[CLOSED] oh, the sweet sound of survival

[ragweed]

WHO: Kit Gandir, Vandelin Elris, Myrobalan Shivana, Melys, Anders, the Medicine Seller
WHAT: Kit coping badly w/ shit.
WHEN: The week after Kit gets back from Orzammar.
WHERE: All around Kirkwall.
NOTES: Probable discussion of child abuse, murder, mercy killings, death more broadly. Will update as needed.

I.  THE HANGED MAN (VANDELIN)


Kit loses a game of Wicked Grace. (It's not a common occurrence, but it's been known to happen.)

The direct aftermath of the game sees Kit shelling out the last of his coin to the Antivan deckhand with a poker face like a slab of granite; with that miserable task taken care of, Kit finds a quiet corner of the Hanged Man's taproom, slouches into an empty chair, and swallows his pride.

Out comes the sending crystal; fiddling with it, he calls Vandelin.

"Hey, um." Grimacing his eyes shut, he rubs at his eyebrows. "I need a favour, salroka."



II.  DARKTOWN (THE MEDICINE SELLER)


For a mind already predisposed towards dark melancholy, boredom is dangerous. Thankfully, Darktown provides plenty of opportunities to alleviate that--as well as unexpected familiar faces.

He recognizes the Medicine Seller easily; the strange elf would stand out even in Hightown, and in Darktown, his strange attire and mannerisms are a beacon for stares and trouble.

Taking a drag off the cigarette he carries, Kit threads his way through the dingy road towards him. "You turn up in the weirdest places, salroka," he says by way of greeting.



III.  KIT'S HOVEL (MELYS)


The hole in his wall where the desiccated corpse had been residing for only ancestors' know how long was an eyesore when it had a body inside of it. It's still an eyesore now, but at least letting it air out has gotten rid of some of the mouldering corpse stink.

(Hopefully Vandelin has a cast iron stomach.)

The first level of his home now looks a bit like a stone mason's shop, with mortar and stone and building tools strewn about while Kit goes about making the necessary repairs to his dwelling after the ash wraith debacle. It's been over a month; time to deal with it.

The front door has been left open.



IV. THE GALLOWS (MYR)


Shortly after his call with the rest of the Other Powers project members ends, Kit can't stand the confines of his office anymore. He heads outdoors for a smoke, stares across the water back towards Kirkwall, then detours towards the training grounds. When in doubt, when you can't keep your demons at bay, best to try punching them instead.

Barring that, swinging an axe at a training dummy can't hurt.



V.  DARKTOWN (ANDERS)


His appearance outside Anders' clinic isn't entirely by happenstance; recalling his last chance encounter with the (rather unpopular) Warden mage, he's taken to strolling around the area in the evenings, maybe just to discourage anyone else from trying to take a second stab at the guy living on his own.

This time when Kit shows up, it's in the middle of the day, and he's rubbing at his arm like he's injured it. "Hey, salroka," he greets Anders with what he hopes is a casual smile, "hope I don't need an appointment or anything."

Comments

[ragweed]

He rethinks the axes; no, best to try hand-to-hand. He can check his blows easier, if need be.

(An unintentionally condescending thought, he realizes, and feels a pang of remorse. He of all people should know better.)

"I saw some open space over this way," he says, comes back to Myr, and very lightly touches his arm; a silent offer to guide him around obstacles that might be in their path.

[faithlikeaseed]

"Lead on."

He accepts the offered help gracefully and follows Kit across the courtyard in silence. Ordinarily the brief walk might be an occasion to ask about the obstacles they thread around or who else is out practicing in the chill of the afternoon--but today the questions lie dead on the back of his tongue. At least he can manage a murmur of thanks when they reach their destination, before parting from his friend to pace out the boundaries of their arena. So many steps to each side--

In short order he finds his way back to the rough center of the space, having laid his staff aside, and settles into a loose defensive stance with his hands up and head angled in Kit's direction. Ready.