[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.]

[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?

[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.]

[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?

[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.

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.

[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?

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.

[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.]

[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]

[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?

[cointosser]

[Jaskier looks over with amusement. Mm, conversation about adventuring, or lack thereof, is much preferable. He doesn't need to think in the moment.] Really? A mage who doesn't adventure? Are you a farmer, perhaps?

[He's teasing, mostly because he seems to meet otherwise fascinating people who crave the mundane. Jaskier can't relate, of course; there's a hunger in him that's barely been sated with twenty years of traveling.

Jaskier looks back at him. Well, he wasn't really trying to hide it. He waves his hand as if to prove he's fine.] I imagine you're asking because I'm wounded, not as an insult to my pride. [He smiles genuinely now, and easily.] I've encountered worse than a wet ghost. Not that I anticipate trying to get in a spat with her.

[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.]

[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?]

[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?

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]

[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.

[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?

[piromare]

There are definitely more. Their hunger is greater than anything, and if it means teaming up despite their previous instincts... they'll do it.

( ahead of them, lio can already spot movement beyond some trees. the kind that remind of him flames flickering, but instead it's a wavering of the shadows and darkness that makes him shiver. it's the soft scent of disease on the air combined with the uneasiness of knowing that any scratch, any bite, anything at all could make either of them ill. )

If we're looking to prevent them from attacking anyone else... we'll need to make ourselves look like good targets.

( unless they already are. in which case, lio huffs as he waves his sword ahead of them. )

There's at least three. Maybe more. And that doesn't include any that might be behind us. Do you have enough arrows?

[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?

[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.]

[proudofme]

Sure will! I've gotten pretty good at it. Healing magic. At least. [not really any other kind, but he didn't want to start meddling with anything that reminded him of his father's dark magic. Sure, that could b used to heal, but it was always at the expense of something else. Healing here was much less... morally messy.

Soren seats himself into place and puts his hand tenderly on the wound, before the glow of magic starts up. The girl's discomfort seems to wane gradually, though the fever will take a little while to fully clear up. Soren looks to his company for the time, since it'll be a bit. Might as well make... friends? Maybe?]

You also fall out of one of those mirrors?

[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. ]

sorry this is so late, it was a hectic work week

[scowlish]

[Onni snorts at the suggestion he might be a farmer, or that it's strange for a mage to not go adventuring, and shakes his head.]

No. I was in the military, but didn't really do much fighting. I mostly specialized in protective and defensive spells. A lot of patrolling the edges of the city and all that.

[A shrug, and he glances back at the posting about the lake lady thing. He doesn't look at Jaskier as he starts talking about his injury and his pride, mostly in case he has wounded the other man's pride.]

Because of the injury, of course. If I'm going to go out there, I'd rather have someone who'll be able to watch my back.

[Onni has very little consideration to spare for people's pride, whether it's someone else's or his own, but he doesn't go out of his way to hurt people either. His mind is eminently practical. Things are what they are and there's no use acting like they aren't, in his opinion. The truth in this case is that he's interested in the lake ghost and that if he goes out there, he'd like to go with someone else who he can trust and who will be capable of looking out for him. The Cwyld might not be as bad as the Rash, but he still has a healthy respect for it.]

You don't? Most of the ghosts I've run into were either sad things that needed guidance to the afterlife, or very angry and violent. What worse things have you run into?