( catch-all ) sailin' away on the crest of a wave

[sorser]

WHO: Stephen and various
WHAT: A catch-all for misc. things!
WHERE: In and around Castle Thorne, maybe the Horizon
WHEN: Throughout the month
WARNINGS: Will add as they come up!

(( closed starters and assorted things below! feel free to PM me if you wanted something specific with Stephen, or if you wanted to plot! ))

Comments

no judging here you should see mine pffsh

[leitstern]

[Jasper ignores the argument and continues attending his mare. His cruelty had served one important purpose: the prevention of further aggression. These bandits had showed no evidence of healing acumen and were unlikely to access proper medical care.]

No. We ought obey the law of the land.

[Says the man who acted with excessive force.]

Bring them back to the castle to answer for their crimes. Permit them to walk free and others might not be as fortunate as you and I.

[Now does this damned human-hugger understand?]

[sorser]

[He manages, somehow, to look more exasperated with each word that passes Jasper’s lips. It’s true, Thornean authority should at least be aware of what’s happened here, and it isn’t in Stephen’s interests, either, to let those with the intent to rob or kill innocent flora-gatherers walk away scot-free.

But why can’t anything be simple? An outing just be an outing? He ruefully laments the state of his luck, and his companion’s dour mood isn’t helping. Even if this is something he had accounted for by asking him along, it doesn’t mean the worst-case scenario coming to pass is any less tiring.]

If we’re going to lug three people back with two horses, then I’m at least going to heal that one first.

[The one with the crushed hand and probably a torn ligament in his knee.]

Otherwise, we’ll have to deal with his complaining the whole way back.

[leitstern]

[The proposal is unbearably kind and excruciatingly sensible. His brows draw together in reluctant agreement. By all rights, the three men ought be dead. It seems fortune favours them this day.]

I would ignore him.

[He says nothing else. Admittance he would suffer the man to walk would work against his interests. His hand extends in an offer to claim the reins of Stephen's horse. The man is putting his talents to use. Might as well offer his own.]

Attend to the wretch. I shall mind your horse.

[sorser]

[He hands the reins over, wasting no time in tending to the fallen men. The nearest one needs the most healing, takes the most time with a pass of magic over his body to ease the pain. But it’s still simple work, especially given his commitment to magical study since his arrival, and Stephen’s sure to cast a binding spell on him, too, before he stands. Amber ropes of Eldritch enemy loop and tighten around the man’s wrists.]

You know—

[He moves to the other, crumpled beneath a tree, unconscious with his nose ribboning blood.]

—I’m not a fan of outlaws, either, but you really seem to have an axe to grind.

[Crouching again, his hands extend to cast a minor healing spell.]

Is there a bandit problem in your world, or are you always so enthusiastic?

[leitstern]

[Jasper proceeds to calm the horse in similar fashion; approaching slowly to embrace her head. He turns her gently towards the frightful sight and helps her inspect his travelling companion begin his work.]

My hometown was infested with them. Cowards hiding inside their nests. Stealing whatever they laid their filthy hands upon.

[It did not matter if their victims had passed away; their homes were ripe for the picking. Yes, he truly has an axe to grind.]

Permit them to run free and they rot the heart of a community. So indeed, pray excuse my enthusiasm.

[sorser]

And sometimes crime is born out of an unlucky set of circumstances. People make bad decisions all the time when they’re desperate.

[No, he does not like being shot at, and he does prefer a situation where they have control, rather than arrows in their backs. But Stephen says it to make a point — not everything’s so simple.]

But that’ll be for Thornean authority to decide, not us. For now— [Finishing his spell, casting another set of bindings, then standing again.] —we have the unenviable task of trying to load three men on the back of our horses.

[Hope Jasper doesn’t miss arm day. Or leg day, for that matter.]

[leitstern]

[Points about empathy and mercy fly inside one ear only to leave his other. His back turns upon the problem - and his partner - his attention stalling. It returns to the task in hand, sending him across ground and grass.

One bound man is seized by the scruff of his neck and hauled onto his feet. Arms flex against their bindings. Curt words are spewed in his direction but snapped against: one hand jostling his prisoner forward. Towards his horse. Onto his horse. Over and across her backside like a hunting trophy.

It hardly looks effortless. He brushes his hands against his cloak and grasps the back of his neck, stretching out his arm. How better Hendrik should be for such labour.]

The rest would be better off riding with you, surely?

[sorser]

[Uh-huh. Ignore his insight, why don't you. Stephen won't waste his breath much more on the matter, especially if the words are just going to roll off like rainwater on armor.

Besides, he's already trying to wrangle one bandit onto the back of his horse, with ample help from a sentient cloak that does most of the heavy lifting. It wraps around the man, who's still muttering all sorts of colorful insults in Stephen's direction, lifting him up and placing him on the back of his horse. The doctor reaches out to situate him in a more balanced way, so that he doesn't fall off and go tumbling down a mountainside slope on the way back, straining the muscles in his hands as he works.]

Sure. Pile them up on the back of my horse, just like you see in a Western.

[Though he ultimately chooses to go the more logical route; the third bandit will simply be wrapped up and carried mid-air by his cloak, more than willing to travel behind them on the journey back. It floats beside the two men once it has its prize twisted up in its cloth, ready to go.]

[leitstern]

[Jasper thins his lips and narrows his eyes; a frustrated confusion jolting through his body head to toe. He closes his eyes in a second and inhales deeply. His refusal to ride and unnerve his horse is both pragmatic and honourable. It takes him a moment to collect himself, stretching the muscles in his hands.]

What are you babbling about?

[What on earth is a Western?]

[sorser]

[Only after his effort to mount his horse, in which he doesn’t have the advantage of a cloak to ease him up—]

No movies in your world?

[Unsurprising. Jasper has already struck him as a very medieval sort, suited to Thorne. He recalls his prior mention of a kingdom.]

Tales of bounty hunters in a lawless time that’d track down criminals, tie them up, and bring them back to the town sheriff to collect the reward money.

[leitstern]

[It takes a longer moment to process what his companion is saying. Stephen's collection of stories sound entirely strange. His eyes refuse to roll only because his foot slots into the stirrup - and in one fluid motion he mounts his horse.]

Childish adventures. The same nonsense my friend would enjoy.

[His hands grip the reins with a fine amount of unnecessary force. This time, his travelling companion is not the reason.]

How unsurprising.

[sorser]

[If Jasper thinks watered down summaries of old movies are strange, then he’d get a kick out of Stephen’s retelling of real-life experiences. For now, he peers over his shoulder to make certain both men are secure behind him—on horse and in cloak alike—before securing his own boots into the stirrups and grabbing hold of the reins.]

Yeah. You’re a lot of fun. Unsurprising.

[S a r c a s m. He nudges his horse forward, in the direction of the forest’s exit where they can find the road again.]

[leitstern]

[Jasper refuses to look back - believing his bounty is secure - and guides his mare across soil and stone. He mourns little for his captive and rejoices in his indignant position. His speed increases a tad - forcing the man's cheek to bounce and rub against leathery hide.

He continues pushing ahead till he rides side by side beside his companion. The man is somewhat taller. How he hates it.

The idea of biting back is appealing. Except he also finds pleasure in silence and chooses to say nothing.]

[sorser]

[He has zero qualms with the silence. Occasionally, it's interrupted by a pained groan from a bandit, or another long string of curses, or the desperate attempts to strike a deal to let them go, but Stephen is practiced in ignoring superfluous natterings and has nothing to say to them.

And so the ride back is quieter than the first, until the silhouette of the castle becomes more defined in the winter haze.]

The mages are always needing something gathered out here. [Beyond the castle walls. In case Jasper wants to play armed escort again, his fervent way of dealing with bandits notwithstanding.] If you're looking to keep busy.

[leitstern]

[The castle is a welcome sight. Groans and mumbles disturb the peace; the last attempt of a captive to earn his freedom. He laughs to himself at the fact he might share anything in common with his companion. His utter lack of desire for chatter. The blunt attitude many would consider rude.

His ride back feels as eventful as that towards their destination. He needs to lean forward to keep himself focused - until he stretches back in his saddle after a while. Now he can consider Stephen's advice.]

That I am. Only an armed escort is an inadequate solution.

[He slackens the reins and looks around the land. How strange to feel for its safety.]

People deserve to gather without fear. In the grand scheme of things better we prevent criminals than control them.

[It would be more productive to purge the vermin. But somehow he thinks Stephen would not approve.]

[sorser]

[On paper, it's not a bad ideal to aspire to, a land without criminals roaming amongst the population or hiding in the forests to surprise travelers. But Stephen does not believe it'll ever be so easy -- in this world, or an infinite number of others.]

Criminals are bound to exist no matter the world, no matter the society. Preventing's harder than controlling. Not impossible, but Thorne's going to have to implement more systematic changes for that, and I think they have a little more on their minds right now.

[He was never a street-level hero, dealing with petty crime on the regular, but he's fairly confident it takes more than rounding bandits up with zealous abandon.]

[leitstern]

[Jasper stares towards the castle; thoughts flying forward into his future. Perhaps he is fortunate to be living here a good while. His circumstances force him to care about this kingdom becoming his home away from home.

It makes him need to learn and understand his place. He has more important people on his mind right now - one man in particular - but he does listen to those who offer information.]

The Singularity? Some mages remarked about that.

[sorser]

Singularity's the reason why we're here in the first place.

[He may only be regurgitating information that Jasper already knows, but he might as well fill the air with some conversation of import while they take the gently winding road down to the castle gates.]

And the reason why this world's practically on the precipice of war.

[leitstern]

[One appreciate murmur is all Jasper offers on the matter. He has waged enough war and witnessed enough destruction that he knows the end result. His head shakes in disbelief; unlike now his motivations had been deeply personal. What ought be his motivation here?]

The lure of power seems as great in this world as any other.

[Power? That is reason alone to act. Still, he sounds skeptical of being dragged into another's war.]

I would hope our hosts intend not to drag us into conflict. But I find myself without much to hope for these days.

[sorser]

[He scoffs, unable to help himself.]

Less dragging us into conflict, and more of a strong suggestion that we all pull our weight.

[Stephen doesn’t think it’s cynicism, more than simply looking at all the red flags and making an educated guess at where political tensions are headed.]

They didn’t perfect an inter-dimensional summoning spell just for the sake of adding a few extra citizens to their kingdom. Thorne, at least, has made it clear that we’re here to help with the monolith problem.

[leitstern]

[Jasper finds his understanding of this world changing under his feet. His grasp of governance improves by the second as he listens between the lines - learning about politics and fraught diplomacy. He doesn't feel as much interest for the people who share this earth.]

Many hands make light work. Should the danger extends to every universe, I suppose that provides a coherent argument for collaboration.

[Which is to say...]

Only friendship matters not. The monolith offers power. Each nation is certainly thinking about betraying the other.

[sorser]

[That’s not a point Stephen will argue, nor one that he wishes to. Some things never change, no matter the universe.]

Each nation doesn’t even know what it’s dealing with. Thorne thinks it has the best idea, but there are still too many unknowns.

[He sighs, his horse ambling down the path closer to the castle.]

I’d like to say that the Summoned are the outside perspective that a world like his needs, but even we’re prone to our own biases. Here’s hoping there are more people concerned about figuring out the crux of the issue than going to war over it.

[That is to say: maybe you, too, Jasper, should try to see the big picture and not fall into factional politicking.]

[leitstern]

[Hooves beat into earth. The sound grinds his ears. The voice of his travelling companion becomes an extra annoyance, prompting him to lean forward in the saddle. He sighs in frustration - but aims it towards people outside their immediate circle.]

I would expect the worst outcome. Or do you predict every soul here will be benevolent?

[His reasons for waging war have always been personal. What motive could possibly drive him here when he has barely settled in? Perhaps making a name for himself?]

[sorser]

No.

[No, Stephen is not so idealistic, or optimistic, to think that'll come to pass. He already knows that there are some who'd prefer war in this place. Those who are pushing for it as they speak.]

Because that'd be too easy, wouldn't it? I don't expect anything. But I hope there will be enough who'll take into consideration the consequences the Singularity could have on our worlds and decide what to do from there, instead of taking what our hosts say at face value.

[leitstern]

People are easily fooled. Most shall follow this conflict towards its bitter end without consideration.

[It is a simple matter to share his opinion about their situation. Less simple to admit he had fooled his closest friend for over a decade; a man without a shred of guile. The guilt weighs down his shoulders - a stone inside his chest.

He holds his breath a moment. Exhales and makes an observation.]

It seems that bothers you.

[It should upset him. It doesn't.]