[Open] But when we are apart I feel it too

[justice_is_blond]

WHO: Anders and open
WHAT: General stuff around Kirkwall
WHEN: Through Bloomingtide
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES: Nothing as of yet!.

1. Making the Band

The crowd is the new mix of normals, people Anders is starting to learn by face though he's avoiding names. Most here do, which he's thankful for. What's not normal is that Juke Bachs has dropped by, and has been singing a new song about two or three times an hour. On top of that, he's been getting some of the more drunk patrons involved in some... Anders can only call it a dance because they're trying to move in time to the music. It involved weird patterns and flailing limbs, and he's deliberately sticking around to keep watching this.

He leans over when someone sits next to him, not quite looking at the person. "A copper on the blond one falling over in the next minute." It seems a safe bet. That guy's more coordinated than the really beardy guy, but he's already tripped over his feet enough that his palms are scraped and nose is bleeding.

Juke starts in on another round of what's apparently called Tearin' Up My Heart, and Anders takes a sip of his drink, very well pleased.

2. CSI: Thedas

He's taken a larger, unclaimed room for this, coating it in ice, using runes to make sure the ice doesn't melt, and he's also gathered as many tables as he can, lining them up together and creating a rather large, cold surface. On that surface is most of a corpse of a high dragon, many parts already cut open so he can get at the heart of the matter. So to speak.

There's a sign on the door warning about what he's working on, doing more research into the taint and the Blight, but that's all - the last thing he's going to do is barricade a door. He doesn't need to invite suspicion or fear any more than his breathing already does.

Those who might be scientifically inclined and he trusts to not take too many risks of exposure have been invited to join him in trying to see what they can learn from how High Dragons deal with the Blight.

3. Call the Anders

Most days, his hours in the medical rooms in the Gallows are regular. There's always more work that needs doing, after all, herbs to be chopped, processed, and mixed into potions, bandages to prepare, healing to do, and even housecalls to make from time to time. Purrelden knows not to be on the table while he works, which is exactly why she's on the table the moment he's turning to greet whatever patient or person has walked in the door.

[ooc: if you take this option and your character is injured/ill, please drop me an ooc note about what he'll find when going to heal them.]

4. Dr. Anders, Medicine Man

There are whispers in Darktown, spreading slowly, that their healer is back. Follow the lit lanterns, they say. Not every day are they lit, and there's no particular order to the days that they are, which is as deliberate as the moving of the clinic down there every time. ...Until today. Today, he's found a small building that two of the Darktown gangs have been fighting over for months. For equal healing for both of them, they're letting him use it. It's win-win for both. Neither is losing territory, and both gain a healer. It's a double win for him too, because it means that he has protection.

Today a new whisper joins the others - there are some tables and chairs, and between healing, he's offering reading and writing lessons. For free, no questions asked. He's also looking for assistants, if there's anyone out there willing to instruct down here or help heal or do prep work around the Clinic. There's a lot to do when setting up something that's going to stand for a while.

5. Anders Howe, Pet Detective.

Dogs and leashes are natural combinations. They take to it well and quickly. Cats and leashes... not so much. Purrelden's legs have apparently stopped working in the middle of the market and she's limp, giving him the saddest expression.

"You're fine," he tells her. "You can walk. This is to keep you safer, and to protect Merrill's twine. Please get up."

Pleading with a cat doesn't seem to ever work, and more than a few are staring at him, but at least they're staring at him for this and not other reasons. He looks up, meeting gazes and giving a slightly sheepish smile and shrug to anyone familiar.

"Cats," Anders says as explanation.

6. Wildcard me!

[ooc: Got something you want with Anders but it's not here? Toss up a header. If you're not sure about it, go ahead and poke me on Plurk at Nadat or on Discord at Nadat#4647 and we can chat!]

Comments

[justice_is_blond]

And her point is strong in return. Anders frowns in thought as he looks down into his mug. There is no question that their health needs to be looked after, just as there's no question about how he can't do it all on his own.

"If we can code it, and you're certain of the people on the project, I'll note down everything I've learned. Clarke isn't the sort to surrender information to the Chantry from what I've seen of her. Who else is on that team?"

[circleprodigy]

She tilts her head, thinking back to all the voices heard in that private discussion over the crystals. "Sina and many of the rifters; Jamie, Hermione, and Cosima, for example. I won't claim to know all to a great degree, but most have immediate, personal incentive. It would be in their bests interests to see that information is not exploited."

[justice_is_blond]

"I trust those three rifters. And Sina." Some of the Rifters he's not entirely sure of, but those three he has faith in. After a moment of consideration, Anders nods.

"Let's work on a code, then. We'll need a book, and two copies of it. From there, so long as the page numbers match up, we can construct a code that should be unbreakable. Or I hope would be unbreakable."

He's put together a code for his underground before. Hopefully this will be enough to protect the Rifters.

[circleprodigy]

Inessa smiles and sips at her tea, feeling more clear-minded with that and a course of action in mind. Anders has his reasons for thinking as he does, and especially in this instance, she can't fault him. The welfare of rifters has to be considered from all angles, and he just provided an important one.

"I can acquire those easily enough, upon my return to the library." She tilts her head, thoughtful. "You've obviously done this before. I don't suppose there's any chance you would consider changing projects?"

Her tone is light, not about to be offended if he's content where he is, nor can she fault his dedication to the people below. Still, with extra hands and resources, there are more possibilities as well.

[justice_is_blond]

He considers for a moment before shaking his head.

"Of the people seeking to work out what happens with the Northern Powers, I'm the only one who speaks Anders. For the other, research about Corypheus, I'm one of a few who has met him and been directly... influenced by him. The rift work is important, no less than what I'm working on, but I think I'm most useful where I am." A moment later, he's giving her a half-smile.

"No doubt some will protest. But that makes it more entertaining. I didn't get free because I worried about making people happy." The Circles aren't broken because the mages waited for permission and happiness, either.

[circleprodigy]

All good reasons, and Inessa finds herself nodding as he lists them. "I quite understand. Direct knowledge of our enemy is vital, and anything that gives us an edge in the Anderfels is as well." She knows some Anders, staying at Weisshaupt made that inevitable, but with Anders himself in that project, she's much more comfortable focusing on her own.

Lacing both hands around her warm cup, Inessa shrugs. "You can't help how others will react, only what you do. And what you're doing now, here below and above, makes a difference."

[justice_is_blond]

"Exactly." And making a difference is crucially important to him. What he's done is so much more complex than what it's been reduced down to, but if he wants the impact to last then he has to keep working as hard as he can.

"But I'm willing to consult with you when you want to discuss shard matters. I've often got time while I'm restocking my potions and poultices, tasks I've done enough times that I don't have to pay much attention at all to it. ...Or to chat in general, of course," he adds with a smile. Different teams changes nothing about how he counts her as a friend.