faderift | 01 | Open | General introduction and foundation building

Entry tags:

01 | Open | General introduction and foundation building

WHO: Waver
WHAT: Waver getting to grips with surroundings
WHEN: Post inital arrival on 8 Firstfall-End of th month
WHERE: Location
NOTES: Content warnings, OOC notes, links to other relevant posts, etc.

I. Stables
Staying near the stables so much isn't exactly a good choice, Waver knew. It meant he smelled like horse constantly, and the smell lingered in his hair most of all. Lingering also made him look just as much as a fish out of water as he felt, but such things weren't quite as important as why he insisted on frequenting the area so much: horses meant fast transport. Fast transport meant greater paths to learning outside of the immediate area. And being thrown into another world entirely, Waver wanted to learn everything he could as quickly as he could. He was at a disadvantage now, and he disliked it intensely.

So he stayed, watching tack go on and off the horses, memorizing the order of events. Observing horses and their personalities, so that he knew which ones might eventually accommodate someone who had never rode a horse before. Trying to figure out who to approach for lessons with minimizing awkwardness or needing to take up more of Iskandar's time. It was a delicate balance of observation, and one that got involving after some time. Enough involvement to ignore the rest of his surroundings, and for him to become more obvious than he'd like.

Then again, it was fairly hard to miss a strange tall man in a red coat, looking at horses like he was going to write a book on them.

II. Outside
One thing that Waver had insisted on doing, was adamant about doing, was trying to keep himself doing was walking the grounds and trying to learn them as quickly as possible. Certainty staying with and near Iskandar would be safe enough for his untrained self whose primary form of self defense was starting to dwindle, but on the off chance of something going wrong or else getting separated, Waver wanted to have some routes available to him.

But he was informed by his desire for safety as he was by Iskandar's preference for staying outside of the primary buildings, sleeping in a stable or a tent like the man was on one of his legendary campaigns. Waver had to admit, perhaps there was something there, but not something he wanted to dwell on.

So he simply walked time and again, retracing paths, a cigar sticking out of his mouth and the smoke billowing ahead of him, the acrid smell announcing his approach. From time to time, he took the thing out and examined it, before muttering, "Where can I get a steady supply of these anyway? I'm nearly out."

III. Additional
For additional prompts in and around the location!

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"Ah," Waver said, nodding at the hand and what was on it. Waver hadn't really bothered to hide the damn thing, mostly because within Skyhold, there seemed little reason to. Heading out, well, with the weather being what it was he'd have gloves on anyway. He was far more concerned about his old faded command seals anyway, given what Waver had learned of the position of magi in Thedas. "May I ask where and when, or is that kind of information considered impolite to ask after?"

Waver gave a look down at his shoes, then flashed Kirk a grin. "Nothing outdoes lab safe work boots."

Kirk shook his head. "No, it's the natural sort of question to ask," he soothed his concerns. "I am from a world called Earth, from the year 2263. I don't know if that does much for you, but..." A shrug of his shoulders that turned into a stagger as Atlas bumped him, Kirk shoved the horse back gently.

"Or survival boots," he shook his own with an answering grin, the material clearly not of this world and thus able to take quite a bit more punishment. Kirk had no doubt he would be quite upset when they finally ran their course.

Waver's face brightened a little when Kirk said Earth. The year was a strange comfort too - someone even more ahead in the timeline was just as out of place. There was solidarity in information like that. "Well, we exist somewhat on the same page then," he said quickly. "London, although you'll find yourself about two centuries ahead of me since it is about 2003 when I'm from."

When I'm from wasn't a favourite phrase to use though, it still sounded alien. But practical workshoes were far more important to focus on, and Waver's eyes flicked down to observe the boots in question. "Consider me a bit jealous then, I could probably use those both here and back home. It is mortifying how many times I've had to scrub these things to get the stench of chemicals off of them."

"I find that a lot here, when I do meet someone else from Earth," he chuckled, hearing the accent now. It had reminded him of Carol Marcus, a little, but he hadn't wanted to assume anything, especially when people like the Orlesians sounded almost French here.

"Chemicals?" Kirk arched a brow, glancing down at the boots again as if they might give some clue as to what Waver did in his own version and time of Earth. "Are you a scientist of some sort?" he inquired, motioning for the other to walk with him if he liked as he took up the lead and began to lead Atlas back towards his proper stall.

"I'm not sure if that makes you lucky or unlucky." Perhaps both. Waver gave a polite enough shrug. "Although now a part of me is much more curious about what happens in your time period."

The boots were, in fact, ambiguous besides being practical. Just enough to say that he worked in a place where sturdy footwear was a must. "Of some sort, yes," Waver confirmed. Alchemist, technically, but Thedas' attitudes towards mages had him careful about running his mouth. "And professor."

He then, at that moment, realized that Kirk had been walking away with Atlas, and Waver did a shuffle-run to keep right back up.

"Space. Space happens," he chuckled, his words emphasized by the heavy clops of Atlas' hooves. Lucky for him Atlas was well behaved, otherwise the giant could have just as easily bowled him over.

Kirk tilted his head towards the other, as if sensing he was not getting the whole story, but it wasn't his place to press. They had only just met, after all, but perhaps upon furthering their acquaintance, he could settle the curiosity buzzing inside of him.

"What is it that you teach?" Kirk inquired.

"Space happens, but is it like the American west in film, or something more controlled and scientific?" It was impossible to deny the curiosity in Waver's tone, but something else occurred to him. "Or is this one of those odd things where you technically can't say anything either way, due to time issues?"

The concept of time magic existed within Waver's school of thought, so it wasn't too strange to consider. It was also far better to think about than debating revealing himself to be a mage to someone who wasn't from home or also practicing here in Thedas. Learning about the attitudes towards magi had immediately set Waver on the defensive.

"Theories, mostly," he said with an easy sort of shrug.

That was a hard one to decide how to explain. It was controlled, in a way, but its advancement had been brought about by intense tragedy for the human race. He wasn't sure it fight with the American films of old, but he wasn't sure he would quite call it controlled either.

"More like a last, desperate push that happened to finally work out," he decided. "There's a real chance that if we hadn't achieved warp and met another sentient species, it would have died right there." He wasn't saying how they did it or even when, but it was enough of a statement he thought to get Waver by without breaking any time laws (again assuming Waver was from the same dimension and similar time line as himself).

"Theories on what?" Kirk asked, with the obvious tone of - that was incredibly vague and I noticed.

"Huh," Waver said thoughtfully. "Hard work and luck then, that's the definition of science as far as I'm concerned." Not that it probably wasn't without plenty of fluctuation and failures, because that too was the scientific process. "I am pleased it succeeded though."

Damnit. Ah well, if Kirk is a rifter then Waver can have some level of openess. "Magecraft and magic."

"Hah, it sure feels like it at times, doesn't it?" he grinned, especially considering his own job. It was mostly luck, mixed in with some skill and the chance to do science along the way. "You and me both. I wouldn't have a job if it hadn't."

Kirk's lips purse a fraction at that. Magecraft. He really disliked that word, and not for hating mages, but just because magic never made much sense to him. It hurt the scientific part of himself, especially since none of the mages he talked to had given him a satisfactory answer for how it all worked.

"I'm sure you've figured it out already, but that's not the safest subject here. I would be careful whom you tell that to and where you practice it," he warned him. "So you come from a world of magic?"

"Now I'm intrigued as to the kind of work you do. It sounds much more fun than wrangling teenagers day in and day out."

Student horror stories were somewhat of a forte, if only because one student in particular was what Waver would politely call the most interesting, and angrily call the biggest ass pain, depending on his mood.

"As you can see, I already try to be careful," he said, sounding a little weary on the topic. "And I at least come from an iteration of Earth where it exists and is used. Magi hide themselves back home too, but the insular nature sometimes works against our best interests."

"I explore uncharted space, discovering new planets and species," he said, a touch of wistfulness to his tone, thinking about his former life. It was hard to believe he had been away from it for almost a year now.

He gave Waver a sympathetic little smile. He himself did not have magic, so it was of small worry, but being a Rifter came with other things to worry about. "I see. I wish I could sit was better here, but..." A shrug, because Wave obviously knew the state of things. "I am friends with several mages, if you ever want someone to talk to on that point. I know that other worlds' magics don't always play nice here."

"I'm glad to know that we finally get to that level of travel being common." It was hard not to notice that wistfulness, and Waver had to look upwards for a moment. "Do you imagine that it'd be possible to get some level of astronomy work going here that might eventually lay the foundations for space exploration in Thedas?"

Although the mental image of a qunari in an old 1960s space suit popped into Waver's head after he spoke, he shoved it aside rather than laugh and have to explain what he had suddenly found to be so funny.

"I'd be interested in talking with other magic using rifters, sure. Goodness knows being aware of where problems lie would be nice." The fact Waver was a weak spellcaster was something he was going to pointedly not engage with. Besides, he might be able to improve with magical schools that weren't his own. "Plus figuring out how to work with or negate any interference could keep me occupied for weeks."

He made a soft humming sound, not quite sucking his lip as he considers that. "I think that there could, but that's a delicate line to balance on. I don't want to give them so much that I'm just spoon feeding them what they need to know. They need to come by this stuff themselves, to want it themselves. Igniting the interest is something I think should be done, but... like I said, a delicate line."

He hoped that they would one day join the inter stellar stage, but he hoped it was at a time when they were more open and less driven by the black and white of the religions of their world. Having a faith was well and good, but he'd had one to many fights with societies to wrapped up in them that they were hell bent on making the rest of the universe bow to it as well for comfort.

"I'll introduce you to Samouel Gareth and Korrin," he said. "They're both mages, and I'm sure they'd be happy to talk with you and introduce you to some others."

"Have you ever acted in a teaching capacity before?" was the response, even handed and genuinely curious. "Because that's the catch-22 of every instructor with a classroom." Waver's own experience in front of a lecture hall for almost a decade had taught him some of the approaches to handle such a delicate balance, but there were always missteps.

That also discounted all cultural factors. Magi weren't always the religious type back home, but that lack of caring didn't negate other factors that fed into closed minds and a lack of progress.

"I might have run into them already," Waver continued. "But it is good to know what social circles exist."

"Yes," he laughed. "I helped to teach self-defense at the Academy, and I teach science, math, and self-defense here." He shook his head though, because that hadn't been what he meant to get at it. "I realize it's a difficult line to walk, and it can be crossed very easily. But it's more than just a simple academic principle. Where I am from - it is a moral one, and it is the Prime Directive of the organization I work for. We cannot interfere with developing worlds. They must come by these discoveries themselves, without aid."

He waved his hand to simulate a shrug as they walked. "I let some of that go here, seeing as my presence is not so temporary as it might normally be. But I try and monitor what I do tell them, what I do teach them. It will be up to them, as a world, to catch up, or not."

Another nod. "Yes, there definitely is. I'll be sure to make the introductions, even if you have run into them. Can't hurt."

"That's an interesting way to frame a moral edict," Waver murmured. He knew magi that could time travel or exert their influence always would - even he fell into that category, when he thought about it. Magi and morals though were water and oil though, and that had always been true. "It has a high price if it is disobeyed, I take it."

But the idea of permanence has Waver's attention, more than anything else. "How long are you usually on a given world then?"

A pause, and then on the topic of introductions. "Excellent. And deeply appreciated."

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01 | Open | General introduction and foundation building

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