Project Sashamiri: Peculiar Weather We're Having

[overharrowed]

WHO: Alais, Sawbones, and Aleksei, guest starring Julius
WHAT: A team resumes looking into the freak weather for going on five years in Emprise du Lion.
WHEN: Various points in August
WHERE: Mostly Emprise du Lion
NOTES: OOC post here; no warnings for now.

Julius is apologetic, when he briefs the group, that he is giving them relatively little to go on. Whether it was a sparse report or simply the lack of anything relevant to include in it, earlier attempts to get at what is keeping Emprise du Lion's weather unnaturally frosty have turned up nothing actionable. He gives them a fair amount of leeway, with the gentle reminder that Riftwatch is currently trying to shore up its reputation for helping Orlais. It's hard to say what will constitute success when even the project leader isn't quite certain what they're looking for, but he suggests that even a solid idea of where to look will be appreciated.

Comments

[overharrowed]

"Of course." There's a brief moment when he turns in which they can see him register the three of them, potentially comparing them against his expectations, and diplomatically filing whatever reaction he has away. His Orlesian accent is on the light side, suggesting a man who has spent a long while traveling, speaking Trade, or both.

"I'm not sure how much I'll be able to help you, but it does no one any good to have the red lyrium cropping up all over. I admit, the ice isn't so much a problem for me personally," with a smile, "but it's increasingly apparent we cannot have the one without the other. And the Red Templars are getting bolder too, which serves none of us. What do you want to know?"

He glances at Aleksei out of the corner of his eye, as if subtly trying to place someone he'd met before. Still, his question seems relatively genuine, if direct.

[positioning]

Aleksei is thriving in the cold. He hasn't said so aloud, but it seems to him there isn't very much to fix in this situation. Alas, being useful means appearing sympathetic to such matters. And smiling warmly in response to that glance, even as he immediately tries to calculate whether or not he could be known to this man. Has he ever thieved from this particular merchant...

"We are hoping for any information that could help us to end this snowstorm," Aleksei says smoothly. "Of course, I am no researcher but my colleagues here are very interested."

Okay, maybe not Sawbones. Alais, it's all on you.

yikes sorry i was starting ac

[adjurator]

"You've been here four years?"

Tevene is seldom spoken, but continents carry patterns; though swaddled in Southern coats, Alais' speech is as plainly foreign as it's uncertain. She hangs back a step or two behind the pair.

"Did anyone tell you about when this came on?" People brag, people talk. "Did winter simply not end, or -"

Or what? A snowball? An explosion?

"- All at once?"

There's gold in their pockets, should anyone clam up. There's not a lot of it.

I had a moment I was worried I broke the plot somehow

[overharrowed]

"On and off, four years," he agrees. Her foreignness doesn't seem to put him off particularly. "I was not here to see the very beginning for myself, but when I first came, there were more of the original residents still holding on. Mostly the stubborn ones; a lot of people were shaken up by being captured or having family captured by the red templars. The ones who were here from the beginning say the cold was sudden, but not everywhere at once. It seemed colder in some places than others, and the cold reached more areas over time."

He is clearly trying to place Aleksei while not seeming rude, which results in mainly eye contact with Alais and a few furtive glances.

[positioning]

Aleksei's smile widens. Maybe inappropriate, maybe not. No one's dead of mostly unending winter, so what's the harm in enjoying this man's struggle? It doesn't matter very much to Aleksei.

"Well, we can tell you are very well established, so who better to speak to?"

As he continues to make direct eye-contact.

"Can you recall if there was any type of pattern to the storms? Or perhaps areas that were more affected than others?"

[okayimin]

"Particularly those temperature differences," pipes up Sawbones, only a mildly curious glance passing from Deschamps to Aleksei.

[overharrowed]

He glances to Sawbones, whatever his train of thought is momentarily breaking. "Some places still thaw a bit; some practically never do. This time of year it's easier to tell. If you're looking for the colder parts they're largely southeast from here, I think. We're mainly working up the mountain; stays cold up there too, but fewer rougue groups of Red Templars wandering around making trouble."

Suddenly, with the visual equivalent of an ah-HA, he turns back to Alexei. "I know, we've met before. Your clan was out here to trade about a year ago, yes?"

[positioning]

"Of course. I had wondered if you found us so forgettable."

Was it his clan? It might have been. A little thing like fact isn't going to stop Aleksei from immediately seizing upon an opportunity presented to him.

"I'd been telling these fine ladies just how steadfast and trustworthy you were, after our last dealings. Don't let me down now."

With a wink.

This is less fun when Doki isn't present to enjoy the joke with him, but still, it's a little bit fun.

[adjurator]

Aleksei winks, and Alais glances slowly from the Trader to Sawbones. Did they fuck? Should the two of them go?

[okayimin]

Sawbones' glance tracks from Aleksie to the Trader to Alais, eyebrows raised. She tips her head slightly to suggest that it definitely seems like they fucked and maybe the two of them should start inching their way out of this conversation.

[overharrowed]

"Not forgettable at all," Deschamps assures him. "I only didn't expect you in a smaller, more cosmopolitan group." Look, he's Orlesian. "But I would be delighted to do business with your clan again, if you are inclined to further trade. In the meantime, unfortunately my men can't spare me to show you myself. But if it would help, I could sketch you a map, from here to the places it nearly never thaws? I'm not sure if it will help you, but I'm happy to do what I can."

[adjurator]

Alais tugs once — insistently — at Aleksei's sleeve, before politely edging out. Get that map, hot stuff.

[positioning]

Ah, so he is being left to his own devices. Aleksei crowds in closer in, smiling as if delighted to be left in charge of the proceedings.

And he is, somewhat. It's just strange that the proceedings are not "rob this man blind."

"I will have to reconcile myself to the disappointment. I remember you as being good company."

Aleksei gestures sweepingly towards the battered table. There is a small pouch at the edge that might be promising, and more easily lifted than the one on Deschamps' hip. But no, no. He must restrain himself.

"Please, if you would be so kind. Your help in this would be most appreciated when next we come to trade."

Sorry, future avvar clan.

[okayimin]

Sawbones likely edges out politely, although she lightly kicks Aleksei's boot in a way to communicate don't steal anything we gotta sleep here still.

[overharrowed]

Deschamps moves to fetch some paper and ink. "Well, I expect to be here for some weeks; perhaps your business will bring you back this way. Regardless, I expect there will be other chances, in the future."

His tone is businesslike, though warm enough. Whoever he thinks Aleksei is, it's not enough for him to entirely abandon his earlier manner, apparently. He starts to sketch a bare bones map, labeled mainly with landmarks in neat lettering.

"I'm not a cartographer, unfortunately, so this won't be precisely to scale. But if you start off following the river, it should be straightforward enough. You'll be able to feel in the air if it's getting colder, after all." He glances up at Aleksei, and adds, "I suppose you're not totally unfamiliar with the area, either, which should help."

[positioning]

Stoically pretending not to have noticed the kick to his boot, Aleksei edges just a little bit closer to Deschamps. The pouch is still in his sightline, though he has tipped his head attentively towards the sketching.

"Yes, my familiarity with the terrain is why those charming ladies consulted me. I was, of course, happy to help once I heard they'd planned on stopping here."

With a meaningful look at the end of the statement.

"And here, are there any markers past this point?"

This is at least a more serious question, even if Aleksei's hand bumps Deschamps as he reaches to tip the map towards him to better indicate the area in question.