Yup, what's goodie

[clawings]

WHO: Erik Stevens & Y'ALL
WHAT: Checking things out, buying some stuff, reading books, &c
WHEN: ooc: December | ic: Cassus
WHERE: Exploring Kirkwall and the Gallows, &c
NOTES: Erik curses but that's probably gonna be it

→ I got all the sounds, got plenty; open

[ Here are a few places one can find Erik within the Gallows on a regular basis:

The Library: Reading a little bit of everything, actually but focusing on recent history reports, whatever passes for science fiction, books about the Fade, and books about religion. Oh and a book or two on elven culture. Shh.

He's here at all sorts of hours but mostly between 11pm and 5am, apparently not sleeping very well otherwise. Why else be in a library at prime sleeping time?

The Smithy: Erik is fascinated by this area and mostly writes notes about whatever process he's allowed to observe here. Leave his little engineering heart alone about it! (Or don't, actually. Bothering him is preferable to the narration.)

The Herb Garden: Because he's curious if he recognizes any plants from home. Spoilers: he doesn't, but he keeps coming back anyway, usually in the early afternoon.

Training Area: Sparring with swords and spears, because there's no excuse not to stay in shape. Also there's a war on? So. Come gawk at the man. It'll be fun.

Anywhere else: He explores the entire Gallows during his quarantine and then does it again afterward, so consider this an open invitation to wildcard me.
]

→ You should ask around, my city; open

[ Erik discovers the market district in Lowtown and spends an inordinate amount of time there, mostly browsing, but occasionally buying small items. A scarf at one point. Close to the middle of the month he is clearly looking for something specific - jewelry, it would seem. He picks up bracelets, necklaces, earrings, but doesn't seem to settle on anything for a while.

You can also find him in the occasional tavern. He hates drinking alone; join him? ]

→ You should get to work, get busy; closed to athessa & vanadi

[ Erik left a note at Athessa's. Now he just has to wait for them to show up. So he's chilling in the herb garden, again, this time at sunset. ]

Comments

[sulahnan]

[ Gosh. A kiss on the cheek! ]

Okay, I have to ask, [ Athessa leans against the big slab of a table that sits in the center of the kitchen, tipping her head as she regards Erik. ] Is being sweet part of the whole... trying something different thing? Or were you making women blush with kisses on the cheek back in your world, too?

[ It's an incongruity that she finds fascinating, not only because there are qualities to this man that remind her of a certain trauma-bound qunari she knew. ]

[clawings]

[ Erik has the grace to look a little abashed, one side of his mouth quirking up in an expression that's not exactly a smile. ]

Definitely part of 'tryin' something different'. [ His nostrils flare as he remembers the way he kissed Linda which was far from sweet affection left on her cheek, and then his expression darkens as he recalls how she died at his hands.

But his features clear after a blink, and he shrugs. ] All I got to go by are movies n' shit, so.

[highborn]

[ Okay, someone is paying a bit of attention, and as he empties diced ingredients into a tall pot on the stove, Vanadi calls over: ]

It seems movies n' shit haven't steered you wrong, if that's any consolation.

[sulahnan]

Movies?

[ A glance between Erik and Vanadi. She doesn't know what movies are. Clearly. ]

Do those teach you moves or...?

[clawings]

Nah, they're.... [ He scratches at his chin, wondering how to explain (and if Vanadi knows what they are or not). ] Popular media. Moving pictures with sound. Stories come to life, that kinda thing. Like a play! But recorded so you ain't gotta see it live or whatever.

There's movies about everyfuckingthing, from history to romance to comedy to science fiction and fantasy.

[highborn]

[ Yeah, no, he totally has no idea what that is — or what science fiction is, for that matter. He shoots a shrug at Athessa if he can catch her eye, and gets back to work. ]

[sulahnan]

[ What the heck is science fiction? ]

What was your favorite of these movie-stories?

[clawings]

When I was a kid there was this one about a guy who goes to another planet called Mars and has adventures. That was my favorite, for a long time.

[ He shrugs. It sounds dumb, to explain it now, but it was his escapism for a long time. ]

[sulahnan]

What kinds of adventures? [ Athessa doesn't think it sounds dumb. She nods for him to go on, tell her about the Mars man, because she's genuinely interested. Not so much in the story itself, but in what about the story called to Erik when he was younger. ]

Tell me about it.

[clawings]

This guy, uh...

[ Erik runs a hand through his locs. Telling stories he hasn't read in years feels a little weird, but in a good way. ]

He goes to this other planet and is really strong there? Because of the atmosphere. So he has these adventures with a nomadic tribe, and meets a girl from a different group, a princess. He gets all involved in the politics between them, and they get married, and he becomes a prince. But something happens with the atmosphere and he wakes up at home, confused.

[sulahnan]

[ Atmosphere is air, she remembers that much from conversations with Holden and Tony. Space stuff. Lightning stuff. ]

He was transported? Or...was it a dream?

[clawings]

[Erik shurgs but he's smiling a little. ]

Not really sure. It's part of a series but it was an old book so. I never read the rest.

[sulahnan]

That's one hell of a cliffhanger.

[clawings]

[ Erik shrugs and continues on his coffee. ]

It is but I liked it for that. Meant I could decide how it all went down.

[sulahnan]

[ She raises her eyebrows and nods encouragingly at him. ]

Well go on, then. Don't leave me in suspense about it, how did it all go down?

[clawings]

Sometimes I'd think it was real, and homeboy just got the short end of shit, by not being from Mars originally. But most of the time? I thought he'd just made that shit up. Got hit in the head too hard, or somethin'.

[sulahnan]

[ It's funny, if you think about it. Here's a man who has been transported to a different world where he decided to find a new lease on life, accusing a fictional character of making up a very similar story.

Her face betrays that she's amused at the irony and she just looks at him, smirking. ]

[clawings]

[ He watches her for a moment before looking away, rolling his eyes, and sucking his teeth. ]

Yeah, yeah. I hear it. [ The comparisons. ]

[sulahnan]

You get hit in the head recently?

[ She sips her coffee and keeps on grinning. ]

[highborn]

[ The world may never know, because this is Vanadi's cue to sweep in with two bowls of gently steaming spiced vegetable soup. He presses one into each of their hands, looking pleased. ]

Here -- take this, spoons are behind you. You'll let me know if anything seems missing or over seasoned, won't you? This is an experiment.

[ An experiment he's reasonably sure will be delicious, but a little humility never hurt. ]

[clawings]

Spoons, a'ight, [ Erik spins in place to find one for each of them, handing one off to Athessa. He hasn't been hit in the head, as far as he remembers, but he did die. He remembers that. This could all be some last neurons firing bullshit for all he knows; he's just not going to consider that a viable option now that he's met people he actually wants to give a damn about.

He winks at Athessa anyway. ] Not today.

[ At which point it's time to taste Vanadi's cooking, which Erik spoons up and gently blows on before tasting. ]

Oh, damn. This is good.

[sulahnan]

[ Athessa doesn't blow on her spoonful of soup because she's that person who always burns her mouth on the first bite of food and has to employ the reverse-blow. Embarrassing or endearing? You decide. ]

Fuck — hot, hot! [ She fans her hand toward her mouth, for all the good that does. ] Good, but hot.

[highborn]

[ Adorable, actually, thanks. Vanadi grins, falling to a lean against the counter in whatever space he can carve out between the two of them. There's enough for a bowl for him, and easily seconds on top of that, but he's had a decent portion already during all the sampling. ]

Good, and good but hot. I'll take it.

[clawings]

[ Endearing, definitely, though Erik shakes his head a little at Athessa's antics. ] You gotta, you know, [ and he blows on his spoon to demonstrate. ] Helps you not burn yourself.

It's damned good Vanadi. You not gonna have any?

[sulahnan]

[ Athessa is too busy tucking in like an orphan who doesn't know where their next meal will come from to respond to the demonstration. ]