[open] on rocks i dreamt of where we stepped

[scowlish]

Who: onni hotakainen; open
When: throughout aguril
Where: various
What: catch-all and quests for the month
Warnings: tba in subject lines



Prompts in the comments, marked open or closed. Hit me up by PM, discord (coffee #6251), plurk (caffemisto), or with a comment on my cr meme post if you want a specialized starter or to plot in advance!

I'm writing prompts in brackets style but if you prefer prose feel free, I'll respond in kind.

Prompt Links.

i. building supplies: scavenging wood to build a sauna, various places in the city

ii. picnic serenades: wandering in the gardens, offering to play music for picnickers

iii. out of the city: general medical care and fighting in the outer city

Comments

[open; general] building supplies

[scowlish]

[Still being new to this place, at least relatively speaking, Onni hasn't managed to sort out a consistent job yet. Unfortunately, that means that getting together the building supplies for a sauna isn't as simple as going to a shop and buying them. Some of the supplies can be bought that way - a hammer, nails, a level - but most of the raw materials are things he's going to need to scavenge.

Thankfully, Onni is very good at scavenging and completely lacks any kind of shame about digging through the discarded scraps of any torn down buildings, places being remodeled, shipping pallets, and even discarded furniture like dressers or benches. It's a lot of work, but Onni has never minded hard work, and besides that, his little wood quest is great for keeping his mind busy, especially when paired with the various odd jobs and other quests he has going on. It's harder for a busy mind to get lost in anxiety and fretting, after all.

Whether he's digging something out of your trash or you just catch him pulling planks or pieces of furniture out of scrap heaps in the more residential areas of the city or breaking down crates or pallets in the harbor district, he's got no shame about being caught in the act.]

[killuwatt]

[ At first, Killua thinks there must be some sort of animal digging around in the scrap pile in one of the back alleys as he's passing by. The noise makes him curious, so he peeks in--

But he definitely didn't expect it to be a person. And much less one he knows. Even... respects. kind of. maybe??

Uh. ]

Onni? What the heck are you doing in the trash?

[scowlish]

[When he hears the voice behind him saying his name, Onni lifts his head and looks over his shoulder, then stands up and wipes his gloves off on his pants. There is zero indication that he has any shame about being caught digging in the trash, and that is precisely because he doesn't have any shame at all about digging in the trash. He doesn't really have much shame about anything.]

Mm. Just looking for building supplies. I don't have a steady job yet, and I want to build a sauna.

[Simple, right?]

[killuwatt]

A sauna?

[ That's so... specific. ]

Why a sauna? Aren't you hot enough with the weather lately? And why are you trying to build it out of trash?

[ So any questions. What is happening. ]

[quintessent]

[Onni might find some luck scavenging on the grounds of one of the mansions within the grounds of the Haven. Having recently renovated their own property to include a small in-ground pool for their resident Merrow, there's a good amount of stone and other materials rife for the picking. It's worth a look at least.

It's in the evening that Allura hears the sounds of someone outside. Assuming that it's one of her housemates, she doesn't think too much about it until they don't come in. Silently, she makes her way to the door and eases it open to spot a shadow on the other side of the lawn. Ancients, she wishes she had a flash light about now.]

Identify yourself. [She calls from a few feet away - she's dressed in her nightgown and unarmed, so she's not striking much of a threatening figure, but the command is clear nevertheless.]

[scowlish]

[It is, in fact, a bit of a goldmine, for someone who knows what to look for. There's a lot of abandoned wood and stones and paneling, which Onni is gathering up into a tidy little stack at the edge of the scrap heap he's digging in. Probably, it's pretty uncouth of him to dig around in people's trash, but he doesn't really care because people throw things out that are still useful and Onni doesn't have a job yet. And he has needs. What kind of place doesn't have a sauna in at least every second building?

So, when someone emerges from the house, silhouetted by the lights coming through the door behind her, he looks up with his expression completely unconcerned. Standing up, he lifts a hand and waves.]

Onni Hotakainen. I'm just looking to see if there's anything useful here.

[A pause, and he puts a hand on his hip, brows furrowing slightly.]

Unless you'd rather I left it alone. I didn't think you'd care since you were throwing it out.

[quintessent]

Oh.

[She'd been keyed up for a fight, or at least an argument. But the wave and the introduction are disarming, and Allura blinks, feeling her posture soften by a degree.

Resetting her mindset, she shakes her head. Her tone is kinder, the next time she speaks, but confused,] I didn't realize- [Gesturing to the pile he was already knee-deep in.] There's nothing in there but garbage. Nothing that is useful.

[Said like someone who has never had to go rooting around in someone else's trash before.]

[open; city-wide quest: part-timers] picnic serenades

[scowlish]

[This is not exactly his area of expertise. Of course Onni can play his kantele, and he can do so with some level of skill, but he doesn't generally make a practice of just playing for crowds of people. Especially not when he doesn't have a few drinks in him, among friends. It isn't his style, he's never been the type to show off what he can do or seek and accept praise for things that he can do well. But money is money, and it is a skill that he has, so it's worth doing it if it means putting food in the cupboards and the opportunity for some sweet treats here and there.

Not that any of that makes it feel less stupid to wander around and look for groups of rich spoiled people having picnics in the gardens and ask them whether they'd like some music to accompany their meals. It would be easier if he'd had a beer, of course, but he also doesn't believe in working under the influence, something beaten into his skull through years of work as a mage in the military, where loss of judgement can cause serious problems and get people hurt or killed. Even though this is a lot less risky and runs a much lower chance of getting anyone injured, it isn't like he's going to allow himself mistakes here either.

With his kantele hooked to the loop on his belt, he wanders down a path in the gardens, and peeks around a bush when he sees a person there.]

Hello? Are you picnicking here? Do you need some music?

[blankpieces]

[Near's head snaps in Onni's direction as he comes around the corner and he hisses, pupils thin lines in his dark red eyes.

He rears back, raising himself to the tallest height he can manage (which still isn't very tall, even given more practice with his snake-like lower half. The naga is about to bare his fangs when he seems to come to his senses, freezing.

His posture relaxes and he seems to slump in on himself, shifting away from the man.] Sorry, you... startled me.

[Not really the right term but he'll go with it.]

[scowlish]

[The person he'd run into is obviously a monster, some sort of snake creature, he isn't sure what they're called. But either way, he rears up a little, hissing at him, eyes red and pupils barely a slit, and Onni jumps back instinctively, pale eyes going wide. Lifting the kantele up in front of himself protectively, he blinks a few times and stares, managing to register that the snake-person is apologizing and saying he was just startled.

Blinking off his own startlement, he registers that the snake-person is smaller than he'd seemed at first. Taking a sharp little breath, he lowers his hand and hooks the kantele to his belt with an easy, familiar movement.]

No problem. I was startled too. Are you alright?

[blankpieces]

[No. He hasn't been "alright" for a while. But Near nods his head anyway, because his fear of going feral isn't any of this man's concern. His posture relaxes, though his tongue continues to dart in and out of his mouth at a faster rate than usual.

As he's calming himself down, he takes a moment to get a better look at the other individual. His head cocks slightly in curiosity. There are two other people he's reminded of, though he hasn't seen either lately.]

You aren't Scandinavian by any chance, are you?

[open; wilde quest: out of the city] medical aid, fighting

[scowlish]

[The opportunity to go to the Outer City, where people live without the protection of the Bright Wall isn't initially a big draw for Onni. He's used to the delineation between protected areas and unprotected areas being much less...hazy...than they are in this place. At first, he has no intention of going outside of the Bright Wall and risking his own life, when he has an important task to go back to at home, and when his fear of being infected, whether by the Rash or the Cwyld, is so intense and has been for so long.

But after a while, he comes to understand that it isn't as dangerous in the Outer City as it would be in the Silent World, and so he makes the decision to go out to see if his skillsets are of any help, well armed with his bow, spear, and the ever-present face mask that came with him from home.]

medical aid.

[Onni has never been specialized in healing magic. Even at home, where he'd known a few healing spells, he hadn't studied it in-depth. Most Finnish mages didn't bother much with healing, even the bit that Onni picked up had been more than most of his mage friends had. But he does have a long history of taking care of sick family members, mostly Tuuri and Lalli, though he'd looked after his parents a few times when they'd come down with something or gotten injured. Those skills are the ones he ends up putting to use the most in the Outer City.

Crouched over a young girl suffering a fever after an injury had been infected, he lifts his hand from her forehead and glances up at whoever happens to be standing closest.]

Will you hand me that poultice? I think it might help.

fighting.

[Of course, he does have some skills besides folk remedies and checking for fevers. The Shades here are an ever-present danger, something that's very familiar after a life of dealing with trolls and beasts and even the occasional giant. Onni is accustomed to seeing the twisted husks of creatures that have been taken by a horrifying disease and, especially after his time in the Silent World, is quite adept at fighting them.

It isn't often that they breach the places Onni likes to stay - a little closer to the Bright Wall, since he doesn't quite lack the confidence to venture out to the fringes just yet - but they do sometimes. And when they do, he stays ready, hypervigilant as he's been for most of his life.]

Careful. Behind you.

[Turning, Onni pulls his bow from his back and nocks an arrow and draws, face set in a serious expression, before releasing the arrow and letting it fly at whatever creature was approaching.]

fighting

[piromare]

( there's no way he'd let anyone that he knows go into the outer city without some form of backup: not everyone is well equipped to handle any level of infection. from the still sane to those who've gone too far, lio wouldn't hesitate his sword or his wings... either for scouting or to eliminate any level of threat.

and it looks like he's lucky to have onni.

lio clicks his tongue in annoyance--- he should've picked up that they were being stalked, but hearing isn't his forte. slipping the sword out from its sheathe at his side, he takes the opportunity to dispatch the beast with the arrow sticking out of its side with one downward slash. )

Thanks. ( he stares down at the shadowy beast. ) This one is smaller than the last one I fought off.

[scowlish]

[Onni is at least equipped to handle some level of infection, still wearing his mask from home and feeling a little more capable than he had for the first couple of weeks here. It's the only reason he went into the outer city at all - because he's worked out that the disease here is bad, but not quite as insidious or permanent as the Rash is, though no less damaging to the soul.

And thankfully, after having been out in the Silent World and having held his own for so long, he has some confidence in his ability to take care of himself. Apparently, to take care of others as well. He manages to distract the Shade with an arrow long enough for Lio to dispatch it with his sword. By the time the creature falls to the ground, he has another arrow nocked, eyes narrowed as he scans the surroundings.]

That was a good one, small or not. Still, I wonder if it's just the first scout. Others might be behind it.

[His eyes keep scanning the surrounding trees. He's sure he can see dark shapes in the shadows of the forest.]

Medical Aid

[proudofme]

[Soren had never had magic of his own back home, nor had he wanted it, not really. Becoming a witch was more a crisis than anything, but he took it in stride. No other choice, really. He had to learn some way to use it up or he'd get the jitters.

Or explode.

Since his main issue with the Dark Magic is father used was how much it could hurt people, he took up healing as a specialty of sorts. He's actually pretty good at it! He strides over when he sees Onni motioning for some help, ]

What's going on with her? Fever? I can handle that! [confident! Maybe a bit too boisterous of an energy for the tone of the room. He'll spot the infected wound and look to her after, putting a nice, brotherly tone]

I'm going to get you allll patched up, okay? It might hurt just a little, but I have to touch it. You're going to feel much, much! Better after.

[scowlish]

[Back in Finland, magic had been commonplace. The military had used it for almost everything - protection, defense, fighting trolls and beasts, and even healing. That hadn't been a priority, though, very few mages had bothered to learn much healing, let alone focus on it. Onni had known a bit, but not that much. In retrospect, probably he should have learned more.

It's something he's interested in trying out now that he's here and has less to worry about. For now, though, all he has is his knowledge of herbal treatments and general care of the sick. So when the younger man comes over to ask about the girl and say he can handle it, Onni shifts to the side and nods.]

Ah, yeah. It's a fever, because of an infection in her wound. I've been applying this poultice to try to pull out some of the infection. It's worked a little, but the fever won't go down.

[But the other man is already going on, talking quietly to the little girl, reassuring her that he'll get her patched up and explaining how it will work. Onni falls quiet, watching him as he works, eyes flicking between the young man and the child.]

Will you use magic?

[closed: jaskier; high-risk quest] lady in the lake

[scowlish]

[It was not Onni's intention, when he went to glance over the wall in the Coven where people post about various expeditions and points of interest, to actually pursue any of the things mentioned. It's a sort of idle interest, more geared at wanting to understand or know more about this new world he's landed in. New world or not, though, he hasn't suddenly grown a deep desire to go exploring and adventuring, it's all really just idle interest.

But he lingers for quite a while, arms crossed, eyes flicking across the various papers posted there. Something about some flowers the Coven in another city wants, another about some pearls in a lake. That's the one he's looking at when someone comes up beside him, and he glances up and to the side a little.

The interloper turns out to be that man he spoke to about doing magic through music and chanting, early on when he'd been practicing. He'd had some strange name...Jasper, he thinks, or something weirder. Jaskier. Yes, that was it. Once he has the man's name firmly settled in his mind, he lifts a hand and waves idly.]

Hey.

[A short pause, and he looks back at the wall of advertisements for quests and items and whatever else, then back at Jaskier.]

Are you planning on doing any of these?

[cointosser]

[Last month's expeditions (one could hardly call them adventures, unfortunately) had been worthwhile for Jaskier, who, while magic was good and all, was far more interesting in purchasing himself some lovely rings and new clothing. Albeit on the other hand, his ventures outside the city wall had been fortuitous; his knowledge of the Cwyld's infection and the general state of Monsters, which was more on the depressing side of things.

Bonds and... stuff.

Funny that the horrible things have happened more in the city than out of it. Well. The outskirts. And not because of a plague.

Jaskier still cannot find the will to stay inside his quiet cottage for much longer. The board of requests gives him something to do so his mind doesn't linger on the attack on the third of the month, or the conversations since then he's had with Geralt. He stands on a precipice, terribly afraid his friend won't see the safety in bonding with him, and also unsure of the bond himself. Magic has a terrible habit of over-complicating every fucking thing.

Holding his sore arm closer to his side than normal, Jaskier's lost enough in thought that he doesn't notice the familiar face at first. The pain of Geralt's wolf jaws breaking his arm nearly in half is a phantom pain that lingers often. One he doesn't mention.

Hey. He blinks, turning.] Oh! Onni! [Though he's less bright and talkative than before, he still manages an easy smile. Their conversation preciously had been a fascinating one, and writing his name helped Jaskier remember it.] My friend, how have you been?

[Ah, he shouldn't have asked that, for the last thing he wants to do is answer the same. He moves on quickly, hefting the lute case on his back a bit higher.] Absolutely. I might go mad if I sit around listening to lectures all day. [He scans the board, skipping between details. His eyes pinpoint the word pearl and, honestly, that's enough for him. A lady, hmm?] Pearls are rather priceless where I come from. Jealously guarded by sirens. [He rubs his arm, the ache dull.] And if there really is a lady of the lake, that's the sort of story I can't turn down. What about you?

[scowlish]

[When Jaskier calls him "my friend," Onni's brow raises slightly but he doesn't say anything. He has no real objection to Jaskier calling him a friend, so there's no reason to protest it. Actually, it isn't bad to hear that from someone. It's been a while since he was in Keuruu and had people nearby who would call him a friend, and for a moment he does miss the other mages he'd spent time with back there. No use dwelling on it, though.

Jaskier seems a little....dulled, compared to last time they'd met. It's a little surprising, since he'd seemed like the sort who never lost that bright shine, and because it's surprising, Onni finds himself mildly concerned. Again, though, it isn't quite enough to comment on, not just yet and completely unprovoked.]

I've been fine. You?

[But before Jaskier even really has a chance to hear his question or respond to it, he's continuing to talk, answering the question Onni had asked him in the first place. Onni can empathize with the feeling of going insane listening to lectures all day - even when he'd been learning magic the first time around, Onni had never attended lectures or classes. That was how they taught Icelandic magic; in Finland, you learned on the job, in the field, from people that you were close to, usually in the family. That, in Onni's opinion, was a lot more interesting than taking notes all day.

The bit about the pearls being priceless where he comes from is interesting. There are no Sirens in Onni's world, or at least none that he knows of, but pearls are equally rare, mostly only available from pieces of jewelry that had managed to survive from the Old World. It is interesting, but Onni has never been motivated by wealth, not as long as he has enough to get by and to provide for what remains of his family.]

I don't know. Adventure isn't really my type of thing, but it is interesting to see there's another city. I wonder what it's like.

[Even that curiosity is a testament to how much he's changed since that first time he'd left Keuruu to chase after the radio that would let him talk to his sister.]

And I suppose the Lady of the Lake is interesting. Sounds like some kind of spirit, and I wouldn't mind taking a look at that. She must be dangerous, though...

[A pause, and his eyes flick down to where Jaskier is rubbing at his arm. Eyes sharp, Onni looks back up at his face.]

Are you sure you're up to that kind of thing?

[closed: soren; high-risk quest] darkness and frost

[scowlish]

[It's been a long few days helping out in the Outer City, and this day has been the longest. For all that he'd been in the military in a place besieged by disease, the condition of this place is worse than what he's used to. Even the villages like the one he'd grown up in hadn't had this many incidents, attacks and infections, and it's difficult to see here. So it's been a bit wearing on him, to help out with the injured and sick.

While he puts away some of the medical supplies he'd been using, carefully folding white cloth bandages and capping off bottles of herbal ointments and poultices, he feels the presence of someone nearby. Looking up, he blinks as he sees the monster who'd been standing off to the side. He's seen this dragon off and on over the course of the day, and he'd seemed reserved and like he preferred to be alone, which Onni can certainly identify with. He doesn't suspect the dragon is here to talk to him or anything, and there is quite a bit of activity around the place Onni has been sitting to put the supplies away, but it's worth checking out.

Placing the bandages inside their tin container and shutting the lid, he stands up, brushes his hands off on his pants, and goes over to the dragon. Dressed in a long tunic and worn leather leggings, with a fur cape and a black breathing mask he'd brought from home, he looks like a cross between some kind of fantasy forest man and a post-apocalyptic hermit. The truth is somewhere in between.]

Are you looking for medical help? I can get out the supplies again if you need them.

cw: minor blood

[silentsavant]

[ Soren studies the post-apocalyptic fantasy forest man, pupils dilating and retracting as he focuses on this stranger. He'd noticed the witch before, but he never attracted much of his attention, fading into the background as he surveyed the rest of the outer city and kept clear of anyone who so much as coughed. It was easy when others tended to avoid him with as much scrutiny. A dragon is easy to infect. That's why he never goes out of his way to help those on the outskirts, only visit from time to time to see for himself how things change — even if he's equipped with protective wards and clothing.

But he's observant enough to suppose that this man's different from the others at a fundamental level. He can't be a hundred percent certain without confirmation, but he struck him as an outsider like him, a Mirrorbound. He has a good sense for that. And for medical attention, he'd rather seek out one of his own "kind", so to speak. He points to the dirty nick on his brow, frazzled but trying his best to swallow it down and managing good success on that front. ]

Yes, please. And if it looks infected, please don't hesitate to let me know.

[ Thankfully for the both of them, it's just a bleeding impact wound, like something rough had been hurled at him. No Cwyld. ]

[scowlish]

[A lot of people as new to this place as Onni and from different sorts of worlds might scoff at a dragon worrying about a tiny nick above the brow, Onni comes from a place where even the tiniest wounds can be absolutely deadly in the worst possible way. And so, even if the dragon is holding back his panic decently well, Onni reacts as if it's a serious issue, especially since he knows enough to know that dragons are particularly susceptible to the Cwyld.

Leaning in, he takes a close look at the wound, lifting a hand to push back a few strands of hair so he can see it clearly.]

Hm.

[Letting go of his hair, Onni steps back and beckons with one hand, jogging back toward the supplies. Over his shoulder, he responds, realizing he hadn't actually given the dragon an answer about the infection.]

It doesn't look infected, from what I can see. But once I clean it, I'll know for sure.

[Another pause, and then-]

It might hurt a little.

[closed: yennefer; practice]

[scowlish]

[Whenever Onni isn't working, he's been at the Coven practicing magic, tirelessly repeating his chants until they feel right. Without the focus of having a particular god or goddess to call upon here, the biggest difficulty he's had with learning the magic is working out where to direct the request. At home, it had been related to his beliefs, he'd had a pantheon to call to in order to choose what sort of magic he was going to do, it had functioned on belief and trust. Here, he's had to intellectualize it to a point that he's not entirely comfortable with yet, exchanging his gods for a 'focus' or some other abstract concept rather than something he truly believes in. The most success he's had so far is to call on his own instincts and emotions to guide the spell.

Thankfully, the repetition and intellectualizing has paid off a little. He's learned a few spells now - something to push the air and make a wind, one that sends out a wave of force in every direction, another that sends a damaging dart of energy from his hands. Right now, he's practicing one that creates a sort of spectral armor on another person, which will be useful if he finds himself in the Outer City again, fighting Shades.

When he starts in on the fourth repetition of the chant he's worked out for this particular spell, trying to get the wording of the incantation correct, he doesn't realize that there's someone else in the room. Eyes closed and mind focused, he calls on the feeling he's chosen for this spell - his desire to protect the people around him, triggered by a memory of Lalli and his sister and the bodily sensation of stepping in front of them to keep something from hurting them. The chant comes out of him in a deep, slightly rough voice, lilting in that familiar rhythm, the one he's used since he's a child, the metre of the Kalevela, as familiar as his heartbeat.

The chant comes to a natural end and Onni can feel the magic around his hands, formed into something cohesive for the first time since he's started practicing this one. Turning, he looks for a suitable target for the spell, and sees a woman standing there. Without asking, he walks up to her and presses his hands against her shoulders, allowing the magic to leave them and form into a spectral suit of armor around her body that lingers for a few moments before dissipating harmlessly into the air.]

Ah. It worked.

[chaoticbeauty]

[ There was quite a bit that Yennefer wanted to work on, but logically she understood she could only focus on some much at a time. So, she’d kept track of her desires and what powers she’d like to get back. Or at least recapture as closely as she could to what she’d been accustomed to having. It would never be the same and she’d finally accepted that. At least, she’d accepted it at a surface level.

Part of her attempts to put in a genuine effort after getting through her personal rage at having to start over again after over 35 years of not being a student was to come to the coven and learn what was being offered. And after Jaskier’s close call with a feral Geralt, continuing with healing magic, illusions, and ridding herself of the wish were next. Re-expanding her telepathic abilities wasn’t a rush after her last use of them. It was still too soon. She’d almost left when she’d found the room occupied by someone else, but as she’d been planning on mostly reading… She’d assumed they might’ve been able to share the space without interrupting him too much.

And then he touches her and part of her is curious, but the other part holds concerns -- not in the mood to be used as an experiment. An eyebrow arches when armor wraps around her body before dissipating, her only indication of an emotion -- positive or otherwise. ]

Do you often use strangers as practice tools?

[ There’s no malice in her tone, just… not accustomed to being used for magic tests. ]

[scowlish]

[Onni isn't sure he'll ever accept that his magic won't ever be the same, here. Or rather, he'll accept it as fact, but he'll never be happy about it, or even okay with it, really. It's wrong, but it is what it is and it's what he has to work with. He'd rather work with strange and awkward and incorrect magic than be completely defenseless in a new world with someone to look out for. And so he practices, trying to recapture some semblance of the professional capability he'd had at home.

For now, he's pretty satisfied with how that most recent attempt had gone, and it only occurs to him that it might've bothered the object of the spell to have it done without permission.]

Ah. No I don't, not usually. Sorry about that, I've been practicing that for hours and it was the first time I felt like it might work. I did it without thinking.

[A shrug. The apology is genuine, and Onni doesn't feel at all aggravated or ashamed to offer it.]

I was getting pretty frustrated. The magic here makes no sense.

[A pause, and then he gives a moment of thought to the fact that he's not sure who he's talking to and therefore how completely oblivious to what sort of offense a statement like that might be giving.]

Well, at least to least to me. Are you from here?