open, catch-all

[bouchonne]

WHO: Byerly Rutyer and Linden Doesntgetalastname
WHAT: Just a general catch-all
WHEN: This month, last month, next month, as you wish
WHERE: The Gallows and Lowtown
NOTES: Everything open! Reach out to me if you want something special and closed!

Starters in comments!

Comments

Linden

[niminypiminy]

i. Training yards
[ In the Gallows’ training yards is a small, slight elf of some years. His shoulders are slightly hunched, his back slightly stooped; his face wears an expression of constant stress. His clothes aren’t fine, and his hands are careworn, and he generally just looks like someone who’s never slept a full night in his life.

When he raises a hand, electricity crackles around it. He lets loose a bolt of lightning at a training dummy - or perhaps bolt is overstating things a bit. A zap of lightning is perhaps more apt. It does not blow the dummy to bits, the way that other mages sometimes do; instead, he just leaves a blackened, smoldering mark on it.

He lets out a heavy sigh, but doesn’t seem particularly frustrated or disappointed. This is, apparently, what he’s able to do. ]





ii. Dining hall
[ Linden lingers over his meals. It’s not that he eats slowly or elegantly - on the contrary, he inhales his food like he thinks it’s going to be taken away from him - but more that once he’s eaten, he sits for a long time with a book and a cup of coffee, occupying the space silently even as his stablemates come and go.

This book, evidently, is of particular interest, or at least particular curiosity. He frowns at it as he reads. ]

dining

[armd]

(Usually Abby would never interrupt somebody mid-read, because she hates it when people do that to her, but the frown on his face is too curious to resist asking–)

S'any good? (Gesturing at the cover with her chin. Mouth is currently full, apologies.)

[niminypiminy]

[ He doesn't seem put out by her interruption. Instead, he looks up, and answers bluntly: ]

No.

[ But - ]

It's interesting.

[ He flips the book to make visible the cover: Hard in Hightown. ]

[armd]

(Ah, a classic. She rolls her eyes in sympathy, tearing off a piece of her bread roll. They're in agreement over this much:)

It's not good. (But sometimes you don't want that anyway, so.) Pretty fun though.

[niminypiminy]

You've read it?

[ His head tilts just a bit to the side. He listens very intensely. ]

[armd]

Yeah.

(Is that so hard to believe.) What bit are you up to?

[niminypiminy]

Donnen and Lady Marielle have just arrived at the Cafe d'Or.

[armd]

Oooh. (She remembers. It's about to get so dramatic.)

Apparently there's supposed to be a sequel.

[niminypiminy]

[ Dryly: ]

Maker save us.

[armd]

(Chuckle.)

You're into stuff like that? (Easy to read nonsense, that is.)

[niminypiminy]

No.

[ And yet, here he is, reading it. ]

training yards

[inkindled]

S'not bad.

[Matthias' staff is laying on the ground behind him. He's been practicing with a sword for today, repetitive drills meant to fix the motions in his mind so it isn't just magic that he reaches for each time. Magic will always be better, yeah, but it doesn't hurt to have a second option in case you get Silenced. Or so you have it as a surprise, even.

Taking a break to catch his breath has given him a moment to observe the other mage. He gives him a little grin.]

If you want to brand your enemies, like. Is that what you're after?

[He's teasing a little--but good-naturedly, nothing meant by it.]

[niminypiminy]

[ Linden turns, looks at the human boy with the sword in his hand, starts to frown - and then sees that there's a staff behind him. Instead of answering the teasing, he looks at the child, and then flicks his eyes down to the staff. ]

Is that yours?

[ He still isn't smiling. But his manner isn't defensive or hostile, either. ]

[inkindled]

Yeah.

[Matthias chips the sword into the soil of the yard and leans his weight on it. There's a little pride in his smile.]

I've been trying to get better at lightning myself but I dunno if I have it in me. I'd like to. I think it's proper brilliant.

i'd like to get better at interior decoration, my lighting really isn't good

[niminypiminy]

[ And Linden's manner eases further. He doesn't trust other mages fully, but he trusts them fractions more than he trusts non-mages. The only real risk is recognition that his magic wasn't traditionally trained - but what, is a child going to notice that? A child who's likely spent more time out of a Circle than in it?

So he nods. ]

It frightens people. More than the other elemental powers. That alone makes it useful.

o to be a mage with powers of lighting

[inkindled]

Right?

[Matthias wiggles the sword in the dirt, digging its tip a bit deeper.]

That's why I like it. People don't know it so they don't like it. Me, I'm best with fire, which yeah, it's dead scary, 'course it is, but fires happen all the time. So people know it, don't they. They can get a bucket of water and, [he makes a fizzling sound,] at least if it's small enough. But lighting is up there, in the sky, so people haven't got a way to fight it.

That's why you went for it, then? Or were you just natural with it, like?

[niminypiminy]

[ Linden has never been a natural at anything in his life. ]

I've always had a preference for small magic. This can be small.

[ Then: ]

What is your name?

[inkindled]

[Small? Can't relate, but to each his own and all.]

Oh--sorry. I forget, sometimes--not my name, 'course I know that. The introduction bit is what I forget. I'm called Matthias. What about you?

[niminypiminy]

[ A very light smile touches Linden's grim lips. There and gone; he lowers his head in a bow a moment after. ]

Linden.

[ He lifts his head again. ]

There are ways to use lightning with a blade.

[inkindled]

[Matthias brightens at that mention, a little flower turning its face toward a sun, if the sun was a ball of lightning, or a short old elf. He looks down at his sword--chipped, worn, used, ready to be used. He hefts it.]

Show me?

[This is another mage, so. He does have manners enough to make that sound more question than demand.]

Training yard

[thereneverwas]

[Unless someone asks him for help or is actively damaging the equipment, Barrow generally minds his own business in the training yard. He's been taking special care to do so since he spotted Linden's arrival, but it's nearing the end of the day and he's sweeping nearby when he hears that sigh.]

Not all that bad, is it?

[He regrets speaking as soon as he's done it-- truly, Obeisance, what would it cost to keep your mouth shut once in a while-- but there it is. At least he didn't insult him.
He's pretty sure.]

[niminypiminy]

[ Linden's head swivels around. His gaze fixes on Barrow. What he's thinking is - utterly impossible to tell from the cool, impartial look on his face. ]

I beg your pardon?

[thereneverwas]

You...

[With the sort of reckless smile that comes from knowing one has stepped in it again and figuring it can only go downhill from here, Barrow rolls his eyes gently and gestures toward the dummy.]

You sighed. Seemed to be having a rough go of it.

[niminypiminy]

I was simply sighing.

[ Is he offended? Completely impossible to tell. He just keeps staring. ]

[thereneverwas]

Well.

[Treading lightly,] everything all right?