deercountry | april catch

Entry tags:

april catch - all

Who: viktor and others, open to all with some closed prompts
What: some late march/early april logs, including some tdm stuff. i'm happy to attach something else on if anyone's interest in doing something specific
When: late march through april
Where: various

content warning; terminal illness, arcane season 1 spoilers, likely game typical beast gore/body horror, potentially ableism mentioned, claustrophobic imagery

open prompts.

fishers of dreams - the lighthouse, early april (tdm)

a. while awake

[if you've been roped into this lighthouse business too you may enter to find a man already there. he seems vaguely disgruntled by the business, offers vague greetings but otherwise sticks to scribbling in his notebook. it looks like schematics and formulae, but anyone with an eye for either might notice they tend to trail off and start in odd bursts.

viktor will offer to cook when evening falls (or whatever seems to be the right mealtime in this place) so maybe that is a better time to strike up conversation. the smell coming from the kitchen is heavy on whatever spices the place stocks, promising pain to anyone who doesn't have the stomach for that sort of thing. worse if he finds the rotgut liquor tucked away, which he will pull out and offer despite smelling more like turpentine than anything edible.

these tricks of the eye though, flashes of people vaguely recognizable, he chalks it up more hallucinations. last month was mushrooms, so this? irritating, far more distracting, but it followed the pattern.

it isn't until later in all this he'll track whoever is with him down.] Did you see someone else come through? There, just up the stairs.

b. nightmare

[trying to reach the odd lighthouses is fruitless, the shadows converge and when the dark clears the area seems more closed in than before. it shouldn't be, he was just outside on the shore, yet now the dark sky seems to hang too low, lower still, suffocating.]

What now? This is another illusion of sorts, is it not? One this place is so fond of. [viktor sounds more irritated than anything, maybe defensive since the grip his has on his crutch is white-knuckle tight. in the distance seems to be a lighthouse, though the light is far and the area is so stifling, promising a tunnel that will close and snuff out the light entirely.

it's ridiculous of course, the walls are not that close, certainly not enough for this suffocating grip on the lungs and throat. there's no real explanation, less so when a few steps forward and the ground begins to dot with great metal cables, the distinct, sickly sweet smell of chemicals in the air. there are pools between them where the ocean should have been, this time shallow spills of what could be gasoline or something similar, slick rainbow puddles, oily and difficult to walk through without slipping or sinking.]

(ooc; for this one please, feel free to add your own character's nightmare in any flavor at any point!)

odds and ends - willful machine, early april

[viktor can be found around the vendors often enough, especially those specializing in scrap metal, tools or small machinery. for the most part he doesn't stick out, except for the fact often his massive omen often accompanies him, some sort of huge pink salamander/axolotl that he'll lean against or ask rather politely to help carry larger purchases.

he doesn't seem to notice or care about any attention, though the creature will blink curiously around. feel free to approach or find him haggling rather intently for such a stick of a man, accent thickening when it gets heated enough. maybe you want the same scrap? or are looking for something and he's standing nearby enough to notice a lost look and offers assistance?]

[one might also find him about by the sound of a nasty coughing fit. he stands with his back curled, a rag to his mouth as a makeshift handkerchief. it's a wet cough that shakes his entire frame, and when it's over his sniffs and clears his throat, straightening.

the cloth is stained in a pale color that catches the perpetual moonlight of april. paleblood, that he regards for a moment before folding the cloth in on itself with a small frown.]

closed prompts.

jinx - willful machine, late march

[viktor doesn't stay by the lamp exactly. he would usually but he hardly sees the point when this person he's meeting knows him by sight as far as he can tell. it leaves him feeling comfortable to wander within eyeshot mostly of the lantern, strolling down the canal docks to find a place to stand and watch the boats cut slowly through the water.

he likes it here, he thinks, in this district. the noise and foot traffic, the winding canals and dirty water, the boats bobbing to and fro - it wouldn't be a bad place to set up. a lab that will double as his home because he doesn't see the point in separating the two any longer, even if he can practically hear heimendinger's tutting about his work-life balance in his ear. it will be closer to the vendors, less of a hike to acquire what he'll need to start fresh. first a new brace for his leg and back, then some basic experiments into lunar energy to get a feel for it.

his lungs flare and burn, minor enough he manages to swallow it down without reaching for the rag in his pocket. he makes a note of the severity and timing, adds it to his growing mental list that seems to indicate his illness does indeed remain but is diminished. promising, if he's being optimistic, but at the moment he feels only a sense of irritation that now he doesn't know the timeline of his own life. one he might be shortening drastically with this ridiculous stunt.

a sigh and viktor goes back to watching the boats, trying to clear his head. he considers trying to message vi and ask her opinion of this but... no, he doubts he'll get anything. he's not sure if he disgusts her as a class traitor or amuses her in truth. better to just see for himself what he's gotten himself into like a fool.]

allen - willful machine, early april

[the 'grand tour' doesn't amount to much yet, the lab area just a large, empty space dotted with a few tables and a couple of desks, not even a chalkboard he's been keeping an eye out for or something that could do the same. one of the desks at least is littered with junk, at the moment tools and the starts of a knee brace, a table nearby with all the scrap he's managed to grab that could be useful in the future. one corner has a cot, maybe he'll clear out whatever other small rooms the place has later for a bedroom proper. maybe not.

viktor seems satisfied with it as he gestures around, and rio has commandeered one of the tables for her own to lie across.] A solid start, I think. I like this area, this eh... Willful Machine, that is.

[he'll never admit part of it is the boats. everyone's allowed a sort of childish interest, right? they're soothing, even if they lack the motors that fascinated him.] Have a seat, if you'd like. How have you been since the tombs?

wildcard.

[as i said, feel free to ask for anything else, including other tdm prompts, i am more interested in seeing the worlds built by others for the archway prompts so i didn't include any here. my plurk is

dichotomy or you can dm me here!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hm, I suppose it must have some meaning, if they're reflections of us in one way or another. I'm afraid symbolism isn't my particular forte.

[especially the symbolism of another world potentially. he watches esfir take the pets with a smile- it's actually a word not too far off from his other language, which is interesting and makes him ask,] Do you speak this language? Russian, you said?

[but yes, he takes a moment to summon his own omen, the very large pink creature tilting her head as she examines the area then esfir and jason, many tongues scenting the air around her for a moment.] This is Rio. I knew her in my world, actually. A bit of a shock when I summoned her out of nothing, I admit.

A little. I'm better at it when I'm talkin' with my grandma.

[Jason is a little startled at the giant pink whatever-it-is. Some kind of lizard? Esfir lifts her head and stares at Rio for a moment before settling back in for more pets]

Yeah. It came as a surprise to me, and Esfir's just a little thing. Can't imagine the shock of a huge creature like that poppin' the hell outta nowhere. But you say you knew her?

It sounds similar to my first language. Did your grandmother teach you it?

[rio plops her head on viktor's lap after her curiosity is sated, clearly not wanting esfir to be the only one getting pets here. viktor snorts softly, running his hand over her head.]

She's incredibly helpful as a mobility aid, I'll admit. Easy to lean against. [she trills at that, contented] Yes, I met her when I was a child. I haven't seen her in... decades, I think. She was a rare mutation my mentor cultivated, I believe because she is capable of digesting and processing chemicals that would kill nearly any other living creature.

Yep. Taught me to cook, too. Maybe I'll treat ya sometime.

[Meanwhile Esfir gives Rio a look like "we have these humans trained well, don't we?"]

Shit. Sounds handy. You know as an omen, she can change sizes? When I first met Esfir, she grew as big as a fuckin' lion to fight off a monster. Rio's already big but I bet if you needed her to be, she'd get even bigger, or smaller.

Please, where I was living beforehand they considered salt spicy and flavored enough. [he mourns. whatever russian cooking is like he has to imagine it's better than that.

rio returns the look with an agreeing tail thump on the floor, clearly they have gotten their humans' priorities where they should be.]

Oh, truly? I haven't seen that yet, is that true? [he looks down to rio who trills in agreement that yes, this is something she can do. useful to know earlier, rio, but he has no doubt she'd use it only when necessary. a bit on the stubborn side.] Esfir fought a monster- did she get hurt? I've been wondering what happens when an omen is injured in any way.

[He raises an eyebrow at that, and then smiles]

Hopefully we can scrounge up enough ingredients for you to get a sense of real flavor.

Nah, she beat that fucker back no problem. Got me and another guy out of the well safely. [Esfir flicks her ears like "of course I did"] I ain't seen any of them hurt, but they're kinda like spirits, I guess? Esfir only shows herself when I really need her, most of the time.

Let me know what you need and I will keep an eye out myself, Willful Machine has all sorts. I set my lab up there, and thank gods I already know how to haggle. A ruthless lot. [he sounds approving of that though.

he can't help a chuckle at the little ear flick, she does seem sure of herself.] She does seem more than capable. Rio comes and goes on her own whim as far as I can tell, unless I call for her. I've been concerned what would happen if we do run into a beast- she may be large but she isn't a fighter.

[and he'd rather she not get hurt. jason makes a good point though, about what they are. surely physical injuries wouldn't do any real damage to them beyond making them vanish for a little while.]

I know the area; I patrol around the stables sometimes. [The approving way Viktor talks about the merchants makes Jason snort a little]

They both seem pretty calm now, so at least we know there's no danger close by. [He takes a bite of the food] Whoo! That really is a kick in the teeth.

I enjoy the canals, I've never seen a city system like it. [no venice in his world, this is pretty novel stuff.

the reaction to his goulash makes viktor chuckle. honestly he's glad jason is here, his tension at the situation has lowered considerably, even if he's still alert.] To be fair usually I would serve it with some sour cream to help cut that, but alas. I am not sure I would trust any dairy products in this dusty old place even if they were stocked.

Reminds me of Venice. It's this city back where I come from with lots of canals. Never been there, but I've seen pictures.

I'm a little surprised there's anything worth eating in this place. [He takes another bite, taking in a deep breath to try cooling his mouth a little] It's doin' the job of keeping me awake, that's for sure.

[He's glad Viktor is here, too. It's always better with a companion, and one he finds interesting and likes talking to doesn't hurt]

There is a city a bit off named Bilgewater, that in some areas largely made out of boats and docks. I've never been there myself, but given it's a pirate nest I doubt it's much like here or... Venice, was it?

[rio trills up at viktor, getting a soft 'no, you wouldn't like this it is too spicy.' also he's not sure omens can even eat, there's that.] So was I, but I am used to making do with odds and ends, so that helped. A shame the bread was so hard I could use it as a hammer.

[another jaw cracking yawn, one that makes him shake his head and get to finishing his own bowl. he refuses to waste food for... whatever is happening here.]

I donno, it wouldn't surprise me if there were fuckin' pirates around here. Trench has a way of pullin' out all kinds of bullshit.

[The bread comment has him snorting a little as he takes another bite] So we got another weapon if things go south, is what you're sayin'. Maybe we can feed the monsters some of this food, too. That'll knock 'em on their asses.

[His tone and the playful look in his eyes assure he's just teasing]

[viktor has to give a short laugh at that- jason is more right than he knows] Oh, there are. I actually got kidnapped by some with a new arrival- never a dull moment in the Trench, hm?

[the bit about weaponizing his meal makes him give a more sincere laugh, the kind of snorting think like his laugh surprised him.] Serve it to them with the bread and break their teeth on top of it. As far as I am concerned if a meal can't be used as a weapon it is clearly not spicy enough.

I'll say. You take your downtime when you can.

[Despite the foreboding of whatever is going to happen when they sleep, this is still one of the calmer things Trench has thrown at its residents. Jason looks pleased he made Viktor laugh, and Esfir echoes his feelings in a contented purr.

Jason snorts again. Making jokes and laughing helps a lot in tense situations, and is a good way of relaxing around another person. Jason takes another bite of his food]

Say, you're a paleblood like me, right? You figure out yet what kinda weird shit your blood lets you do? So far all I can do is hear thoughts sometimes.

[that's intriguing, hearing thoguhts, and viktor pushes his empty bowl away as he shakes his head.] I am, but I haven't learned anything new. Well...

[he considers a moment- it's his instinct to keep things private where he can, but he rather likes jason and doesn't really see any reason to keep this particular revelation to himself.] I was working on a small bunsen burner and got some blood on it accidentally. When I did I felt... hm, rather like I was given an understanding of what was wrong from the machine? A clogged line, as it turned out. I haven't replicated it since but unless it was another odd hallucination perhaps it was some of this odd power, yes?

But you say yours helps you read thoughts? That must be both useful and an incredible headache, pun not particularly intended. [especially if it's finicky, for jason's sake viktor hopes it isn't something that happens without warning.]

Sounds handy. [Or it would be for someone who could use it; it would just go to waste on someone like Jason] There's bound to be some broken shit you can test it on.

[To the question, he shrugs] No headaches yet. It's just weird, 'cause the thoughts sound like the person talkin', kinda. It's hard to explain. Anyway, not sure how useful it'll be. If I wanna know what a person's thinking, I just ask.

It's certainly interesting though... hm, to be entirely honest it feels like cheating. [he's faintly sheepish admitting that- it's a useful tool and he knows better than to be too prideful to use it but hey. he can't help a little burst of indignation at the thought of needing the help in this area.]

I imagine if you needed information from someone too stubborn to share it that would be quite useful, but also quite invasive. [a pause he he asks,] Do you know if it works on beasts? It may actually be helpful in purification, from what I understanding trying to ease someone emotionally or mentally can help lower corruption.

You work with what you got, Viktor. If you've got a power that'll help you fix shit quicker, there's no shame in usin' it.

[He hadn't thought of that possibility, but it makes him light up]

Yeah, good idea. It's a Hunter's job to take care of beasts. If there's any part of them still human, I could hear it in their thoughts. I like that.

[that has viktor exhale in amusement.] You are right, this place already makes things hard for us. We might as well take what advantages we can get.

Precisely- actually, I have been studying better ways to purify beasthood with a few others. An ability like yours could be helpful in understanding corruption and beasts, if you'd be interested in helping.

Fuck yeah, I'm interested. Guess that means I'd better practice and get a handle on it.

[He's excited, and grateful to Viktor for suggesting this. Bearing Update: Jason agreed to help in studying corruption/beasthood]

[viktor's pleased at the enthusiasm- he hoped people would find it as compelling as he did and jason's response does a lot to tell him about the kind of person jason is. also more help and data? he'll always be excited about that. he sounds it as he says,] Excellent, really any information you get will be useful. Oh, if you'd like help practicing I'd be happy to volunteer. You can come down to the lab and try to control reading my mind if you'd like.

[safer than practicing on beasts, that's for sure.]

Yeah, sure, I'll stop by sometime. Can't promise I'll be any help in the lab, though.

Bah, you'd be surprised. At this point in things it is mostly information gathering. Just hearing your experiences with beasts would be help enough.

[he yawns again, a soft, defeated sigh as he rests his elbows on the table.] I fear I wouldn't be able to keep awake much longer. Here's to hoping there will be no drama, yes?

Me, Rio, and Esfir will be lookin' out for ya. And I'll be listening in. [He taps his temple meaningfully. He's not sure what will happen, exactly, but if it's some attack in the mind he'll (hopefully) be able to catch it and help Viktor fight it off]

Thank you. [he offers a small smile at that.] Wake me for your turn or if anything seems off, yes?

[he's not sure how helpful he'd be but he'd rather be awake for any drama. he gets up and settles into one of the chairs scattered about, not exactly comfortable but with a tall back to rest against and basic padding. he's pretty sure there's a cot but he doesn't think it will be much more comfortable than this and really, at least this way he'll be able to get up faster if need be.

to him it feels like he closes his eyes and opens them again to the same room only without jason, without any color at all. it makes him stand and look try to look around through the fog, a hint of panic he tries to logic through. this is another hallucination, or perhaps a dream? a pinch and he feels it, so a sturdy dream if it is one.

on jason's side it probably just seems like a deep sleep, though rio is pacing anxiously, little trills like concern as she butts her head against jason's leg in hopes of conveying that concern.]

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