WHO: Two Geckos + an assortment of guest stars WHAT: Summary of content WHEN: Late Bloomingtide WHERE: The Gallows, misc. Kirkwall haunts. NOTES: Will update as needed.
"Nah, Rifter." Ellie holds up her hand -- the one with the missing fingers -- and gives it a waggle. It's gloved so her anchor shard isn't visible, but oh well.
She doesn't go back to looking through the telescope, but tips her head back too, opening herself up to the enormity of the night sky above them. She presses her lips together, thinking seriously on the question.
"There are a lot of constellations," she says. "They don't name the stars here, exactly, and I don't think they know about other planets. But they have plenty of constellations."
She gestures to a particularly bright, simple arrangement of stars, holding her hand out. "See, those four? That's Judex, the sword of mercy. It's on the banners for the Inquisition." She gestures at another one.
"And that group over there... that's Shadow, the owl. The old god of the night."
Old god of the night. His eyes linger on that one for a while, before he asks:
"Real, or just names?"
He knows first hand that sometimes mythology was just buried history, more easily unearthed than anyone would really like. They're standing in a fantasy novel. There was no reason to think that owl couldn't flap its wings and come soaring down on them, or the sword fall suddenly to earth.
Ellie frowns up at the sky, nibbling at her lower lip. She's seen some shit too, and now anything's possible. Legends the Chantry tells about the Black City, about the Darkspawn, they all have some seed of truth buried in all the bullshit.
"We've got shards of magic in our hands that let us rip apart reality. I don't say anything's impossible anymore."
He would've liked a confirmation either way. Landing in an unknown place was a bad situation, but if even those who'd been around for a while were still dealing with unknowns, that made it worse. Not that it could be helped, thanks to having no choice on the matter, and he looks down at his hand, the offending shard of magic in question.
"Thought they were more for sealing it back up."
Seeing as that's what he and Seth had been dragged upright in the field to do with their welcome party.
Key snags in Richard's thoughts as sharply as if she'd said his name. Locks and the opening of them were his business, his life, and the spill of ideas that come from defining this thing in his hand as a magical key was enthralling. If no one here knew the extents of what the thing could do, was there any limit? He flexes his palm, watching how it barely disrupts the green colour, like his flesh was no influence, just a host.
Should and should not were never much of a deterrent to him, but as his attention catches up with what she's said, memory supplies a little more evidence for the latter.
"I saw the things that dropped out with us." He closes his hand, letting it drop to his side again, like tucking temptation out of sight. "Guessing there's more where those came from."
Something like the portal to Xibalba, threatening to unleash hell on earth.
"A lot more," Ellie mutters, rolling her shoulders back to shake off a lingering shiver. It's not that cold up here.
"That, plus the laws of physics don't apply. I've been in the Crossroads and it was bad enough. I fly a griffon, and there's nothing like gravity changing direction while you're trying to get from point A to point B."
It's a lot to fit into one's head, though, and she pauses.
"How are you doing? Hitting your limit on weird shit yet?"
An eagle lion thing, and he does know, somewhat vaguely. Normally from those fancy crests and seals, old money, old power. But fantasy land having fantasy animals makes sense. He should probably check about unicorns and dragons.
"They don't sleep?" Yes is the immediate, real answer, but he can't say he likes the idea of waking up an 'aerie' full of flying lions.
Ellie snorts aloud, trying not to laugh and failing. She kind of appreciates the borderline dickish audacity -- it smacks of home. All scars out on display and free game. Very few people here have had the balls to ask, and then they've saved it for a private, serious conversation.
"No, that was a person. But I still don't recommend feeding them anything finger-shaped. Some of them aren't as smart as others."
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no subject
She doesn't go back to looking through the telescope, but tips her head back too, opening herself up to the enormity of the night sky above them. She presses her lips together, thinking seriously on the question.
"There are a lot of constellations," she says. "They don't name the stars here, exactly, and I don't think they know about other planets. But they have plenty of constellations."
She gestures to a particularly bright, simple arrangement of stars, holding her hand out. "See, those four? That's Judex, the sword of mercy. It's on the banners for the Inquisition." She gestures at another one.
"And that group over there... that's Shadow, the owl. The old god of the night."
no subject
"Real, or just names?"
He knows first hand that sometimes mythology was just buried history, more easily unearthed than anyone would really like. They're standing in a fantasy novel. There was no reason to think that owl couldn't flap its wings and come soaring down on them, or the sword fall suddenly to earth.
no subject
Ellie frowns up at the sky, nibbling at her lower lip. She's seen some shit too, and now anything's possible. Legends the Chantry tells about the Black City, about the Darkspawn, they all have some seed of truth buried in all the bullshit.
"We've got shards of magic in our hands that let us rip apart reality. I don't say anything's impossible anymore."
no subject
"Thought they were more for sealing it back up."
Seeing as that's what he and Seth had been dragged upright in the field to do with their welcome party.
no subject
Ellie gives a shrug, looking pensively at her hand. "It's like a key. It can turn a lock open, or shut, depending on what you want to do with it."
Maybe it's a dangerous idea to be planting in the minds of newcomers, but Ellie just shakes her head.
"Doesn't mean you should, though. Gwenaëlle could tell you more about that."
Ellie wasn't there. Didn't see. But apparently Gwen did, and it didn't end well.
no subject
Should and should not were never much of a deterrent to him, but as his attention catches up with what she's said, memory supplies a little more evidence for the latter.
"I saw the things that dropped out with us." He closes his hand, letting it drop to his side again, like tucking temptation out of sight. "Guessing there's more where those came from."
Something like the portal to Xibalba, threatening to unleash hell on earth.
no subject
"That, plus the laws of physics don't apply. I've been in the Crossroads and it was bad enough. I fly a griffon, and there's nothing like gravity changing direction while you're trying to get from point A to point B."
It's a lot to fit into one's head, though, and she pauses.
"How are you doing? Hitting your limit on weird shit yet?"
no subject
He isn't attempting to answer her question. His brain's caught halfway through her previous sentence. It might be answer enough on its own, though.
no subject
"A griffon. You know, an eagle lion thing? We have an aerie for them here in the gallows. Some of us ride them."
Quick pause, and then: "Want to see?"
no subject
"They don't sleep?" Yes is the immediate, real answer, but he can't say he likes the idea of waking up an 'aerie' full of flying lions.
no subject
They know her, mostly. Strangers are... hit and miss.
"I wouldn't recommend going on your own if you've never seen a griffon before. They're big babies, but they can still take a finger off."
(That wasn't the fate of Ellie's fingers, but it seems to have more punch when she says it.)
no subject
Raised eyebrows, tip of his chin indicating her hand. He's not subtle, or particularly tactful.
no subject
"No, that was a person. But I still don't recommend feeding them anything finger-shaped. Some of them aren't as smart as others."