[open] exploration, study, and practice

[kartereo]

WHO: Waver + Open
WHAT: Mucking about
WHEN: Month of Drakonis, contemporary timeline
WHERE: In and around Skyhold
NOTES: None

i. Woods around Skyhold
Months ago, Iskandar had talked to Waver about wanting to build a small place for himself in the area. While Waver had had concerns, like the shards, he also wasn't going to argue with having a little bit more private space. And so with melting snows and the promise of spring that came with longer days, he set out into the forests.

He was methodical as he went, relying on horseback to get to whatever area he wanted to focus on on a given day, and then spending hours on foot making notes on natural clearings, where snow naturally drifted, and where it seemed as if there were heavier animal tracks for the sake of hunting.

Waver didn't enjoy the wind and the cold, but he enjoyed the quiet around him, the challenge before him, and the fact that he was actually working outdoors without wheezing and panting like he might have been a few months ago. For better or for worse, Thedas forced him towards the physical, whereas his life in London had only been academic. Or else it was Iskandar making him do the same.

His work and his thoughts are coupled with keen ears that listen for anyone who might be approaching. Animals, he expects, and hopefully none of them predators.

ii. Library
With Merrill having approved of his general approach of creating course schedules for the Skyhold classrooms, Waver was now tweaking what he had come up with. He wanted to build in a break week at the end of every cycle, both for courses to catch up or for people to take missions, and besides, some complimentary course timings were an issue.

So he sat at a long table in the library, parchment cut into squares in one pile and a drawn up calendar in front of him. As he worked, each class was placed on the calendar, and the squares arranged then rearranged as he tried to find something that would be as close to ideal as possible.

There were mutterings of fuck every so often that snaked down the shelves, coupled with that won't work or else ugh.

But it kept him busy, and he loved the puzzle of it all. And as he worked, there was a pleased smile on his face, one that wouldn't go away even if interrupted.

iii. Training
In asking Iskandar what might be the best weapon for him to learn given that magic might not always be available to him, Waver had been told that knives would be an excellent option. And while most of that learning was done away from prying eyes, there was always the need to practice.

Today, Waver did that in a corner of one of the grounds within the fortress, taking advantage ofa dummy left aside by someone else who forgot to put the thing into proper equipment storage. The daylight was fading, and the area looked as if it would see no traffic.

His movements were faster than they were when he and Iskandar had started out. But with the two little practice knives Waver had, he did nothing but miss mark after mark. The issue he knew was that he was now working with a skinny little dummy, rather than a man who was as big as a house.

He gave it several more attempts before muttering, "Goddamnit."

That one knife also went flying from his hand escaped Waver's notice for a moment. When he realized his left hand had nothing in it, he then immediately let out another swear before starting a search. "Where did that thing go--"

iv. Wildcard
For anything not covered above

Comments

II

[conqueredhearts]

As big a man as he was, he could be terribly sneaky sometimes. Like right now. Mainly because he'd been practicing his invisibility factor to see how he could move around since he was now solid in that form. It was strange but he was getting used to it. At least enough to be quiet as he materialized behind Waver, leaning over his shoulder to have a look at what he was doing.

"What is it you do there, boy?" Mage stuff maybe? If so then he definitely was interested! Then again he tended to be in general when it came to matters of Waver Velvet, his former Master.

[kartereo]

"How," Waver intoned, after jumping a mile out of his own skin. "Did you just sneak up on me when you're louder than a lorry?"

He had snapped around for emphasis too, his face as sour and unimpressed as ever. The papers were unimportant in comparison, and Waver's scowl made it clear that there'd be no answer until he got his.

[conqueredhearts]

"Well, I was invisible. I have been practicing being quiet when I am like that."

Not because he planned to use that a lot since he obviously preferred to be loud and proud. All out there for all the world to behold. Still, it could be a useful skill to perfect since it was one of his. Better to know how to properly use it than to simply let it go to waste.

[kartereo]

"Ah, so going against your nature," Waver said with a little smile. It was a bad joke, but worth making.

"And to answer your question, I'm making some schedule adjustments for the school."

[conqueredhearts]

He pouted at the terrible joke but really it was the truth. Doing this most certainly went against his nature since he was one to be very bold about...literally everything.

"Hm? School? Do you teach here now?"

[kartereo]

"Not at all," Waver said with a low, dismissive sort. It was directed at himself and his talents rather than Iskandar, but Iskandar didn't need to know that.

"I just said I'd help out with putting their classes on a rotation system, hence all the cut outs."

He gestured at the pile as well as the calendar before him.

[conqueredhearts]

"Ah. Is that all? Perhaps you could be part of some of these classes."

Iskandar looked closer at the calendar. The days were certainly different but similar to the ones of the calendar where they were from. He should learn more about them to figure out what months they applied to. For reasons like figuring out the month of his birth.

[kartereo]

"Oh believe me, I'm already taking as many as possible." He probably was overloading himself, but that wasn't important. "But they weren't using a set rotation, so I offered to help make a system similar to what most unis run on back home."

Waver looked pleased enough with his progress, and shifted over so that Iskandar could get a better look.

"The goal is to have cycles and gradual increments in course level, that way there's always a few introductory courses going on for new rifters and others who are simply interested, and then continued engagement for those who have gone beyond the basics. There's build in flexibility for the instructors too in case anyone needs to duck out for a week or so."

[conqueredhearts]

Now that it was easier to see, he slid in closer to watch Waver work. It was all rather organized even if he couldn't actually tell what some of this stuff was. It was just a little bit beyond him, after all. Impressive though!

"Amazing. You have really found ways to have a purpose here too. I'm very impressed with you, boy!" While it was a small thing, it was helping in the long run. That lone made it vital in his eyes and he beamed at him proudly. "Show me what classes you are taking."

[kartereo]

"It isn't really a purpose," Waver said with a shrug. This wasn't a downplay of accomplishments from his perspective - more an honest assessment about how he felt about where he was in Skyhold. "Just killing time."

But he pointed to a number of classes in quick succession. Cultural studies for the most part, to help get up to speed with the world he was in.

[conqueredhearts]

Waver called it killing time but Iskandar didn't see it that way. To do anything at all to embrace a culture was a beautiful thing in his eyes. What Waver was doing was admirable in his eyes and he smiled as he looked at the classes that he was taking. A pride filled him as he clapped his back.

"You are learning about this land! I am impressed! This is just the sort of thing I believe in!"

[kartereo]

"Yeah, but it isn't a huge deal to fuss over. Anyone with half a brain would take advantage of something like this."

Waver also had to admit, with Iskandar seemed to learn about the land then influence it with his own ways.

"Besides. What else would I do with my time here? There's no video games."

[conqueredhearts]

"Mm. The lack of video games disappoints me as well. I would have loved to finally be able to play them with you now that you seem to have a grasp of fun."

It was an odd mixture this man had. So serious yet with quirks that made him such fun as well. Iskandar was having fun unwrapping the layers of it.

"Ah perhaps we should start playing the board or card games of these lands! They are not video games but we could still enjoy them together!"

[kartereo]

"Yeah, thanks for that," Waver said with a flatness that was totally put upon. "I've been playing for a decade now thanks to your impulsive shopping."

It was a lifesaver, actually. A way to vent and decompress without dealing with other magi.

"I've been working on picking up some of the card games. I'm shit at them right now though."

[conqueredhearts]

"I see nothing wrong with this. It is good for you to have fun, boy."

He grinned, so proud of himself. More than that he was also pleased with the mage learning card games.

"I should get us cards then we can play these games together. It will help us to improve so we might challenge the people here!"

[kartereo]

"What, you, practice?" Waver asked with a laugh.

"You could just turn up and let your natural charisma do the rest."

[conqueredhearts]

He gave a pout at that part.

"I practice. Practice is how one masters a skill. Talent will not allow one to reach to the stars and beyond."

[kartereo]

Waver rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I'll get playing cards for tonight. Deal?"

[conqueredhearts]

"Wonderful! We shall master these games in no time!"

That was not how this worked but that was what Iskandar was going with. Always with the eternal joy for everything.

[kartereo]

"And in the meantime, perhaps sneak up on someone who isn't me?" Waver asked with a quiet laugh. "I do want to finish up."

[conqueredhearts]

"Ah I suppose that is a fair point." He laughed then gave him a clap on the back. "I shall let you finish this then and find other matters to attend to then. You can tell me more about it later."

[kartereo]

Waver reached back and patted the hand in response.

"I'll see you tonight. Also I think the cat's been trying to push me out of bed, he's been taking up my entire side somehow."

[conqueredhearts]

"Ah wait until you meet the dog."

He gave him a wink and probably should have explained further but was just off without bothering to do that. Whoops?

and end i think

[kartereo]

"Goddamnit."