2017-12-28: The Bad and the Boulder
- Log: The Bad and the Boulder
- Cast: Ethius Hesiod, Lee Knight, Riesenlied
- Where: November City
- Date: 28th December 2017
- Summary: Ethius confronts someone he believes to be a mugger! The reality...
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
With the Badlands being what they are, there scarce seems to be reason to celebrate much of anything. Yet, at least some obscure traditions have endured. Glove Day is a more widespread one, surrounding the idea of people giving warm gloves to those in need in the coldest days of the year... Then there's whatever weird one the people of November seem to celebrate. Lots of red, lots of green. Fat jolly men in beards. There is some overlap in ideas - at least some lip service being paid to generosity to the less fortunate, etc, etc.
For some reason, one man is appearing so high strung about November City's own celebrations that he has taken to obtaining as many samples of decor as he can get his hands on. That tall, quiet, white-haired Symbologist who likes to keep the lower half of his face masked at all times, out in a shady alley as he inspects bulbs, garland, and other such pieces of decoration that really should not be any more interesting than a passer-by going 'ooh, look, how pretty/neat!'
It is a mystery.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
With the CaraKin taken care of, Riesenlied's found a more temporary solution to her injuries at present -- someone's gotten her a wheelchair, and she's going around the city in the disguise she usually does; a rookie Drifter by the name of 'Nazgul al-Rashid', which...
...
Mostly involves her hair getting shoulder-length and brown, and a jacket thrown atop her more usually tribal clothes. It's prim and nice, though. Too bad about the rest of her being the same -- horns, wings, misshapen arm and leg...
But Trouble seems to be having fun pushing her around, with little adorable beeps and boops. Is the ARM getting attached to her?
"Goodness... what is all this?" she muses to herself as she looks at the decorations. "It's like the spirit that visited Wayside... is it Santa?" She bobs her head. "They're giving charitably...! How kind..."
She seems enamored with the idea. Is a thought gelling in her head...?
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
And then there's Lee. Who came from the backwater of a backwater place and never really knew.. holiday. Just work and work less seasons. So it was quite facinating to watch the people as they'd do their little thing here and there. Him? Well he was still given wide berth considering the massive boulder he casually carried over one shoulder by that haft. Lee pauses at spotting an.. odd looking man, down one of those alleys that looks to have waaay more decoration than most people did. Huh. That seemed.. odd. Lee lifted the boulder, bringing it forward to look at it. "I wonder.. should I decorate you?"
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
It's all very pretty out there! Just like it's all pretty strange in there, in the alley, which a certain wheelchair-bound Drifter may soon come across.
Lee casts a shadow down the alleyway, which the man before him does not look back behind him as he inspects a long length of garland. The light that glints off of it disappears into shadow as the large man hefts the boulder. 'I wonder... should I decorate you?'
"Far Point!" Those words are called in tandem to a lightning-quick draw of a quarterstaff, garland left to drop to the ground, as the strange man in the alley lunges forward at Lee.
Holy crap this guy just went from 'weird dude with pile of stuff he probably shouldn't have' to 'battle-ready violent' in like 0.4 seconds. (The narrative kept track, this time.)
The edge of the qaurterstaff goes towards the hefted boulder, looking to tag it with a combination of precision and power to put the larger, stronger, boulder-wielding man off-balance as the strange man hoarding holiday decor looks him in the eyes.
There's something about this man's eyes that do not appear very inviting. They do not appear lively, like much anyone in an escalating situation ought to.
GS: Lee Knight has fully healed himself.
GS: Ethius Hesiod has attacked Lee Knight with Far Point!
GS: Ethius Hesiod has completed his action.
GS: Lee Knight critically Guards a hit from Ethius Hesiod's Far Point for 25 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
Ethius.. manages to budge the boulder. It was maybe as much of a surprise to Lee as it might be to Ethius at exactly how heavy that boulder really is. There's more weight than the size of the 6' diameter boulder says there should be, with general calculations..
But.. that would be time for someone who could calculate such. Lee's response to a sudden attack, even if it was aimed at the boulder, not him, has him deflect it wide. Eyeing the man now facing off with him, Lee wielded that boulder quite precisely, a heavy shove of the mass to push Ethius back, giving them spacing as Lee tried to figure out how to deal with this.
Small space. Big boulder. This wasn't going to be that easy of a fight.
GS: Lee Knight has attacked Ethius Hesiod with Spacing!
GS: Lee Knight has completed his action.
GS: Ethius Hesiod takes a solid hit from Lee Knight's Spacing for 89 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
There's a shriek from Riesenlied as a shadow flits out of the alleyway -- and she takes a moment to realise that it is Ethius. She frantically looks between the two, nearly toppled over by her chair as she looks between the two. "W-wait, wait! Mister Ethius, what are you doing?! Stop this!"
She raises her hand with a wince, trying to get out of her chair but failing to -- but eventually getting to the point where she can at least gather the power of the Dragon's Tear at her necklet. Much like the sandworm before, she can at least create a barrier of solid light to try to separate the two men as she struggles to wheel herself closer.
"Stop fighting!"
GS: Riesenlied has attacked Lee Knight with Rising Heart - 'Seek the New World'!
GS: Riesenlied has completed her action.
GS: Riesenlied heals Lee Knight! He gains 200 temporary hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Small space. Big boulder. Lots of stuff on the ground behind him. Lee's superior physical strength wins out against Ethius' overcommitted balance in the wake of the precise strike, finding himself shoved back over and against his haul in a clumsy, sort of humorous trip. Now he has garland wrapped around one of his legs.
Problematic.
If Lee chooses to close in, he has himself a good, clean shot at this fellow. Maybe one good downward slam of the hammer will take out this shady stick fighter dude, whoever he is, whatever he is, why he would ever even aggress on Lee to begin with.
His fingers start to flutter as he begins to chant a number of syllables. The air starts to grow a bit warmer--
'W-Wait, wait! Mister Ethius, what are you doing?!'
The fluttering fingers stops. His eyes don't change any, as the barrier of solid light forms around the large man of mystery and might.
"...One of her acquaintances, then." The man utters, still seated with a tangled leg full o' garland and maybe shards of bulb in his behind. (This man totally deserves shards of bulb in his behind.)
GS: Ethius Hesiod has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
Lee? For his part? Seems he was more than ready to indeed follow up. Even with it being a massive boulder, he wielded it more like a stick, around, back and up, interestingly enough, he didn't hit anything.. or anyone.. else when he moved. That is.. until the barrier came up. Pausing in mid stroke of that boulder coming down to knock some sense into this.. odd.. man, Lee didn't look away. He'd probably recognize the voice and that at least, would let him respond. "Lookit. I ain't knowin why he's swingin.. but I've found ya either swing back or run.. and This guy seems better ta swing back, than run from.. eh?"
GS: Lee Knight has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied is a little out of breath as she catches up, wheeling her seat as Trouble struggles to push her forward and not tip her over. "Mister Ethius, this is Mister Lee. Mister Ethius is acquainted with Miss Jacqueline and travels with her, and Mister Lee's similarly met her before."
She can only hope that Jay's name is enough to defuse the situation, since it's rather likely that associating with her own may not put the boulder-wielding man in the clear...
She does take the barrier down afterwards, though, perhaps as a show of trust. Is it a mistake?!
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
It might say a lot about this man that he doesn't bring a hand up to guard against the boulder that almost descends on him. The man is either dazed and confused, or... not the sort to give in to fear and panic easily, which is no mean feat when it something like what Lee's carrying.
"Is that so?" This 'Ethius' says as he slowly rises. Far too leisurely, for a situation that was about to probably escalate in someone or something being set on fire, constantly electrocuted, or worse (at minimum!!).
"Your choice of language and proximity had me assume that you were another mugger." This is a sort of rough part of November, after all. The pickpockets, the smugglers... lots of crazy things can, and do go down here in November city's Market Streets. (For example, this weirdo man who seems to be hoarding local holiday decorations...)
He comes to his full height, holding the quarterstaff like one might a walking stick in his left hand. Has he blinked since the two locked eyes? He doesn't look like he's softening any...
GS: Ethius Hesiod has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
"Muggin..?" Lee looked at Ethius.. genuinely confused. Stepping back a step as the guy at least doesn't innately start doing something hostile again, Lee would shift that boulder to sit once more over his shoulder. "Ehh.. I think ya got it wrong.. I just saw how festive ya were gettin and was thinkin about going to buy some decorations myself, since I lug this thing around with me everywhere anyways." Lee shrugs a little, while Ethius might not of blinked, Lee doesn't seem to have a problem looking over to Riesen as she'd roll up. "Yanno this guy? I ain't lookin fer trouble. Mebbe ya can vouch fer me and that?"
GS: Lee Knight has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied lets out another sigh as Ethius rises to his feet. She leans against her chair gently, and responds gently, "Yes, I can personally vouch for Mister Lee, he rescued me from an anxious sandworm earlier today. And Miss Jacqueline can also attest to that fact."
She shifts just a little as she pets Trouble for its, well, trouble. "Thank you for being swift... are you concerned? Aww..." she giggles, treating it more like a pet than a drone or an ARM of any kind.
"Still, this is an unsafe part of town, Mister Ethius is right..." she glances around.
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Believing this man might be about to perform another act of hostility - or at least start with one - is a perfectly reasonable fear. After all, it just happened!
"I see." That's all Ethius says, to the explanation and the vouching, and a deadpan acceptance about a sandworm's state of mind being 'anxious' as an important distinction as to the manner of Lee's character and helpfulness. There is a noted lack of apologies on his part. One is warranted. He started it, by the law of the land of four-year-olds (and five-year-olds and up, even).
He starts to wiggle one of his legs in which to shake off the garland. He does not look very cool while doing this. He looks silly. Someone with such a damned-near emotionless demeanor struggling to free himself of innocent decorations of a time of happiness that seems fleeting throughout Filgaia... well, that is what it is.
"Very well." Ethius also could probably afford to say 'hey, thank you for clarifying the matter,' but that seems to have escaped the tip of his tongue, and also the edge of his heart for that matter, as he frees the garland around his leg. Wrapped around his right hand, he extends it out towards Lee. "I suppose you will be wanting some of this for your decorative purposes, then?"
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
Lee watches Ethius as he'd accept the response.. and... that's it? Well.. Lee glances to Riesen with a small shrug, then looks back to Ethius as he'd offer over the garland. "Hmm? Sure. Thanks." Lee carefully sets the boulder down, so as to not crack what bit of road there might be there and goes to accept the garland. This, in turn, is hung across the boulder. See? Even the rock can be festive now, right?
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Trouble starts to squeak with a bit of excitement when it's brought up to its attention that there's a bag full of tinsel and other decorative purposes. Does it want some too, perhaps...?
"Ah, that's what you meant... a festive boulder... hmm, well, it certainly could work," Riesenlied chuckles mildly. She bobs her head. "Did you finish your business with the Adventurer's Guild, Mister Lee? I can't imagine they would turn you down at all... especially with Jay with you."
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
The garland accepted, Ethius steps back to re-collect his holilday heap. He doesn't turn his back to the lot of them. He just steps backwards back over the pile, gets the quarterstaff back on his back, and goes about gathering the items up. He works quickly, as though the very nature of these items being in his possession at all were of some level of urgency.
Which makes no sense, at all. These don't look any different from any other decorations the two might have seen. This may be even weirder for Riesenlied, who is more acquainted to this man (by how much, that remains a mystery). None of this looks like any sort of weird or lost technology.
It appears to be something he's coveting. Another strange anomaly in the professed pattern.
Rather than partake in matters of Adventurer's Guild employment, Ethius steps past Lee with the decorations, eyeing and staring down the squealing Trouble with the same troubling gaze he seems to give everyone and everything around him.
...Has he blinked?
He digs a hand into the sack, pulls out two bulbs (one red, one green), and holds them out towards the drone. It can maneuver itself around the hooks if they so please.
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
Lee eyed Ethius confused. Finally, he'd shake his head a little and dismiss the odd man. Not much more could be done about him it seems. Looking to Riesen, Lee nods in reply. "Yes. I'm fully a part of the guild now. They appreciated her being there and my accounts of saving others helped as well. It took a little time on paperwork. but did work out well. Thank you for the advice, it will be helpful in the future, I think."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riese does kind of give a 'what can you do' look to Lee for a moment, as if she's very, very used to this strange, silent man's antics for quite a while now... maybe it isn't very healthy for her, and may still be someday, but... so far, it hasn't caused irreparable damage. And if anything, she's the one who's had the more dire secret thus far...
Trouble squeaks in excitement, bobbling up and down in joy as it scoops up the bulbs and snatches them up to wear them like it were earrings. "Oh goodness, look at how festive you are now, Trouble...~"
She does nod at Lee, however. "That's great to hear! You'd be much more connected to others now, so I'm glad we were able to arrange something for you."
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Ethius takes a moment to cast a few glances out in the greater market. Of those passing, of those coming. Of those shouting, of those singing. Of those buying, of those selling. Of those standing, of those running. He sees it fit to not intrude that much further on the conversation between Riese and Lee, as they discuss the good news about the strongman's induction into the Adventurer's Guild. Here in some of the harshest months of the year, in one of the harshest climates of Filgaia, one would do well to find warmth and mirth in the company of each other.
This man exudes no warmth and inspires no mirth. Like a sore thumb, he sticks out as some element that is simply... separate. A strange man, carrying a supply of seasonal decorations that he seems to hold with a far different value and approach than those around him.
Even Trouble, a non-organic /thing/, seems to be really getting into the fun! Like on some level, the little drone is not beyond whatever feeling these customs impart upon those who partake.
After being satisfied - or maybe just losing interest - in the nearby surroundings outside of the conversation, he takes a set of deliberate, slow steps towards the wheelchair-bound presently dark-haired person of significant interest in regards to multiple parties and ambitions across Filgaia.
He takes out what looks like a beautiful, glittery star. Not so much in the workmanship of it - it is rank, cheap, amateur craftsmanship. But there is a sense that whoever put it together simply enjoyed the act of doing so, independent of a desire to meet some deadline in which to sell this thing off for quick seasonal impulse buy cash. Kind of like the things children put together, wanting to imitate what they see by their own hands, but not quite having the skill or grasp of it beyond the surface elements of appeal.
The man says something not easy to hear above the ambient crowd, and looks away as to prepare to take his leave to some other strange alley where there will probably be another misunderstanding.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied looks just a little surprised as Ethius starts to move in her direction, but cups her hand to her mouth as he produces a little glittering star, made out of some reflective foil paper. She tilts her head for a moment, smiling a little warmer as she accepts the gift... did Ethius himself make this? ... well, she chooses to believe that, over him swiping it from some other child.
That'd just be too cruel.
She blinks a little, though, tilting her head as he wanders off. What a mysterious fellow...! "Well... let's go find Miss Jacqueline and head back to the CaraKin, Mister Lee. We wouldn't want to keep her waiting too long."