Nero. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ofthesword) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
abraxaslogs2023-12-07 08:17 pm
ofthesword) wrote in abraxaslogs2023-12-07 08:17 pm
OPEN MINGLE: welcome to solvunn! (run while you still can)
WHO: anyone and everyone in solvunn
WHAT: mingle for the summoned, old and new
WHEN: a day or two after the new summoned arrive
WHERE: tertiary settlement
WARNING: goat violence iykyk (none for the moment!)
( A ) frosty weather
( feel free to check the locales section for more info on the tertiary settlement! )
WHAT: mingle for the summoned, old and new
WHEN: a day or two after the new summoned arrive
WHERE: tertiary settlement
WARNING: goat violence iykyk (none for the moment!)
( A ) frosty weather
( feel free to check the locales section for more info on the tertiary settlement! )
The cold weather that comes with winter exchanges the constant autumn downpours for its frostier kin. The air grows drier, the ground colder, and nature recedes unto itself; grey skies offer not only brisk, chilly winds, but a flurry of snow most evenings. The snow almost never sticks, though the blanket of white remains a slurry reminder around the clock of shorter days of sunshine and a creeping coldness. Some days, though, when the temperature drops just enough, the Settlements wake to find themselves in for a winter treat. The landscape is covered in snow, the plant-life frosted over, and a general sense of cheer invades the locals as they come about to decorate and prepare for the Winter Solstice.
This mood spreads throughout the settlements, and with Isar Hart recently stepping up as the permanent Council member for the Tertiary Settlement, maybe there is a reason or two to go visit the westernmost settlement at a time like this.
Located just off of Hydra Gulf, the Tertiary Settlement is rife with activity as the locals prepare for their version of Winter Solstice celebrations. They are, through and through, a fishing-based economy, and the newcomers that show up—the Summoned—either out of curiosity for the place or in having found themselves stranded during the harsher weather, are expected to lend a hand with the different activities that have become just a bit more difficult with the heavy snow they've gotten the past few days. The coastline has frozen over, meaning that ice fishing is in the cards; sleds are made available to travel from the settlement to the beach, boots with spikes strapped under the soles, tools (picks and axes) to open a hole in the ice, fish hooks and spears. To those less enthused by fishing, they are welcome to visit The Soundless Hollow, a cave beside a large rock formation, where they are expected to help tend to the candles and the snow that has blown inside with the strong winds.
Once things have settled, however, and the horizon casts itself with beautiful tones of purples and oranges over the coast, those nearby will want to enjoy a moment of ice skating on the frozen shoreline. As long as someone can attach their boots onto the metal-made blades, one should have no issue whatsoever in tackling the ice.
This mood spreads throughout the settlements, and with Isar Hart recently stepping up as the permanent Council member for the Tertiary Settlement, maybe there is a reason or two to go visit the westernmost settlement at a time like this.
Located just off of Hydra Gulf, the Tertiary Settlement is rife with activity as the locals prepare for their version of Winter Solstice celebrations. They are, through and through, a fishing-based economy, and the newcomers that show up—the Summoned—either out of curiosity for the place or in having found themselves stranded during the harsher weather, are expected to lend a hand with the different activities that have become just a bit more difficult with the heavy snow they've gotten the past few days. The coastline has frozen over, meaning that ice fishing is in the cards; sleds are made available to travel from the settlement to the beach, boots with spikes strapped under the soles, tools (picks and axes) to open a hole in the ice, fish hooks and spears. To those less enthused by fishing, they are welcome to visit The Soundless Hollow, a cave beside a large rock formation, where they are expected to help tend to the candles and the snow that has blown inside with the strong winds.
Once things have settled, however, and the horizon casts itself with beautiful tones of purples and oranges over the coast, those nearby will want to enjoy a moment of ice skating on the frozen shoreline. As long as someone can attach their boots onto the metal-made blades, one should have no issue whatsoever in tackling the ice.
( B ) solstice preparation
The Summoned are welcome to stay in the homes of the families that live in the settlement for the time being. They aren't exactly considered friendly, compared to the other two settlements, but the upcoming celebrations and the presence of some of the Summoned has, in fact, improved the general spirits of the place. Since the Winter Solstice gathers the community around to give and share, no bartering needed, many makeshift 'stalls' that have started to be set up around the settlement will offer passed-down recipes, from hot drinks—ciders, teas, hot cocoas—to freshly baked goods and stews (many fish-based) and treats, to be tried. Enthused by the presence of the Summoned, they will also be expected to help with decorating the settlement, given that they are far behind such things compared to the other ones. Perhaps this is their time to shine, despite the reputation of the place? Boughs of holly and garlands, bells and twine will be passed around to decorate, along with candles to be set on every window. Once in a while, the orphaned and troublemaker children will expect gifts, so anything the Summoned can spare will be met with much enthusiasm. Unless it's a ruse for pockets to be picked? Watch out.
A variation of the Goat of All Tidings is thus seen, as help is much appreciated to dress a large goat-figured in what dry grass, twigs, cloths, and other flammable fillings are found. If all goes well, it will last until the celebrations start properly, but until then... hopefully nothing will accidentally happen.
The Summoned are welcome to stay in the homes of the families that live in the settlement for the time being. They aren't exactly considered friendly, compared to the other two settlements, but the upcoming celebrations and the presence of some of the Summoned has, in fact, improved the general spirits of the place. Since the Winter Solstice gathers the community around to give and share, no bartering needed, many makeshift 'stalls' that have started to be set up around the settlement will offer passed-down recipes, from hot drinks—ciders, teas, hot cocoas—to freshly baked goods and stews (many fish-based) and treats, to be tried. Enthused by the presence of the Summoned, they will also be expected to help with decorating the settlement, given that they are far behind such things compared to the other ones. Perhaps this is their time to shine, despite the reputation of the place? Boughs of holly and garlands, bells and twine will be passed around to decorate, along with candles to be set on every window. Once in a while, the orphaned and troublemaker children will expect gifts, so anything the Summoned can spare will be met with much enthusiasm. Unless it's a ruse for pockets to be picked? Watch out.
A variation of the Goat of All Tidings is thus seen, as help is much appreciated to dress a large goat-figured in what dry grass, twigs, cloths, and other flammable fillings are found. If all goes well, it will last until the celebrations start properly, but until then... hopefully nothing will accidentally happen.
( C ) ice fishing
Nero (of the Welcoming Committee) has taken a new lease on life. No longer crafting hand-made obstacle courses sporting land mines and poisonous toads, he has found a new hobby to indulge his free time in:
Ice fishing.
Why the hell not? Enough fucked up Singularity weather combined with some helpful magic flooding the sea has got the shoreline waters turning to ice, and that provides ripe opportunity for... something new.
Even if it was weird. Whatever. Point was, he wanted to try. And ice is a challenge. With what knowledge he'd gotten from Geralt (minimum; use worms and maggots for bait, which he painstakingly spent days capturing and sticking in a bucket of dirt) his strength (needed to both bend wires into hooks and make holes in the ice) and his dad-like impulse to build things (several small, wooden shacks on the ice, each with a torn-up stump for sitting on, and something resembling a small table), Nero has set everything up for the coming holiday, 'cause... he might as well. A demon hunter without demons to hunt has a hell of a lot of free time, unlimited amounts of energy, and a stupid amount of strength to waste on bullshit.
So be sure to go towards the frozen beach just down a path from the festivities, lit up with string lights that hold magical flames, akin to the twinkle of Christmas lights, instead of bulbs, where Nero can be seen, on his knees, punching several more holes in inches-thick ice. He's set up rudimentary rods with baited hooks, more buckets of bait. Even at night, the whole place is lit up nicely that (most) people won't bust their ass trying to get across the ice.
It's nice.
Nero (of the Welcoming Committee) has taken a new lease on life. No longer crafting hand-made obstacle courses sporting land mines and poisonous toads, he has found a new hobby to indulge his free time in:Ice fishing.
Why the hell not? Enough fucked up Singularity weather combined with some helpful magic flooding the sea has got the shoreline waters turning to ice, and that provides ripe opportunity for... something new.
Even if it was weird. Whatever. Point was, he wanted to try. And ice is a challenge. With what knowledge he'd gotten from Geralt (minimum; use worms and maggots for bait, which he painstakingly spent days capturing and sticking in a bucket of dirt) his strength (needed to both bend wires into hooks and make holes in the ice) and his dad-like impulse to build things (several small, wooden shacks on the ice, each with a torn-up stump for sitting on, and something resembling a small table), Nero has set everything up for the coming holiday, 'cause... he might as well. A demon hunter without demons to hunt has a hell of a lot of free time, unlimited amounts of energy, and a stupid amount of strength to waste on bullshit.
So be sure to go towards the frozen beach just down a path from the festivities, lit up with string lights that hold magical flames, akin to the twinkle of Christmas lights, instead of bulbs, where Nero can be seen, on his knees, punching several more holes in inches-thick ice. He's set up rudimentary rods with baited hooks, more buckets of bait. Even at night, the whole place is lit up nicely that (most) people won't bust their ass trying to get across the ice.
It's nice.
( D ) talk shit get hit (on purpose)
Nevermind. Nice? Is boring. The ice fishing didn't do it for him. Nero now turns his attentions to opening a fight club.
It wasn't his initial idea. It was more like a sort of drinking club. Whatever. The people in Solvunn love drinking, even if he doesn't participate. But then a guy got too rowdy last time he was at the tavern, enjoying his usual carrot/ginger juice, and he'd had to toss him out and tell him to let the steam off somewhere else.
After Nero had laid out the guy in the dirt, the idea had sort of... come to him. Lotta liquor ends up with a lot of hotheads with energy to spare. And considering the little crowd that had gathered in the very short fight between them... look, he's seen movies before.
And thus borne of Nero's inability to do nothing: a fence originally used for keeping sheep in their pen has been moved closer to the settlement, wrapped up with more of those magicked twinkling lights, and a circle pit has been slightly dug out, the dirt smoothed and dried as much as it could be to prevent slipping. Rings of men and women sit along the railing, waiting for their turns to pop into the ring and work out their issues. Bruised, broken, or bleeding losers (or winners) stumble out with their arms in the air -- or as high as they can go -- to Himeka, waiting off to the side with a smile with her free healing services... unless the participants are too proud of their bruises to heal them. (Everyone deserves at least a Cure 1, though!)
Nevermind. Nice? Is boring. The ice fishing didn't do it for him. Nero now turns his attentions to opening a fight club.
It wasn't his initial idea. It was more like a sort of drinking club. Whatever. The people in Solvunn love drinking, even if he doesn't participate. But then a guy got too rowdy last time he was at the tavern, enjoying his usual carrot/ginger juice, and he'd had to toss him out and tell him to let the steam off somewhere else.
After Nero had laid out the guy in the dirt, the idea had sort of... come to him. Lotta liquor ends up with a lot of hotheads with energy to spare. And considering the little crowd that had gathered in the very short fight between them... look, he's seen movies before.
And thus borne of Nero's inability to do nothing: a fence originally used for keeping sheep in their pen has been moved closer to the settlement, wrapped up with more of those magicked twinkling lights, and a circle pit has been slightly dug out, the dirt smoothed and dried as much as it could be to prevent slipping. Rings of men and women sit along the railing, waiting for their turns to pop into the ring and work out their issues. Bruised, broken, or bleeding losers (or winners) stumble out with their arms in the air -- or as high as they can go -- to Himeka, waiting off to the side with a smile with her free healing services... unless the participants are too proud of their bruises to heal them. (Everyone deserves at least a Cure 1, though!)
( E ) tbf it was foreshadowed
Nero in particular – and perhaps all of Solvunn -- learn a valuable lesson today. While the fight club could only be called a rousing success, it appears as though encouraging people to work off their drunken energy does, in fact, encourage them to drink even more.
The Goat of All Tidings was meant to be a decoration only. It was lit up, clothed with a great big scarf (donated by some very bored housewifes), his all-mighty horns so large they curl over his back, towering over the citizens of Solvunn. Clearly goats are just awesome, but it stands, perhaps, as a testament to Isar's recent entrance to the council with the sacred aid of Spyndlveiss. At least, that's what some of the locals claim... which is funny, because aren't sheeps more their thing?
Maybe the horns just look cool. Maybe everyone's just drunk.
And that's exactly why, at some point in the night during the celebrations, a wild holler roars across the festivities, with several joining until it's a cacophony -- conveniently rising in volume as the Goat of All Tidings begins to erupt in flames, which climb over those grasses, wood and cloth in mere seconds.
Everyone crowds around the Goat as fire eats it. Here's to a bright new year! Out with the old, in with the new!
Rumours later might have several hungover patrons insisting a small, chatty animal had encouraged the first flames, giggling to himself as his paws clapped together, but no one can agree on what, exactly, the animal was... or if it was just a mischievous forest spirt come to mingle among the people.
Nero in particular – and perhaps all of Solvunn -- learn a valuable lesson today. While the fight club could only be called a rousing success, it appears as though encouraging people to work off their drunken energy does, in fact, encourage them to drink even more.The Goat of All Tidings was meant to be a decoration only. It was lit up, clothed with a great big scarf (donated by some very bored housewifes), his all-mighty horns so large they curl over his back, towering over the citizens of Solvunn. Clearly goats are just awesome, but it stands, perhaps, as a testament to Isar's recent entrance to the council with the sacred aid of Spyndlveiss. At least, that's what some of the locals claim... which is funny, because aren't sheeps more their thing?
Maybe the horns just look cool. Maybe everyone's just drunk.
And that's exactly why, at some point in the night during the celebrations, a wild holler roars across the festivities, with several joining until it's a cacophony -- conveniently rising in volume as the Goat of All Tidings begins to erupt in flames, which climb over those grasses, wood and cloth in mere seconds.
Everyone crowds around the Goat as fire eats it. Here's to a bright new year! Out with the old, in with the new!
Rumours later might have several hungover patrons insisting a small, chatty animal had encouraged the first flames, giggling to himself as his paws clapped together, but no one can agree on what, exactly, the animal was... or if it was just a mischievous forest spirt come to mingle among the people.
no subject
Yeah, built the whole thing underground. Sometimes gets overrun by these freakin' weasel things, but they clear out pretty fast. [He couldn't drive out the plant-infested weasels since he was the one building on their land, but they've reached a stalemate where they use the sauna sometimes to chill and Nero doesn't chase them off. Too often.
Nero sighs, and it's sharp.] It's not that. It's... we've tried. It wears on you, being here this long, and nothin' works. [He turns to Ed, though, suddenly aware of what he's said. He isn't here to tell him he'll never see --] You can tell me 'bout him. If you want. The inn guy, right?
no subject
Or something.
Ed makes a face. Ugh. Weasels. Then again, they probably lived there, didn't they? Before Nero dug up all his holes? Maybe it's not their fault they're hanging around in the sauna. Maybe weasels deserve to relax, too.
He pulls the hood of his cloak over his head. A pink cashmere scarf is tucked under his wool coat. His fingers drum as he waits for the fish to begin biting.
Yeah...he could. Does he want to? Ed grows quiet. He doesn't actually talk about Stede a lot, mostly because everyone he'd tell about Stede already know about him and Stede. Really, the hardest part about all this is that the stuff he wants to say is mostly stuff he'd want to say to Stede. All those, you know, fears and worries. He doesn't think he'll find anyone else here or anywhere who'll get him the way that Stede got him, but Nero's the next best thing right now.
After a moment, he pulls his line out of the water and casts it again. ] His name is Stede. We co-captained for awhile. He didn't know jack shit about captaining, but he got...pretty good. Well, in his own way. His heart was in it. [ He fiddles with the reel on his rod. ] He saved my life.
no subject
Co-captained. [He repeats the word, trying to work out what, exactly, that means. Nero's about as far from a pirate -- or a ship guy -- as he can be from some lady flipping burgers on the mainland. It doesn't occur to him that having two captains can make things complicated. Whatever. Maybe some boats need two.
He breathes, slow. He saved my life. He knows what that does to a guy. Can sort of hear it just in Ed's tone.] I always figured... if they get you, they'd known you never left on purpose. That you're always planning on coming back.
[It's what he tells himself about Kyrie. She has to know he wouldn't abandon her. He'd die before he even thought of it.] I'm sorry. It sucks, knowing they're waiting back home. Not much to do about it, either.
no subject
It's happened. Sometimes. He can sit still, on occasion. ]
Yeah. Maybe, I don't know. [ He doesn't want to get into how he kind of bailed on Stede before. Twice. Look, he's not good at this, but he was trying, and it feels bad that he didn't get a chance to put all that trying he wanted to do into action before he got sucked through a demon dimension whirlpool.
He jiggles his fishing rod up and down for a bit. Nero's being nice, he gets that. He just doesn't wanna talk about it. ]
Well, since I'm stuck in this godforsaken goatland for a while, anything your pamphlet left out? I got the notes on the shark guy, the big rock, and that creepy chicken house without any actual chickens in it.
no subject
They're not the same person. And maybe the co-captain guy was kind of a dick.]
Dude, there's more than I could fit on it. Maybe I should give you the older versions of the brochure... [If he can find some.] Not once, but twice, a buncha corpses rose and tried to kill everyone. An altar ate my arm. Three gods decided to fuck everyone's shit up and mind control them into being dicks. The Queen over in Thorne blew up a city with a magic meteor. [He holds his rod between his boots as he counts them off on his fingers.] Some delegates to the werewolves or some shit almost got murdered. Oh, yeah. Faeries exist now, too. So you got vampires, werewolves, faeries, dragons, demons... -- shit, speaking of, that's skipping over the random portals that dumped monsters from our worlds all over the place, which also ended up in even more people dying.
So, you know. A lot of dying overall.
no subject
Hold on a minute. Older versions? Ed squints at Nero, fishing rod gripped forgotten in his hands. ]
Maybe I shouldn't've fuckin' asked. [ It's mumbled under his breath. ] Wait, what's that bit about the arm? Go back to that. 'Cause—
[ He waves his hand in a circular motion at Nero's arms, which are both currently attached, so either ate my arm is a slight exaggeration or Nero's got some extra weird shit going on beyond demon hunter. Still figuring out exactly what that means, by the way. ]
no subject
[All of that, and he asks about the arm? Nero gives his fishing rod a tug, but nothin' bites. Big shocker. Actually, starting to think punching the ice to make the holes might've been a bad idea in the long run. Are fish afraid of sound?
Shit. He doesn't even know if fish can hear.]
Easier to show you. [He says it to himself more than Ed. Nero grabs his right arm with his left, and pulls it off. That simple. It comes off, the way he knew it would -- even if he's never really tried it. Intentionally.
He drops the arm in Ed's lap.] It grew back.
no subject
Well, almost. Ed's reaction is a little delayed. He looks at the arm with a Oh, huh expression, because sometimes limbs end up in his lap, like when Spanish Jackie pulls off her wooden hand or whatever. Then he gives the arm a squeeze, and it's. Fleshy. That's flesh. Why is it meaty. What the fuck—
He jumps to his feet. His fishing rod goes askew across the ice, and Ed does the first thing that comes to mind: throw the arm right back at Nero. ]
What the fuck! [ What the fuck. Jesus Christ. Grew back, grew back, what the fuck does that even mean. He smooths down his shirt. ] You can't just go around dropping fleshy arms in people's laps, man, I don't care how—normal it is for you, okay, some of us lived very non-limb detaching and vampire-free lives before they got sucked through a fuckin' witch pool!
no subject
Weird demon shit. Guess it's been that way for years, anyway.]
Hey, watch the merchandise! [He catches it, where it dissolves in his hand and seemingly reappears right where it belongs.] Look, you asked. And it ain't normal for me, either.
[But, you know, it's how it is now.] Wait, the fuck? I'm not a vampire. Where the hell'd you get an idea like that?
no subject
[ Doesn't anyone use their words around here? Christ, and he thought his crew was nuts. His crew thought he was nuts. And look, maybe he did lose it...a little on them back then, but he was going through a hard time, and yeah, he's going through a hard time right now, too, and probably so is Nero, so this is just a bad explosive combination all around.
He sighs. Fuck. He's not even gonna answer that. He didn't actually think Nero was a vampire, he actually doesn't even know when vampires entered the conversation. When did he say vampires? Is Nero a vampire? God, his head fucking hurts. ]
Okay, you know what? I'm gonna remove myself from the situation and [ He makes a vague gesture with his arms towards the inner commune and away from the ice holes ] warm my fingers up before they fall off, 'cause unlike yours, mine don't stick back on.
[ Yep. Off he goes. Bye-bye, Nero. ]