there ain't language for the things i've seen

[alankazam]

WHO: Alan + Kain, Medicine Seller, Thingol, Bruce, Jaime + OTA
WHAT: Gotta catch 'em all
WHEN: Post-Winter Palace
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: N/A

Starters in comments. If we agreed to do something and I missed you, just let me know on Plurk or Discord (oeste #8807). :)

If you'd like a specific starter, or if anything needs altering, please feel free to hit me up. If we have a Winter Palace Pt. II thread going, I'd like to finish those off first!

Comments

[in_death_sacrifice]

The rarer high dragons are definitely worth beholding to Kain, who always takes his time to watch them, even a distant sighting is enough to really strike him. He'll never get over the power they have, the way they own the skies...

He finds himself daydreaming a little, something he rarely does, but he snaps out of it soon enough and looks at Alan, an enigmatic look on his face. He's careful about his talk of dragons, always keeping things from getting too weird. But he can't help but share that sense of wonder toward them. "Their numbers do appear to be growing steadily. Every time I return back to my favored locations, I've noticed the signs. Every time I witness one of them, I'm in awe. It's utterly fascinating. Blessed indeed."

[alankazam]

"You wouldn't think, with all the fighting. It's a scavenger's time."

That lack of prey, it's enough to explain why they'd range farther from their nests, take on prey so dicey as giants. But even so — enough of them are living, thriving, in spite of the disruption. Perhaps it's only that reverence which draws him to the idea of something greater, some more mysterious factor to their return.

Perhaps, and yet,

"Difficult to keep numbers on them, in these times. But I have to wonder how their cousins fare." He's had few dealings with wyverns, they're never so thick on the ground as they are in Orlais. "Whether some connection might be drawn."

It's half a proposal.

[in_death_sacrifice]

Kain thinks about the dragonlings he's seen... yes they'd seemed to be thriving quite well. He'd fought plenty of them, but always only when it was completely necessary. He much preferred to observe, as he's done so often with the fully mature high dragons.

He gets a fond expression at talk of wyverns, one of his other favorite beasts. They're another who he's enjoyed getting near whenever he can. "Wyverns are just as majestic, sometimes even fiercer if some tales hold true. Certain other Orlesians I've known have always been fond of their wyvern hunts. I've still got the venom I collected from my own venture... Though these days, I'd probably not kill them for sport if I could help it. Their numbers aren't what they once were, but... I bet they'd still be out there in some of the same areas... they tend to be aggressively territorial. It would be an interesting study, to closely compare the two."

[alankazam]

"Is it true, that their venom brings visions?"

His head tips curiously, and it's less wary now, the enthusiasm shining briefly undisguised.

"I've heard stories of it, but then, you hear stories of blood lotus too." And that had only put him to sleep.

[in_death_sacrifice]

"It's true," Kain says firmly, the tone of someone speaking from experience. It's just one of those things he couldn't resist trying, purely for experimental purposes. Of course. Drinking strange concoctions from dragons and dragon-like things seems to be a theme for him. "Mix it with liquor and you have what they like to call aquae lucidius. I'd advise caution if trying it, you're really only meant to use a very small amount. Just a drop. But the effects can be... incredibly potent."

He pauses just a moment. It's not something he'd ever offer lightly. "I have some venom with me from the last hunt I was on. If ever you were curious..."

[alankazam]

Several times during the course of the recent Winter Ball, Alan swore quite a vivid, private oath to himself: that he was never going to drink again.

...Unless there was a good reason to. As far as he's concerned, this qualifies.

"If you've experience," His hand presses briefly to his chest. An old memory, his sister with the chalice. Everyone had been so proud. This is different, of course, by long measures. But it's a small link home. "Perhaps between the two of us, it might be easier to manage."

wanna get fucked up, kain

[in_death_sacrifice]

"It may well be." He sounds to be deep in thought for a moment as he considers that.

It truly wasn't something he'd planned on doing anytime soon, but drinking strange, unusual things is pretty much the story of his life. He'd vowed to always keep some venom with him, of course, more for occasional defensive purposes, if it were ever needed. But... well... with someone who's genuinely interested? Maybe this time will be better than the last one.

"It's best done in a quiet place, free of distraction, so you're right there. It's not something I could recommend for a large party or such. I had a vision of flying when I last experienced it..."

[alankazam]

Alan nods, solemnly. For someone who flies so frequently, it's difficult at times to remember the dreams of those without. Perhaps the Lady of the Skies watches, too, in such cups.

"There's a grove I know, not far from here. In the winter months, it will be deserted — there is shelter of a sort. A cave, uninhabited."

Don't ask how he knows any of this shit.

[in_death_sacrifice]

At least it doesn't weird him out too much, considering he's the one with the crazy drink stuff. He nods slowly, thinking it over. It's best done far enough away from prying eyes.

"That would work very well. If there's a time or day that works best for you...? I don't have anything too essential upcoming, in the near future anyway." No huge missions to go off on or anything. Any of that would have to take priority, of course. But with some down time to spare... well... it shouldn't harm anything.

[alankazam]

Alan scratches loosely at his hair, considers. He should probably actually attend the Council meetings he volunteered for. Probably.

He volunteers a schedule that comes down, OOC, to waving hands vaguely.

"If we leave in the early morning, the sun will be up by the time we get there." They'll still want to build a fire, but it'll save them some frigidity as they construct it. "I can collect some tinder so we're ready."

[in_death_sacrifice]

Kain listens intently, nodding when he hears of the timing. He has nothing major coming up in the next few days, and it's easy enough for him to go away unnoticed from time to time. It's something he does often anyway, just being something of a loner and all.

"The timing sounds good to me... and thank you. That will help to have it ready ahead of time." It's best to be completely prepared when planning such an excursion, after all, as Kain well knows. "I don't think we have much else to worry about. Perhaps just checking that the cave truly is deserved before we begin." Just to be sure a random bear didn't take up residence in there.

[alankazam]

"I'll check when we're closer to it. Make sure nothing's come up."

In his schedule, or the cave. A slight, awkward pause, before Alan ducks his head and bustles out. There are downy black feathers on the sill in the corner, a disorderly little pile.

[in_death_sacrifice]

Kain nods agreement, knowing that it's something they must be careful to plan for... but with those plans in place, they're all set now. He watches Alan leave, distractedly picking up one of the feathers and looking at it as he thinks about what's to come. This should be... interesting, to say the least.