deercountry | Was I really seeking good [Open]

Was I really seeking good [Open]

Who: Varian and you!
What: November catchall!
When: Throughout November.
Where: All around the place!

Content Warnings: Child poisoning in the comments, bloodletting in the first half of the Sleeper Farm prompt

BUILDING AN ABOMINATION TO THE GODS - Driveway of Disaster House, Cassandra- OTA

Varian can't actually remember the last time he built something purely for himself. Both back home, in Deerington and here in Trench, his inventions have always had a greater purpose. Sure, he enjoyed making them, but they were always ultimately to help other people. Building something just for his own enjoyment generally wasn't on his radar. It's only recently that he's felt like he's earned the right to indulge in something for himself.

And so, at the start of the month, Varian can be found on the driveway of the Disaster House- starting to put together the very early beginnings of a frame for a car. He isn't bothered by the lightly falling snow- he doesn't feel the cold anymore and the crisp air is honestly good for clearing his head. He's wearing his serial-killer-esque welding mask and has his little foot-pump-powered 1800s welding kit with him, but that isn't doing so well in the cold weather. After a few frustrating attempts at getting the damn thing to work, he gives up, stepping back to stare at the metal he's trying to get into shape. He looks at his hand, a soft hmmmmmm sound echoing in the mask. He's not comfortable with this, but Mako has been helping him get a more...positive outlook on his abilities.

So, for the first time since he got here, he decides to actually use his abilities for something instead of actively avoiding and being reviled by them. He flexes his fingers, using the techniques Mako has run over with him many a time, willing flame to sprout on them. He has to concentrate a lot, and it's definitely not a tiny, careful flame like the one on his torch (he's not quite THERE yet) but it's enough to start welding the pieces of metal together. Once he's done that he snuffs the flame by closing his fist. He steps back, pushing the mask up so it rests above his goggles (why doesn't he just take the goggles off, why does he have to wear both?) to assess his work, before realising someone is standing nearby, turning to offer a little smile.

"Do you think it looks okay? It's kinda shoddy but I guess I can always go over it later once the snow stops."

IT'S FULL OF OPENINGS, IT'S JUST YOU AIN'T SEEING THEM - All around the city - OTA

For once, fate has smiled down at Varian. His Patron is The Tower and while the buildings are shifting and doorways keep vanishing and reappearing he's still able to find his way around. It's given him confidence that means he might just be ignoring the always buddy up system, because it's fine. It's totally fine. He knows where he's going. So he goes about his daily business as normal - unfettered by the chaos that the vast majority of the population are dealing with. He's a compassionate soul, though, and if he sees someone looking lost, he moves over to them, raising an awkward hand in greeting.

"Uh... hey. You look...lost? Do you want me to help you out? I understand where I'm going for...for some reason. If you stick with me, we can get to where you need to go."

SECRET, SECRET, SECRET SECRET BUNKER - Willful Machine - 28th November OTA with CR prompt

Finding the compass on his workbench had been a happy little surprise. He didn't really need one, but it's pretty nice and after quizzing the people in his house (none of whom took responsibility for the little gift) he probably should have been worried about the device that just appeared in his lab in the dead of night. He isn't, though, because it's cool.

Naturally, he uses it as a normal compass first- but as he's working on his car, he does need to try it on bigger things. He's headed to Willful Machine for more parts, and it using it on a sheet of metal on the ground to measure out exactly what he needs. It's while he's doing this that the circle opens up under him, upending him into a little room. One moment he's there, the next he isn't. Maybe you were there to watch him fall in like an idiot. He looks around at the space- full of everything a person would need to hunker down for a night and makes a soft confused noise before yelling because that seems the best course of action here.

"Um- HI??? Is anyone there?"

And if that doesn't work, he'll get out his Omni and send a message to his friends:

Fell in a hole. I think into a pocket dimension? Help.

MUSHABOOMING

On hearing there were cool new mushrooms to deal with here, naturally, Varian's gone about trying to harvest some. He can make all kinds of cool alchemy with them!! This being Varian, of course, means he's neglected some pretty basic health and safety in his mushroom harvesting. So people can catch him in various pickles throughout the town as he goes about stupidly collecting stuff for his lab.

They may find him hallucinating on Walking Terrors, covered in spores and running around with a panicked expression and screaming about the floor melting. Or maybe you'll find him face-down in the dirt, a Floater sitting happily on top of him. Just...help the idiot out, he'd appreciate it.

THE SLEEPER FARM

Varian starts his No Good Real Bad Time swinging upside down- his blood dripping down into a bowl underneath him. It freezes before it hits the bowl, of course, leaving a blue, frozen blood slushie at the bottom. He's still confused how he got here, but he knows that's not the pressing concern here- not while there are other bodies strung up who have definitely had body parts removed. Varian does a quick, muggy-headed check that nothing seems to be out of place- no organs missing, two arms, one leg. Everything as it should be. They've even left him with his prosthetic, which is nice. But he'd still rather get down from here before this gets worse.

"Uhhhhhh, hi? Anyone still...conscious here?"

Or perhaps you find him afterwards, once he's down and on his feet again. He's still got a sizeable gash on his arm, but at least it's frozen over - thanks for the natural cauterization, coldblood! He'll be helping get other people down or helping them move as best he can. Much like earlier in the month in the town, he feels a strange pull towards the way out, and he'll be trying to bring whoever's with him along that path.

"C'mon, I...I know the way out."

He's not offering a reason for that, oh no. It's while he's leading someone towards the alter that they're suddenly pulled out by a force Varian recognises almost immediately. It's an old, familiar one after all- and once they're upended onto the lawn where Disaster House's Lamp Friend sits, he looks up at the sky, frowning.

"...Cynthia?"

[[ooc: As always if you want something else or a closed thread, please hit me up on

teeff or PM me! Will add event stuff later!]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Sorry, Luz, your wonderful date with hot chocolate has been ruined because your older brother is a goddamn idiot. At least the tattoos have come in useful! Maybe not the way they initially thought they would, but here they are.

Varian was definitely not expecting Luz to suddenly appear through the hole, but here she is! He yelps as she drops on him crumpling under her like the weedy loser he is. He groans softly, as he comes to terms with what just then happened to him.]

Luz?

[Alas, it was not meant to be. Instead, Luz is now in a strange new room with her older brother (it's pretty official now), and casts her light glyph to get a better look].

How did you manage to get in here?!

[Please ignore the footprint on her cheek].

It's fine, I'm just gonna keep lying here. Don't rush to get up.

[Don't mind him being a snarky asshole from his spot on the ground.]

I used my compass on a piece of metal and it made a hole in the ground? I think it's some kind of portal.

[Luz groaned and got herself, dusting herself off and lending Varian a hand].

Sorry about that!

Wait, what? Didn't you make a portal before, but with machinery? And Mr. Pines' help, I think?

[He welcomes the help up, dusting himself off and looking around. There's a fireplace in here, and a bed, and lots of barrels and chests- everything a person would need to hole up. ]

I did. I made one back home, too, and that one definitely opened into another dimension. But the one in Deerington was...messy.

[He rubs the back of his head. ]

I didn't have a portal this time, though. Just a compass.

Trust me, I remember.

[Now that Luz is over falling into here by accident, you can clearly see she thinks this room is amazing, and its SECRET, like a hidden hiding place in a game]!

This is so cool! Are you the only one that's found one of these?! You say a compass led you to it?

[He lets out a soft hmm-hmm noise, pulling out a compass from his pocket.]

I found it on my lab table this morning. I was just using it on a sheet of metal and it opened the portal.

I need to find cool stuff like this!

[Luz, you have a hat that turns you into a bird and a staff that makes you fly, is your friend and helps you cast magic. You have LOTS of cool stuff].

Just opened one like that? You weren't wishing you had a secret place to get away to or anything?

[LUZ PLEASE.]

And no, I wasn't wishing for anything. Except maybe that the sheet of metal I was measuring was gonna be strong enough for what I needed it for. It just...opened.

Huh.

I guess its more likely connected to the compass then, and not just a power that you can make happen. Otherwise you could just make another place like that at will, and that would be ridiculous. A pocket dimension is one thing, but fully stocked? That takes some crazy magic.

It's definitely not a power of mine. I've only ever been able to create fire so far. Looking at other coldbloods, it's purely elemental.

[Ugh, magic again.]

I guess it is. Or maybe the compass is one of those devices that is just scientifically advanced enough o be confused with magic.

So it's the compass then. Does it just make a room of...necessity or something.

[Careful Luz, don't invoke that on people].

Oh come on Varian. It's just magic. Compasses don't lead you to rooms with stuff you need.

Maybe? I mean... it's definitely nothing I've dealt with before? It seems weirdly useful for this place.

[He's expecting the other shoe to drop at any moment. ]

It's still possible! I haven't tested it completely yet!

Varian. Good things ARE allowed to happen to us sometimes! It just seldom does!

[See? That. Well, it kind of proves his point but still. Don't be so negative]!

So you think if you follow the compass it will lead you to a totally different room with stuff you specifically need?

That's kind of the point! The seldom part.

[Sorry, Luz, he's a vet at this point, he's just assuming everything will end up bad eventually. ]

I don't know. I guess I have to keep trying it. To see if it gives different rooms or if it's just...this one always?

You're lucky that's fair.

[Look, she can't argue with the truth. Even she can't deny that with a straight face].

I think it's a safe bet it won't, but what the heck. Why don't you try following the compass again, and I'll be with you this time?

Okay, let's see what it does.

[He draws on the wall (avoiding the floor this time) with his compass. A door opens and he steps out...back into Willful Machine.]

Huh. Okay. That's an exit, then. Lemmie just...

[He draws another circle on another wall, opening back to the same room they were in before. ]

I'm gonna guess it's the same room each time?

Sure.

[Luz had read this scenario plenty of times, and logically, it made sense to her: one door to Willful Machine, and then right back to his secret room].

Looks like it! I guess that compass is your entry to a secret workroom now! I'm a little jealous!

[He grins down at his little compass, pleased to have SOMETHING useful for a change.]

I guess I do. At least we have somewhere to bolt to if we really need it, right?

A safe room! Yes! That actually sounds like a godsend in case things get really bad for some reason!

Who are you going to tell that you have that thing?

That's what I'm thinking. Especially if it means nothing or no one dangerous can get in.

[Because he wants that.]

The people I trust. I'm not gonna...announce this to the entire city.

[Which is selfish, but there's a lot of people here and he wants his loved ones to be safe. ]

That would be pretty convenient!

No, actually, I think I understand why you feel that way. There are times where we have to think about our safety, and the world will turn that against us.

I'll keep that secret, Varian.

Thanks, Luz, I appreciate it. Just...for now, anyway.

[They're still getting used to this new world. They need to see the worst it can bring for them. ]

Once we know more about what we're dealing with, we might be able to be a little more open about it. But for now, my priority...it's gotta be you guys.

Right, of course. We don't know what'll happen if things get really bad.

[It sucked, but she was sure that Varian would let Fern know, and if he ever needed a place to be safe, he'd have it One less bad thing happening to Varian was at least enough to put her at ease].

I agree with you. And if there's more the one of these places...I'll let you know about it, ok?

[Varian lets Fern know everything - that's a given. ]

Thanks, Luz, I appreciate it. The more we know, the better we'll be able to handle whatever comes next.

(no subject)

imaglyphwitch - 2021-11-14 21:49 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only