make up for it, Eleven signed himself up for every night thereafter.
Between the mists and the harpies, accompanied by the occasional voice on the wind, there is plenty to be watchful of.
"The horses are getting nervous," he observes with a frown and a will to go to them. Their ears twitch, hooves pawing at the ground on occasion.
"Do you think we should check...?"
5. Tar Collection
It isn't pleasant work, shoveling tar into barrels. Stepping in it, getting it all over his gloves and boots; black, stuck ink that enjoys staining everything it touches. He takes to wearing his cloak to cover his travel wear while he works, at peace at least with the idea that every ounce of muck they pried out of the waters would help the nearby plants and wildlife.
And well, after turning all his leftover coin to Wei Wuxian for supplies again, Eleven is looking forward to possibly having coin enough to treat himself to a good meal once they finally reach the city.
Sometimes, he thinks he sees something in the murk; an odd latticework of shadow reflecting back at him. After a few occasions of this over the days, he finally dredges up the nerve to ask:
"Is there... something in there, you think?"
6. First blood rain
The rain came unexpected, late into the night. He'd been certain there weren't clouds enough for rain. The wetness was expected, but then after, the smell and odd warmth, the thickness of it-
Eleven lifted a hand and smeared it like ink between his fingers, then called up a brief flame to examine it by.
"This can't really be-"
Heart in his throat, he snuffed the flicker of fire and let a new chill soak through him as he glanced wildly about for a source while it soaked into his hair and slid down his scalp. He couldn't suppress a grimace, or the shudder that accompanied it as the nausea from his previous illness threatened to resurface. His voice, taking a turn for distress as nothing seems to stand out.
"What is happening?"
7. Wildcard!
[ooc: hmu with anything adjacent to these prompts, or anything else that suits this travel time! feel free to pm/plurk if you'd like to work out anything in particular]
no subject
He spent a few moments simply tucking into his bowl with a few mild, assessing hums, ensuring nothing felt or tasted off before he relaxed enough to make conversation.
"It looks like they aren't letting Xie Lian near the food again," he remarked with a grin. "I don't know that it was wholly his fault, but I can't argue that their caution isn't warranted."
no subject
"I do not think he did it on purpose, given that he seems to be able to eat what he makes with no ill effects... somehow."
Everyone else, though... seems to have succumbed to some sort of illness shortly afterwards.
"And he did apologize for it."
no subject
"I know he meant well."
That he was a god likely explained why he wasn't affected. Eleven shrugged with a shake of his head, then turned his attention on his companion.
"I'm glad you weren't affected, at least. How have you been, otherwise? I don't think we've spoken much since before the siege."
no subject
because if not, he would forget to eat, on most days.
He sighs at the question.
"I know this trip is necessary, but to be quite honest I'd rather be doing anything but this."
no subject
"It hasn't been a pleasant journey thus far," he acknowledged. Between illness and the undead army close at hand, his own enjoyment for the trip had been tampered significantly.
"But I take it you don't like to travel?"
no subject
He's done it many times before, including going away to mend a broken heart once. And when he's had to travel because of his position, it was usually in a comfortable chariot where he could read or work while on the move.
"This is juts shuffling us from one place to another, and the fact that it is necessary and urgent doesn't make it any less unpleasant. We're little more than baggage to these people. It's in our interest to be seen as such, too. But it's not how I like to go about these things."
no subject
"I'm sorry," he offered, contrite despite a lack of personal fault. "Is there anything that would help?"
no subject
Let him give you a small tired smile, Eleven.
"Do not mind me. I am missing having time to sit down and read and enjoy a cup of tea, but moaning about it is not going to make it magically appear."
no subject
"It's difficult to enjoy tea on horseback," he agreed with a small smile of his own. And riding for lengths of time was certainly uncomfortable. They also had limited abilities to read, save for what they'd brought with them from their own worlds, or otherwise wrote themselves.
"I'd hoped for better scenery, myself," he confessed with a sheepish air. "Rock and dead forests- I'm starting to feel personally slighted."
no subject
Moran very much doesn't like heat.
"You still don't seem as bothered as most people, though. You are young still."
No, in spite of being barely in his mid-twenties, Moran will not stop speaking as if he's an ancestor, thank you.
no subject
"I like travelling," he said after a moment. "It's all I've been doing for the past year. This is a difficult journey, but I'm grateful we aren't crossing desert, at least. Or more snowfields."
no subject
The truth is, he usually forgets the weather entirely because he is busy with other things. Being on horseback all day doesn't allow for that.
"Are you feeling better now? I heard you were sick earlier.
no subject
"I was," he confirmed, "But I am much better now, thank you. ..I hope it wasn't terribly inconvenient to anyone."