abraxaslogs | WELCOME TO SOLVUNN!

WELCOME TO SOLVUNN!

Welcome to Solvunn! Bright suns and merriest of welcomes to you! The portal opens in a vast field on the western side of town surrounded by cattle, with a distant view of the bustling marketplace. The first impression of the settlement is one of idylic, country charm. There are no looming structures or crowded streets. Instead, there are cozier houses on wide streets and community buildings made of stone and wood. A gentle breeze rolls across the field and the sun is high in the sky.

There's not as much magic here as in other locations, but it's there. No one will be stopped from entering Solvunn, though suspicion will be cast upon new arrivals. Citizens will be friendly and welcoming, but curious about their new visitors. It isn't often that they welcome new folks- especially not so many at once!

With tensions between the other communities, Solvunn will not be keen on ratting out those who fled Thorne, but with the knowledge that sanctuary will not be given for free. Everyone does their part, whatever that part may be.

Asking questions will result in being told to find Rowan March, one of the council members, somewhere in the marketplace.

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[The boy is trying exceptionally hard to drag Martin along by one arm, and despite Martin being a fully grown adult he's finding that holding onto one of the horse rail things is definitely helping to not get dragged away by the preteen. When Relena speaks, though, the boy looks up sharply, and immediately throws himself behind Martin, who gives a small shock of laughter.]

Well, uh. You know. [Relena finally gets his full attention: he's thrown himself into a routine so eagerly that he's not paid much attention to the other people summoned here, so he doesn't really know Relena's face.] Sign yourself up for babysitting duty and everyone pretty quickly loves you for giving them the break.

[He gives her a quick smile, before he ducks his head to look at the boy.] I'll come play when I'm done, Devon, how's that sound?

[The boy gives Relena a narrow-eyed look, but his face is bright pink, and he nods a few times before he slowly releases Martin to run off.]

[ Martin sure is struggling... but it seems her approach has given him a moment of respite. The boy has vanished behind Martin and Relena can't help but lean to try and get another look at him. It's funny, she thinks, how quickly kids get shy. She was always so reserved and distant at that age. She never had the energy nor care to skitter away from people older than her. ]

I'm told it's not easy to find a trustworthy babysitter. I guess that's true no matter where you go. I'm guessing they truly appreciate it.

[ She watches him address Devon and smiles at the child with a short wave of her hand. She returns her attention to Martin, then, the smile not leaving her face.

She'd personally been minding, at least to some extent, who had come through the portal. When they'd come through, she adamantly wanted to make sure she could account for them all even if she knew very few names here. Even if she was not a leader here, she felt some kind of responsibility after learning what she had and urging Oliver for his help. ]

At least it hasn't been hard to settle in. I'm... surprised, honestly.

Well, the 'not being in jail' certainly helps.

[It's a weak joke at best, and he's not quite looking at her, making sure Devon rushes away in one piece before he turns his attention, and a small smile back to Relena.]

Everyone's been pretty welcoming, so, uh. That's quite nice of everyone, i-it's... reassuring, I suppose. The sense of community's lovely.

I definitely enjoy being out of a musty jail cell, that much is true.

[ Jail cells... wells... caves... weird magic ceremonies... she prefers some fresh air and a decent place to sleep more now than she ever has before. ]

The mood is vastly different from Thorne, for certain. It's a comfort, being somewhere where we have a chance to prove ourselves. If I'm to be treated like a criminal, I'd at least like to have done a crime first. Besides, I'm learning some skills here I never thought I would.

Right? [There's a soft warmth to his voice, excited but demure.] I-it's so strange, all the sorts of- of things we can learn here. All this magic, it-- well, it's not quite the same as it would be back home. Much, uh. Much more benevolent, I think.

[ Relena nods, feeling the same. Magic is an impossibility in her world. They've only been blessed with technological progress. But that 'same as it would be at home' strikes her. ]

Does that mean it exists in your world? And... I'm guessing in a more ... troubling?

Edited 2021-09-22 15:01 (UTC)

U-um, well...

[His hands begin to fidget together idly, but his tone remains mostly relaxed and casual. Mostly.]

I'm sure you know about Jon's powers by now, the, uh. The Knowing? That's from one of the, uh. I suppose they're kind of like gods, but a lot less, um. Benevolent. [He presses his lips together for a moment, with a quiet hum.] They all feed on fear, so people who do have real magic back home don't tend to be, uh. Pleasant company. Y-you know, most of the time. Jon's... well, h-he's often quite terse, but he means well, he cares so much.

[ Relena had not actually been sure of how Jon had forced the information he had out of Ambrose. She knew he had compelled it from him, but with her limited knowledge on these things, the form of what that meant was beyond her. She takes in the vague explanation and nods, deciding to ask Jon more about it when the time seemed appropriate later.

Still... his and Martin's world felt concerning compared to her own. The constant conflict she'd been brought up in was difficult, but it had been between humans and the machines they'd made. They could comprehend and defend against these things. Malevolent gods? It seems overwhelming. ]

Jon's been quite kind to me, so I believe that. Heero... is the same. He can be terse and distant, but he's kind despite what's happened to him. Maybe that's why I can speak easily to people like Jon and Estinien.

[That gets a warm chuckle out of Martin, and a softly fond smile.]

Yeah, it's... a bit of a skill, isn't it? Giving people the benefit of the doubt like that. Estinien's, uh... still a bit prickly with me, a-and I can understand why, but. Yeah, they really are both the kind of people where you just need to... give them the opening, I guess, to know you want to mean well by them.

[He's quiet for a moment, and then flashes her a brief, awkward grin.]

Kind of like stray cats, isn't it?

I suppose it is. Estinien's the type that's on guard, but he does mean well, just like Jon. He's just... got a very strong sense of beliefs. But, you're right, they just need an opening and a healthy bit of patience, I think.

[ Relena flashes a grin, amused. She can agree. They are all like stray tom cats, Heero included. They need coaxed in and you have to be prepared for a swipe or two, but it's worth it in the end. ]

I think their fur would ruffle if they heard that, but I agree.

N-no, yeah, I definitely agree with you. Estinien is... very forceful about his opinions, it feels like. Very intense.

[Or maybe that's just reserved for when you've gone and associated yourself with Known Sociopath Nero.]

I feel like he'd not really know what to make of it, to be honest. Probably he'd ask if I've gone blind and think he has a-- a tail, or something.

[He's chuckling as he imagines it, though. It was wonderfully easy, talking to his fellow once-prisoner.

...hm. He frowns slightly.]

...I-I'm terribly sorry, I just realised I never got your name. I'm Martin- Martin Blackwood.

He is. I imagine he's lived a life where he has to be.

[ That's par for the course for fighters, she's seen. It's another point where he reminds her of her brother, or at least what she knows of her brother. For better or worse, it's a bit comforting. ]

I think here, it wouldn't be impossible... Estinien has been rather... scaly more than once.

[ She is still not used to the dragon state he comes into, but time around Himeka has at least made it less jarring. ]

Oh, no, I'm sorry too. I'm Relena Darlian. It's nice to meet you, Martin.

WELCOME TO SOLVUNN!

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