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!]

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[that does make his lips quirk, that title, which is a marked improvement from the grim tension of before. what an odd person, and he doesn't quite notice his new guest yet as he focuses on his omni and considers a response. still hard to ignore how his odd double sits nearby and does the same with empty hands.]

I'm an engineer, I suppose the best way to put it would be I work with machines. Here I've been studying purification, specifically more reliable ways so we can make subduing and curing beasts the norm rather than slaying them.

May I ask your name?

[he finally notices something white, nearly jumping but settling when he realizes who it is.] Ah, you came back. [that... he's genuinely happy about that. it feels a touch ridiculous to have cared but even he can tell maybe he isn't in the best frame of mind at the moment. he blames the double and has no idea just how right he is.]

[ the wolf’s ears swivel to viktor’s spoken words, then her eyes accompany; soft golden orbs lay on the man for a moment to show that, yes, she always returns. she would never leave one of her own with that . . . thing. amaterasu’s gaze hops to the tether, to viktor, then back to the tether— and from her throat as she lowered her head to her paws to continue laying by him was a canine grunt. ]

Ammy or Ammako shall suffice.

A beast is not born from corruption of the soul? How do you propose a machine will do the deed when this illness is not of physical nature?

(I am not discouraging you, by the way; I am no expert in machines, so I am an ignorant on the subject!)

[there is a hint of some weakening to the tether, the prominent silver fading just a touch around the edges. it stares at ammy as viktor regards her, the same tilt of its head a little more sinister.

viktor offers ammy's response- the in person, wolf response that is- a small quirk of his lips.] It is good to see you are doing well. This place is a difficult adjustment.

[more so if you can't communicate, he imagines, blissfully unaware he's doing just that. he turns his attention back to the omni, the tether's unnerving lack of eyes moving away from ammy as well.]

Well, it is good to chat with you, Ammako.

[the 'good chats' thing still amuses him.]

Mostly by fusing magic and machine. In my home that was the work my research partner and I focused on. Magic could only be done by mages, people born with the ability to manipulate arcane forces. We found a way for machines to do the same.

Here for example, there is someone named Allen Walker who has abilities that let him purify corruption. There is a crystal we found with similar properties, and the small orbs that have been forming also seem to be able to help. If we can find a way to understand and tap into these sorts of energy or ability we might be able to make a more reliable way to handle corruption.

The machine aspect is simply a way to perhaps do as much. I suppose even if it ends up being impossible through machinery it will still be worth it to learn as much as we can in the process.

A scholar! My, a search for knowledge is noble as it is rigorous. I wish you luck on your neverending journey. I must say, your ambitions are also quite high. A good cause deserves as much.

[ behind her, amaterasu's tail gives a single, gentle sway as the side of her face rests by viktor's shoe; she's very vigilant of the tether, and seems further interested in keeping her eyes on the silverness that shines on its joints, now. something is happening. ]

I would like to meet your friend sometime. The ability to purify the corrupt is scarce. In my time, it is a feat that only Celestial Beings are capable of. It is similar to the slaying and banishment of, say, demons, if one were to believe in such a thing.

Thank you. What is it you do then? In your world and here.

I've never seen someone speak like this outside of books. [he informs the dog under him, who clearly has nothing to do with this conversation.] It's like a knight from an old Demacian story.

[more ionian aka fantasy japan in his world, but close. sort of. ammy putting her face against his shoe makes him crack a genuine smile, one that has an obvious affect on the silver. it recede in a withering way, not completely by any means but just enough to be noticed. viktor doesn't, trying as he might to ignore the damn thing.]

Even if I did not before I would say it's hard to pretend demons couldn't exist now, especially between many worlds with many different rules to them. Regardless, I highly recommend speaking to Allen, yes. He is also quite good at chats, I would say.

[ a knight. how fancy. is she tickling his fancy? amaterasu quite enjoys the two different talking medias, even if she couldn't communicate the same way with one of them. nevertheless, the wolf finally lifts her head; not to look at viktor, but to straighten her neck and chest, cross her paws in an almost lady-like manner to very calmly, with amusement, begin to pant with this smile and sway her tail, indefinitely, like a flag in a gentle breeze. ]

I commend your open mind. Now, as for me— Here or there, I am an adventurer at heart. A missionary of hope and goodness! There is nothing better than bringing a smile to a fallen, long face. Those only look good on horses. I am also a Mother of many, many children, so I tend to them throughout all my endeavors.

[if this were a normal dog viktor would have already attempted petting her, but... it seemed a little rude for several reasons, if he's honest. how did you politely ask a clearly human level intelligence wolf if a pat or two was ok without it sounding weird? he ponders this as he waits for his answer, eventually trying,] Would it be... rude to ask if I could pat your head?

I eh... I do not know what the etiquette here is. [he admits. it's a bit nostalgic, he remembers being a child and very seriously asking rio the same thing, though rio couldn't comprehend it and just butted into his outstretched hand naturally. he thinks singed found the whole thing amusing but it was always hard to tell with the man.

ah, there's the answer.]

It sounds an equally noble cause. I think you'll do good work here, there are more than a few children and young people who I think take too much on their shoulders and believe it is their lot to do so.

[of course now he's seeing this mysterious person as a kindly middle aged woman, probably with a weapon of some kind for said adventuring. he's also feeling bad because he assumes this means she had to leave a big family behind, which he can only imagine how difficult that would be.]

[ she could laugh, truly, and adoringly at this permission he seems to be asking her. the pets? oh, he is allowed to do much more than that and needn’t ask! as a response, ammy lowers herself until she’s flat on the floor— rolls sideways, then belly right up, exposed and just asking for it. do your thing, you man. this pleases Mother. ]

That they do.

[ ironically, she also refers to him. not that he has done anything of the sort yet, but most do. it’s a little human, she can see it in their eyes— but she loves it. that’s her boy. the one with less of a solid doppelgänger, still there but beginning to lose the foothold it once had.

innocently, she regards something that this supposed middle aged woman with too many children shouldn’t be seeing. ]

Your tick seems ill. Are the Good Chats doing a number?

[ah, well that answered his question in a way that startles a laugh out of him. some of the silver crumbles with it, more so when he reaches down to rub her belly with a smile.] Thank you. I wish we could speak properly, I would love to hear about your world.

[hard not to be intrigued by very sweet magic dog that is incredibly smart. one day he'll put two and two together here.

but his mysterious new friend makes a good point- he looks to his mimic and notices a distinct fading to it. it's not as solid as before and- ah, ammy must be able to see him if she realizes as much. there's that two and two starting to get closer together, enough that he glances down to ammy curiously.]

... Are you Ammako?

[ ah . . . aha. the cat is running right out of that bag, isn't? amaterasu quickly turns her head up to tilt it, but afterward, and quite quickly— her tail thumps wildly, and she smiles with her canine grin. ]

And I suppose you are already hearing about it! You've found me, though I shouldn't have expected less from a scholar. Hello, Viktor!

[ok, viktor has to blink then laugh, a short thing that further damages the tether like a physical blow. this world is very odd but he can't help but be hopelessly charmed by this. the little deception, the attempts to offer company, just...

it's very kind. with that realization, or maybe just with how the effort touches him, the tether shrivels entirely, making him glance over in surprise.]

Oh... did you do that? [she is an adventurer apparently, beating... whatever that was seems in her wheelhouse. he glances back to her, offering a grateful nod regardless.] Hello, Ammako. It's good to be introduced properly. How have you been handling adapting to the Trench?

[ oh, her tail, doing the thumpity thumps . . . ! the air finally feels a little less suffocating, and amaterasu gladly fills her lungs and heaves a relieved sigh. ]

I think you did that, but I am sure I had my part in it. You're very welcome. [ how could she refuse praise?! she couldn't. she's a little proud, but such was the sun goddess, or any goddess, if not for just a few moments here and there. besides, she really did want to help, and she was quite happy that the thing was gone by the hands of something so pure: laughter. ] It is a different sort of darkness I am dealing with, but it's nothing I cannot adapt to or handle. I am old, but not so stiff!

Edited 2022-04-22 11:44 (UTC)

I wonder what it was... my distraction? Or perhaps you lifting my mood weakened whatever grasp it had. [that's... very sweet, and also interesting. he'd have to make a note of it to potentially share incase others were suffering a similar affliction. his lips quirk at the thought of the solution being having 'good chats' with a clever wolf.

oh, his tea. he picks it up, glad there was some lingering warmth even though he is once again distracted reading ammy's reply.] You seem too spry for such talk. [he answers, amused.] What darkness did you handle, if I may ask? Is it at all like the corruption here?

That, I am.

[ she's quick to agree with her activity! now, more Good Chats . . . There's no way she could leave at the moment. as the title suggests, viktor is a Man of the Good Chats. she is hooked, has nowhere else to be yet— she'll stay, just a bit longer with this boy. make sure his mercury tick was shriveled up for good. ]

Now then, my handling of the darkness: Demons. Remember my mention? They cause nasty corruption, in their own right. Plants whither and lands grow ill, where they are. Humans suffer equally or worse. They may be turned to stone, be influenced by their hold or lose their lives only for their poor corpses to host those intruders.

[ ammy is having a quaint old time just panting gently and glancing around their vicinity. she licks her lips, swallows— then pants again. the message continues. ]

I slay them, and turn their sin into purity.

You sound like a guardian spirit of sorts. [honestly kind of looks like one too, if he's honest. then again white wolves are not really an undercity or piltover thing, but still it sounds a little like the sort of stories told to children. he only vaguely remembers ones of wind and goddesses and the sort of fanciful hope he was never really the type to latch to even when young.

fascinating, regardless.] At least it sounds like you are uniquely equipped to handle this world. I feel for those without any magic in their lives before, it must be an intense adjustment to make.

[ he was so close! a guardian spirit! something of a warm little chuckle rumbles at her throat just as she stretches. ]

Indeed! The word we may be looking for is "overwhelmed"? [ that sounds about right; amaterasu opens her jaws wide to yawn. all those big white teeth! one eventually gets caught outside her lip. ] I go where I am summoned. I can only imagine those who arrive without a clue of what is around them and why. Equally overwhelming.

Well, if you ever need any help regardless I'd be happy to assist. I cannot imagine the language barrier makes things easy. [not everyone has omnis, after all. at least he's fairly certain that's a sleeper thing.

he considers for a moment if he ever really considered this place overwhelming- not really, not yet. odd, a little twisted but it has an internal logic beyond all the squid nonsense.] I know some struggle with the eh... the squid revelation in particular. In a way I find the whole matter comforting, I suppose. It is interesting to know something in our personalities themselves survives beyond a single reality.

Oh, no worries to be had, I get by. I spent years only barking and whimpering and panting the way a wolf does, and it hasn’t changed much. Although, back then, I had something of an envoy. He would speak for me! The only difference is that now, I speak for myself.

[ which is, actually . . . quite the upgrade! amaterasu begins lift from her laying from beneath the bench, first stretching her back with an arch that leads up to her head, and then from the flank down. biiiiig old stretch! ]

Many have that conflict, yes, of being something in shape that does not match what they’ve always known, I understand. Have you ever considered that being a squid in this world is perhaps the only way we can withstand its reality?

Not mentally. On the physical, meta-physical plane. I doubt a human’s body can warp so easily to this world without severe consequences.

Edited 2022-04-30 13:31 (UTC)

Were there many like you, in your world? [is cool magic dog world a thing? did people follow after in order to translate?

well, he's glad the trench is being nice and accessible at least. though he does now have about a million questions on how the omni functions if ammy is seemingly using it with her mind alone.]

That is a good point. I do think at the very least the squid form is the only way we can process some of the odder changes. For example, there are beings here who do not need blood, yet they have it now. Perhaps rather than their entire body twisting to take on this new reality their base form as a squid simply allows them to form a body more familiar to them without the eh... nearly impossible nuance of adding new internal system.

[ ammy does . . . something akin to a chortle, but doesn't answer his question at first. instead, she extends her head in a way that says "go on", and she wasn't disappointed. it was cute, to see him so enthusiastic to speak. she's found what he enjoys, and there's nothing better to watch as free entertainment than someone's passion. ]

I wonder what kind of blood I have, now. [ despite her coat of celestial warmth, and her actual, furry coat meant to hold in heat, her skin, much like her paw pads and her nose were quite chilly. ] Now, as for your question— yes, and no. There are twelve others like me. But I suppose you can say they are more a part of me than "like" me.

If you feel stronger in the moonlight you are likely a paleblood. Most other ways I know of learning blood type involve seeing the blood itself. [viktor offers, ticking off his fingers as he lists:] Darkblood is inky black, vileblood is corrosive, or so I've heard. I know very little about coldblood aside from it being blue allegedly.

[he hopes that is helpful. at least ruling out paleblood should be easy enough, given Endless Moon month.] Part of you... do you still have a connection to them here?

[ here, if she had the mouth for it, she would click her tongue in thought. instead, she decides to satiate an itch by sitting, lifting her hind leg and bending her neck sideways to kick at it. yes, that is the spot.

—oh, right, she had to write. silly her, forgetting and leaving him there in wait! ]

I apologize, the itch has been contained. Now then— yes, I very much do! They are within me, so I supposed they too have come for the adventure. It is how I light fires, bring winds, and grow trees, and so on. Did you know that, that I can grow trees?

[well that's cute. viktor still wonders if letting himself think things along the lines of 'cute dog' when ammy does things like that is somehow condescending.

well, wouldn't hurt to think it privately. unless the trench did something rude again.]

Can you? Have you had any luck here? From what I understand it can be tricky with the blood pollution.

To be fair, I haven’t tried yet. The sunrise has been my primary focus, as of late. It reeks of a cursed zone, and my sun only smudges the sky.

[ ammy looks up then, groaning at their dark and only available moon presence. it’s not that she dislikes the moon— but, the earth needs more warmth than what the pale light can provide. ]

Had it not been for you children to distract me now and again, my mood would be much more foul.

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