Event Log: January, Return to Dorchacht

[faileas]

Event Log: January, Return to Dorchacht

I. A Tarnished Reality The teleporter to Dorchacht becomes operational by the 4th and the ambassadors return to their city with the first open, ceremonial operation of the device - along with any Mirrorbound who wish to join them, and Theodore Rosethorne and Sowilo, who make the trip as representatives of the Coven to ensure that all is well. Those who missed the first teleportation, never fear! Now that both waypoints are functional, Mirrorbound and others may travel freely between Aefenglom and Dorchacht at any point they choose to. Notably absent from the group, though - most of the Dorchacht refugees originally smuggled into Aefenglom. Only three or four are going back with the ambassadors, and they're primarily Witches. The rest have chosen to stay. Upon return to Dorchacht, it's obvious that some major changes have been made with the new regime. The sky is overcast, but it's merely fault of the weather at this time of year - the oppressive fog that used to hang over the Black City is gone, along with its effects on the natural lunar cycle. The auction blocks, damaged in the fires of the event the locals now call "The Rising", have been fully torn down, not a trace of them left to sully the streets. Where the triple stars of the Resistance used to be worn in secret, a majority of citizens now bear them openly (and in many cases, proudly) on pins and on clothing. In fact, any Witches who do not display the triple stars on their person somewhere, are generally regarded with suspicion, disgust, or fear unless they're recognized as Mirrorbound Witches - careful not to be mistaken for a Drummond sympathizer. The Monster citizens won't be outwardly cruel to any Witches, but will be somewhat fearful, hurrying their children along or crossing the street to get away. Recognizable Mirrorbound, those who were there during The Rising and before, are treated a bit like celebrities on the streets, though any Mirrorbound are given a warm welcome, albeit a little less warm for Witches. Storytellers share tales of how diplomats treating one another, Witches and Monsters alike, as equals so publicly and openly within Dorchacht gave them hope that such a life is attainable, or how a band of Mirrorbound snuck into the city under the cover of darkness and helped give their Resistance a leg up in the good fight against Drummond's extremists. Others share stories of being rescued from burning buildings or cruel Witches during The Rising by brave heroes. Many of these tales are shared in the form of song, as homage to those Mirrorbound who brought hopeful music to Dorchacht through the radio, which is still operational and playing a selection of music with a little more variety. Still a bit soft, their speakers and songs are, but as time passes, they grow a little more experimental, branching out from the lullabies that used to be played. Overall, the Black City is much less black these days, a little greener and brighter from the plants left by Mirrorbound before. Where the old Dorchacht could take your breath away with its feeling of barred oppression, many of those barricaded windows have been opened, reinforcements on the doors broken down. Though things are never perfect after a revolution, and it's clear that the work continues. Armed Resistance guards patrol the streets in trios, normally two Monsters and a Witch, to keep the peace. Their first priority is the protection of Monsters, many of whom still seem anxious and scared as they go about their days - not of the guards themselves, who they often greet with smiles, but of the Witches and humans they pass on the streets. In some cases, keeping the peace means breaking up fights between their own and those humans and Witches who do not want to accept Monsters as their equals, and in some cases it means putting Drummond sympathizers in their places with intimidation and force. While they do their best to keep skirmishes out of Mirrorbound sight, it's clear that despite the improvements, Dorchacht is still no utopia, and the road to a true peace is fraught with speedbumps. As noted, characters are free to travel between Aefenglom and Dorchacht by teleporter as often as they'd like! The waypoints will remain open even after this month and travel will be unrestricted; we will note if this situation changes in the future. Dorchacht quests are also now available ICly!

II. A Few Alterations a. The Coven Major changes are still underway. One of the biggest that Mirrorbound will notice is that the new administration of Dorchacht have moved the Coven. The old building is in a state of disrepair right now, doors and windows wide open, the interior stripped of trappings. The library has shed its books to somewhere else. The basement where so many horrors took place is abandoned. Instead, a sign has been erected outside it, stating that this center of Drummond's operations will be turned into a museum to remember their unpleasant history, and to memorialize those who lost their lives fighting for freedom. It's still a work in progress, and not high on the priority list when survival and care of the citizens have to take precedence, but inside, characters may still find small shrines set up in various places to Resistance members who died there. Instead, Dorchacht's new Coven is currently based inside an old manor located just a handful of blocks from the town square, and it's a much more informal affair. Magic lessons have continued with Resistance Witches, though the subject matter has changed instead. They experiment with different types of magic based on their own interests, but many are studying plant magic, medicine, and defensive spells that can be used out in the Wilde. Anything that will prove to be practical going forward. Lessons are also open to Monsters now, so they can see what their magical brethren are learning (and know that the compulsion and control spells that Morgana loved so much are no longer being taught). With the Coven being moved, visitors from Aefenglom are offered places to stay either within the manor of the new Coven, or in various empty houses around the city. Stay as long as you'd like, they say, and apologize that the accommodations aren't nicer - reconstruction is still obviously ongoing all over the city, repairing damages from The Rising and the fighting that happened afterward. They don't really have anywhere as nice as the rooms their ambassadors were given in Aefenglom. b. The Walls One of the biggest on-going projects in Dorchacht right now is removing the Monster control spells from the set of enchantments on their city walls. High on the list of priorities is making sure that Monsters can feel safe again, secure in their own minds and bodies. As the spells are made visible, particular sets of runes have to be ground down and smoothed over. A spell is either cast or provided to soften the stone temporarily, and then it's basically going at it with magitech-powered sanders created by Hilda. The particular runes that need to be gotten rid of will be provided on reference sheets - please don't touch the others, they chide! Those are to protect from the Cwyld, and are still very important. While help is welcomed with open arms and enthusiasm at most sections of the walls, those guards posted at one particular small district, guarded with trios of Resistance members at each entrance and warded with alarm magic to warn of escape, turn Mirrorbound away; these runes are being altered, not removed, to help contain unruly Drummond loyalists, they say. The people who now live in that guarded district are all human, whether they're Witches or no, and all refuse to bear the triple stars. "Troublemakers," the guards will explain grimly. "We have to contain them for now. It isn't a perfect solution, but they've hurt people, or tried to hurt people, since Drummond was run out of town." c. Bond Lessons Bonding is a bit of a tricky subject in the new Dorchacht. Many Monsters are afraid of the idea, as it was once used as one of the collars around their necks, but the Circle of Three recognize it as an important way to wean citizens off the lullabies and calming draughts that prevent going feral during full moons. As part of encouraging others to form Bonds, partnerships at the very least the way most Resistance members describe theirs, there are demonstrations and public seminars that pop up around Dorchacht on the regular. They may be as informal as a circle in what's going to be a park or as official-seeming as a talk held inside a shop or lecture hall, but they have one thing in common. Many of the citizens are keen on getting Mirrorbound in on it -- mostly by dragging them in, asking if they have a Bonded, and if they do, they tell the Mirrorbound to talk about their Bonded. They're interested in the ups and downs (but mostly ups) of having one in order to show that if the Mirrorbound are into it, you should be too! They accept all stories but prefer the happy ones - the aim is to encourage their Monster citizens and help them be less afraid of taking that step with Witches. And for those who aren't in a Bond, or decline to talk -- well, they get what amounts to a "flour sack baby" in the form of a Dorchacht citizen of the opposite role of their own (a Monster would receive a human/Witch, a Witch would receive a Monster) that they must hang with for a day, ensuring no harm comes to them, bound by one of the temporary Bonding potions so popular in the Wilders' ranks. (As a note, for the second option, you have free reign of the NPC; do the personalities you find fun, be they cooperative or mischievous, shy or loud, abrasive to your character or someone they can genuinely get along with. They are all willing - no one is being forced into this. No Fae or Dragons allowed for Monster NPCs, unfortunately, as they are still very much not about.)

III. Ahoy Mateys! With Dorchacht opening up again after the last few months of closed off internal fighting, plenty of trading ships' Captains are ready and raring to go build business relations with the new regime and find a new market for some of their wares. There has been increased interest in finding a shorter route to Dorchacht by sea - the teleporter is useful for small groups of people, sure, but it can't handle much cargo. The only problem? Ships are being turned back, barely halfway there, with significant damage to their hulls. Brave individuals looking for a seafaring adventure are asked to come aboard and help the crew navigate tumultuous waters, hopefully figuring out along the way what's causing the damage to previous ships. It's a three day trip to Dorchacht if the waters are kind, and characters can simply teleport back home once there. On board the various ships brave enough to return to the sea, Mirrorbound find the problem halfway through the trip: a colossal squid that's made it home at this point, thrashing ships that come too close to its den. While uninfected, it does have injuries on its body, which may be the source of its lashing out. The ships are able to bring themselves close enough for longer ranged attacks, and the Harpy on board are careful not to be captured by the churning waves caused by the thrashing, but there's others who want to seek a less violent mean to end this surf and turf conflict. Killing, healing, subduing, or relocating it are all valid options, but getting in close to do any of those will be difficult, as it has a tendency to ink up the waters around it and reduce visibility to nothing. Be careful of any creatures swimming around that are interested in the weakened squid as well, such as various carnivorous fish, sea-plants, and things that appear alike to Merrow, but rely only on instinct. The Merrow cannot be spoken to, nor are they infected; the Captains of the ships will explain that they're "wild", and refer to them as distant cousins to the Merrow that sparsely populate Aefenglom itself.

IV. Back At Home Back in Aefenglom, the stir caused by the Circle of Three's arrival takes time to calm. It's the talk of the town for days - many seem happy about Morgana Drummond's apparent demise. "Good for them," is the general sentiment in the residential areas more populated by Monsters and the Harbor District. They're glad to know that things are on the way up there. Others think this is a boon; should anything happen, now Aefenglom has an ally city to stand with them, one in their debt. Others still don't really care either way, and go about their lives as if nothing's happened. The refugees, in their neighborhoods on the far reaches of the Haven, seem happy to hear news from home and find The Dragon/Starlight/Fafnir freed, and while a few of them choose to return to Dorchacht, having never put down roots in Aefenglom, more still don't wish to leave the homes and families they've formed here, or the Mirrorbound who have helped them so much over the months. Some even doubt that things are as good as they say, and choose to remain for that reason - slavery and ill treatment from the upper class in Aefenglom instilled in them a sense of (well-earned) paranoia regarding the intentions of Witches, especially those back home. They hear that things have changed, but don't necessarily want to find out for themselves. Even still, the mood is upbeat, with a general consensus that if Morgana is really gone, that's at least a solid step in the right direction. In the Aristocratic District, though, the atmosphere is sour. The general sentiment is that they wish the refugees would have left with those ambassadors. The kinder ones think Aefenglom should focus on its own citizens - the people from the Outer City brought in to weather the blizzard have never left, after all, still living in the neighborhoods with the refugees. Those who are more vocally outspoken about the Mirrorbounds' presence in the city think they should have all left to Dorchacht. Let another city shoulder all the misfortune they bring with them! Many of the people grumbling about that are ones who were directly affected by the Mists back in October, either through temporary changes themselves or through being attacked by ferals. Some of the more hot-headed young people try to spread this message - through graffiti, on homes and businesses in the Haven and the refugees' district, though if caught, they're quick to run away and not willing to enter into a confrontation. The graffiti is wholly mundane and not particularly difficult to remove, just unpleasant, telling Mirrorbound and refugees alike to "go home" or "go back to Dorchacht", in so much colorful language. Seems there's still some work to do at home, as well.

Welcome to your establishing post for the current situation in Dorchacht! This log takes place through the entire month; characters can come and go as they please. As always, you can direct all your questions HERE. This month we're also putting up a City Tracker for PC actions, both in Aefenglom's plot later on and Dorchacht's log here. Let us know what your character is doing, good or bad! The cut-off for the tracker is February 3rd.

Comments

[futhark]

Knowing her where she was still a slave to one of the scums of this city, it's incredible to see her so full life, so bright and happy... even if it turns out to be so exhausting.. And here Cú thought he can manage high-energy personalities. Now that Soren is a target, he needs to find a way to put a... pause to this.

Pause, because he does not believe a true stop can be put on it, at least until customers pull her back to the stall. So the moment Henrietta turns to him, he takes it as a chance to flick her forehead, right above between of her eyes.

She hoos, finally turning off for a second. Where can they even start answering her questions? If she took assumptions and run with them, that's really only her own fault.

"That's true, three is the ideal number so they say. So if you got multiple suitors, you don't have to worry about picking just one of them." Cú grins deviously as he returns the ball on Henrietta. "No one is going to read your thoughts, they might get your moods though."

Briefly, he shoots a wink at Soren, in a wordless 'I got this, I swear'. Swooping in to save the day. Or so he really hopes.

"Where are my manners, Henrietta, meet Soren — Soren, meet Henrietta— we know each other from the earlier trip." The details he decides to leave out. Everyone knows how different Dorchacht was before and what living in it entailed for a Monster.

[silentsavant]

Soren isn't exactly a mind-reader, no matter what people think sometimes. So what does that wink mean? Is he supposed to roll with her assumptions and pretend they really are Bonded? But why? Is he just being his flirty self, or...?

It doesn't matter. She's already advancing upon Soren with more questions, blinking her bright and inquisitive eyes with a playful grin. "Then tell me, Soren. Just how happy was he to see me again~?"

...Does she have a crush on Cú or something? Because the signs sure are showing.

"It was so obvious, you didn't need a Bond to feel it," retorts Soren.

"But you felt it, right? Did it make you happy, too?"

For a moment, the dragon falters. A spell of reflection is cast upon him, but it only lasts a few seconds. However slightly, it looks as though this question affected him. He glances to Cú, remembers the past times he'd shared Bonds both committed and temporary, and imagines what the answer would be if they were, in fact, linked. His joy brushing up against his heart like the gentle lap of a wave.

"...In a strange way, yes." He sends his eyes to the ground. "It's... a nice feeling."

His empty heart, voided of its Bond, aches for want of that feeling again.

"Haha! Then his happiness must feel different from yours!"

For her bubbly personality, her remarks are oddly insightful in their simplicity, like she knows she's cutting to the quick of a personal matter. But she's not a mind-reader herself. Again, he pauses for another bout of contemplation. How to put this. "...It is." It has to be. He always knew that he didn't experience emotions in quite the same way most people do, so freely and over such trivial things, but being able to feel the tilt of other people's feelings made him privy to just how limited the scope of his capacity for happiness truly is.

"What of your sadness, then?" Her expression melts to match the poignancy of such a contemplation. "Doesn't it hurt when he's sad? Oh, I hate imagining how that must feel! Are your sadnessess different, too?"

"..."

[futhark]

Navigating this minefield of personal questions in a way that give a satisfying answer, without truly confirming Henrietta's assumptions is an art form. Oh yes, she will believe they are Bonded, but Soren never truly confirmed that asa fact, instead answering the questions at their very core. His answers must be coming from whoever he is Bonded to—

Which Cú realizes he has no idea who that might be. But lots of Mirrorbound can be pretty private about this kind of thing. Not even his mentor gave him the identity of her Bonded at first (he's got his suspicions, but he was content just knowing there is someone). The answers Soren gives fits with his own experiences though. It's true— these echoes of feelings and emotions, they feel different. Fill a void. In a good way.

The intense interest Henrietta displays could be related to being intrigued by the concept, but he is starting to pick-up on how... fixated she seems on him. Rescuer's crush could hit either him or Geralt, really.

Gently he puts his hand on harpy's shoulder, noting how thinner and delicate to touch it is. Steering her away from both Soren and the subject at hand

"In the end, it is something you have to experience yourself. And I know you will! You've got my utmost best wishes on that." there's cheer in his voice and genuine fondness, but as he rotates them he does it in a way she might see her own stall. And at least one potential client browsing through the books. "You're going to have a good life and I'm happy to see you again—"

But, there is a but, and it does not remain unsaid.

"—But you've caught us in the middle of something and unfortunately it is time for us to take our leave." Now he moves closer to Soren, positioning himself to make the potential latching onto him again a tad harder. "If this spot is yours, I'll drop by soon. If not, let me know where I could find you."

She once again looks at them, tasking them with her gaze and hoos and coos a short-laugh.

"That's how you should do it, that's exactly how. Protective of him, I see— When she shrugs energetically a feather flies into the air. "I can get... a little carried away. That is for the best, probably"

[silentsavant]

"It was nice to meet you, Henrietta," says Soren with a polite nod, further emphasizing the aim to fold up this encounter and tuck it away congenially.

"Well... I'll see you around!" The harpy waves them off. "Please swing by sometime if you ever feel like giving my books a look!" With that, she swivels around and bursts into the air to flit the short distance back to her stall. Soren turns his attention back to Cú, grateful that her badgering session is over.

"That was a bit... awkward. And now she thinks we're Bonded. Was it your intent to impart such a misunderstanding?"

[futhark]

Cú sighs, dramatically almost, his shoulders sagging low.

"No, but she was so set on that idea, there was no way we'd convince her there." Awkward is one way to say. In the end, she was the one who roped herself into that belief. "If you're worried it could make a problem for you and your Bonded, be at ease. I'll clear it up with her later when she's not so—" . . . "—excited"

Yeah, that's the word. And they're almost at the pub too, so Cú quickly points at the quirky building situated in a corner of a crossing a cobbled pedestrian lane and street. Despite early hour soft music can be heard from inside already. A wordless direction, that's where we're going.

[silentsavant]

Soren diverts his path along with Cú's toward the pub, his mind running down the current of their conversation. A misunderstanding still abounds, though it is not between them and Henrietta. He was going to bring it up eventually, so this is the perfect way to introduce the subject.

"I don't actually have a Bonded at the moment," he admits quietly. "Not anymore." They pass by the doors; eyes fall upon them here, too, and whether it's because they're recognized in some capacity or because the sight of a dragon is a natural cause of rubbernecking is a complete toss between reasons.

[futhark]

'Not anymore' carries the finality of what happened. There was once a Bond and now there is emptiness. Cú tilts his head down, a silent apology before they find a relatively private space, in a corner— behind a flashy screen.

"That conversation must have been painful— sorry I didn't pick on it and ended it quicker." They're handed a card, mostly drinks but some food options are there as well.

[silentsavant]

Soren takes his seat across from Cú, sensing the shift in mood between them keenly. While it weighs his heart down, the palpable sympathy is nice to feel, even if he does not actively recognize the effect it has upon him.

"Don't worry about it. There's no way you could have known." He glances to the card, not completely invested in making choices about what he eats or doesn't eat, and the same can be said for drinks. Instead, he rests his gaze upon the man before him. A somberness exudes from his bright red eyes, his lips set in the same neutral pout he usually wears. He's trying to remain strong in his company. It's pretty easy, considering how accustomed he has grown to pain of any sort.

"...Anyway, it wasn't that bad. I am, however, in a bit of a pinch. I run a high risk of going feral, which is not only bad for me, but..." He swallows, looking down to his clawed hands folded politely across the table, "anyone I may unintentionally hurt. With the reputation of the Mirrorbound in such jeopardy, I would hate to soil it with blood."

[futhark]

Never experiencing losing his Bonded, Cú knows he truly can't fully understand what Soren must have gone through. But going Bondless for an extended period of time, that's another can of problems. One that he has experience with.

"So you're looking for a Bond." A swift summary of the situation. He's ready to withdraw from the subject at the first sign it should be dropped, but until that signal is there, he continues.

"Witches have— huh, plenty of alternatives now that I think of it. But I don't know about many for Monsterfolk— aside for special potions." And without an ounce of shame "Or sex." Because 'witches fluids' is a much uglier way to put it, but that's the truth.

As the waitress approaches Cú takes it upon himself to order them few snacks, as an addition to what Soren chooses (if he does) and mulled, spiced ale to warm them up.

[silentsavant]

Dropping 'sex' so casually causes Soren to raise his eyebrows. That sure is telling what sorts of experiences Cú must have encountered in dealing with feral Monsters... Very likely, it happened with the Dragon he's actually Bonded to already. Imagining it any further forces him to avert eye contact to conceal the small dose of shock and embarrassment it sends through him. TMI, Caster!!! Not only does it open a window into Cú's private sex life, but it reminds him of the helplessly carnal nature that he is shackled to as a Monster. How fortunate for him that the waitress arrives just then.

Soren does not pick out any choices of his own, perfectly content to share in whatever Cú wants. With their server departed, Soren resumes the topic at hand.

"You're right." He starts counting on his fingers. "Witches have familiars to rely upon. Expensive dampeners for the rich. Rigorous practice casting spells." He sets his hand back down. "Other means. Monsters have historically never needed to rely upon Bonding with Witches, but when it comes to coexisting with humans, we need to be able to restrain our baser instincts. This is especially true for the Mirrorbound. We're not used to being Monsters. And I... am afraid." He looks down. "Of losing my sanity to the Sisters. Of the day my draconic form emerges. So, yes." He locks eyes with Cú, resolute. "I am looking to form Bonds."

[futhark]

Unfortunately, Cú has been always been pretty shameless and open about these kinds of things, nor he ever has hidden that it's this way he got by whilst bondless. Fortunately, though, he can read the room, and while Soren might not escape some teasing somewhere in the future, this subject is dropped for now.

He rests his chin on his open hand and listens intently, noting the resolute glow in the dragon's eyes. Such a declaration could be read into— could but doesn't mean it should. It's a bit like flirting, really.

"Surely you must have someone on your mind, or at least know what you're looking for in someone you'd like to Bond with." For some, Bonds are easy as breathing. Sweep in, drag a few with your current see where it goes— for others, something requires to be planted first and then nurtured over time to grow into such possibility. There is no denying though that the longer this is put aside, the worse it gets.

And losing yourself is a horrifying possibility.

[silentsavant]

Soren straightens up in his seat. "I do." At this point, he considers a way to charm his company — relax his posture, his personality slackening along with it as he drops a line about how he's looking right at him. It might be more his style, but it's not really Soren's, and he wants to be accepted as he is, not for how he can play a game. Besides, he's not completely sure how compatible they truly are yet. But he has a feeling they might work out just fine. He continues.

"There's someone else I've made loose plans with. We're still tying ends on the arrangement; I want to meet with his other Bonded, first. That's all well and good, but I don't think it's wise to settle for just one Bond." His eyes dart to the tabletop as he sighs, the memory of the non-consensual annulment ghosting past his heart and causing its next pulse to throb in one heavy ache. "You never quite know what will happen to them."

[futhark]

This sounds almost like a business arrangement— or more like an arranged marriage in this case. The latter being a staple back in his times.

"Sounds like a plan— your efficiency is commendable." Cú means it. Not everyone faced with Soren's situation could analyze it and look for solutions and strategies with calm such a calm head. So he gives praise where it's due. Both of his Bonds started for practical reasons, even though there was a foundation of friendship, respect, and/or rivalry. It's different from those people who Bond easily out of passion.

On the other hand, Bond is still a union of souls. It's private and it can be intimate to a terrifying degree. Passion compliments that well. "My curiosity compels me to ask who this special someone might be, but I know better than expect it to be indulged."

He lets a breath of a soft laugh, his own nosiness has to be kept on the leash. Perhaps, there is a sliver of advice or suggestion he can make though.

"But while you are considering options, have you looked into temporary-bonds? That will stave off the symptoms for a while"

[silentsavant]

Soren nods, focused more on the tail end of his response. "I have resorted to them in the past, but they are what they are: only temporary. A real, more permanent Bond is much better to have." Dark thoughts cloud over his mind, casting shadows across his face as he keeps his eye contact reserved for his clawed and scaled hand resting on the table. He curls his fingers. "...For something like me, especially. I don't... want to find out what I'm capable of when I reach the full extent of my transformation on a full moon cycle. I've already experienced it in doses." His voice softens even more. "Left unchecked, I might become a tremendous threat to Aefenglom. I need to count upon Witches capable of calming me down. Or powerful enough to restrain me."

The deep-seated fear rises to touch the quality of his bated voice. He has a terrible feeling about what sort of Dragon he's shaping into. Whatever comes, Soren knows one thing: he is going to need help. He can't keep trying to do everything by himself.

"I don't want become a savage beast lost to madness."

[futhark]

Cú reaches out and covers Soren's hand with his, giving it a good squeeze. Clawed and scaled it might be, but he doesn't mind— he never minds.

"You won't." It's said with utmost confidence and faith. No stumbling over condolences, sorry for your beasthood, no look of sympathy that could be mistaken for pity. "The Moon songs are hard to resist, but you got this under control, you're taking all the right steps. And soon you will be safely out of their influence."

He meets the severity of this situation with the same grim acceptance as any tragedy or loss. Refocusing what lies in the future, rather than on pain here and now. Doubt can be poisonous, but just as fear it really is unavoidable. Being given support and comfort in a moment like this— everyone needs that, no?

"So what do you seek in someone you'd want to Bond with?"

[silentsavant]

The hand secured over his washes him in soft surprise, pulling him from the drudge of his unpleasant thoughts to look Cú in the eyes, listen carefully to the conviction soaking his voice through and through. It's enough to make him believe past his current doubts, if only for this moment. He takes a few to recover from the impact of his firm comfort, the kind he'd really been needing. Something about the way his table partner looks right now, be it a trick of the light, a trick of his heart, or the clout of his bearing manages to strike Soren like the scrape of a match.

"Let's see..." he begins, to work himself out of the mental stutter. The contact tingles somewhere between comfortable and uncomfortable, a bit distracting, but he keeps his hand there for as long as Cú decides to reach for him, like an animal deciding not to bite the hand that feeds him. He starts off businesslike and composed. "Ideally, they would be strong. Mentally and emotionally stable. Serious about the conflicts we find ourselves trapped in. Above all, someone I can rely on."

The memory of Ike fills him, mind, heart, and soul. He cannot have that here. Nobody could be him, no matter how closely they fit the vast, empty shape he left behind in Soren. He casts his gaze to the screen that partitions them off from the rest of the pub, slightly affected by the turn of his feelings.

"I want him to be honest and straightforward. Genuine and loyal to his friends and allies. Kind, perhaps... and not just when it's convenient for him." He shakes his head as though dismissing it all, knowing full well where his description is treading, expression wrought with lines and furrows as he undergoes a severe pang of heartache. He returns his full but weary attention back to Cú. "I can't be that picky, though. I just want someone I can be confident will support me, and I will support them in whatever way they need of me in return. That's all I can really ask for."

[futhark]

Cú listens and allows his expression to soften. Hand still lingering, maybe a little heavy, with fingers too long and hints of callouses, but also warm— much warmer than that of a normal human would be, a mark of a fire-witch in a sense.

"That's not being picky, Soren. You've got your values, and you won't compromise them, that's integrity." It's admirable how clearly Soren can communicate his needs and wishes. It's not easy, but those things are never meant to be easy. The emotions that arose, he interprets them as longing— perhaps to the Bonded lost? Hm.

"Each Bond is different and important, ensuring it is forged with someone you want to be Bonded with is crucial. I'm not going to say that I understand completely how it feels to lose one though, but taking your time to figure what you truly need, looks to me like the wisest choice"

Suddenly he taps his finger at the hand underneath his. Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Time to figure out when people like this have the highest chance of hanging out, and throw yourself there, no?" Because while this kind of knowledge is great to have, Cú can't help but imagine that anyone who self-describes themselves with words like the ones used here, are either incredibly self-aware but also arrogant, or anything but what the description says. "Or perhaps you'd prefer a recommendation?"

There are a few who he'd sing praises like that to.

[silentsavant]

"Time is of the essence here," he contests, withdrawing his hand in spite of the luxurious and comfortable warmth to settle it into his lap, softness of his exposed emotions retreating behind stone-faced gravity. "In an ideal world, I could afford to mull over my prospects for the 'perfect match'... but this is my current reality. While I have no Bonds at all, I'll take what opportunities I can get. That said, if you do have recommendations for me, please let me hear of them."

In the meantime, the waitress arrives with a smiling face to deposit their order between them. Soren acknowledges her, but doesn't mind the intrusion on their conversation; he appears ready to listen to what he has to say at any moment.

[futhark]

"That's why I mentioned temporary Bonds but— yeah, fair" Cú nods twice, conceding as he runs his head for people that would fit the requirements. Not to mention— the stages of worsening conditions are different for everyone, and Soren the best knows on which stage he is now.

He takes a sip of the mulled ale. In the end, the recommendation would still necessitate being introduced, the time required to get to know each other better— but it's still stepping forward towards helping Soren achieve his goal. And he... he likes the Dragon, and don't want him to fall towards this darkness he fears.

"There's a man named Lancer, hailing from the same land as I do—" he starts speaking of Diarmuid and doesn't even try to hide wistful fondness from his voice. And here comes the class monicker again, if only because he isn't sure how to open about his name Diarmuid is "An honorable knight he is, noble and loyal—" well... at least he wants to be, but things in the far past of their legends are a long time over "He offers his kindness and honesty not only to his friends. Without doubt, he is one of the most radiant of ours"

Another sip, feeling the spices warm him up, adding the pleasant aftertaste to the ale.

"That's the first." And he got more. Zelda comes to mind, from people he had known since the beginning. Then there is Iskandar.

[silentsavant]

"Lancer..." mulls Soren as he cradles his cup in his hands, the heat a nice substitute for what he lost when he pulled back. The spark of recognition glints. "Ah, I've met him before. It was the first night. Or, well... you could say I met his spear before I met the man." He brings the ale to his lips; it buzzes fragrantly on his tongue. He gulps it down, trying not to wince too hard at the sting of alcohol. "We were all a little wound up that night. ...Since that's probably not his true name, would it be too great a leap to assume that he also participated in the same war that you did?"

[futhark]

"Aahhh... So he already left an impression, I see." And what a different one! Cú shakes his head and lets a small chuckle before taking another sip of the ale. There's always something in the combination of the spiced warmth that makes him relax really quickly. Though a wince on Soren's face might be indication that ale is not his first choice. There are other drinks to try another day, perhaps.

"That's right, the same type of 'war'. They happen every few decades so we must have missed each other" Both pity and a good thing at the same time. Now that ale makes him more chatty he drifts momentarily into the subject with a clearer explanation. "Well, it's got a 'war' in name but it can be misleading. It's more of a ritual, really. Where the mages participating call upon souls of those who left a mark on the history. Then command them to battle"

For a cup. For a poisonous, wish-granting cup. It's all rotten and selfish but a trace of honour could be found in there once.

"We never met during our lives, centuries apart they were— but he had inscribed the story of his great deeds and tragedy upon the same island I called home. His name can be heard in songs even to this day—" So is his own, but what hero crows about his own accomplishments? It's Diarmuid that is the focus now. "Not saying you have to give him a chance, but he's definitely someone that could surprise you in a good way— have you two fought that night?"

[silentsavant]

"No, but we almost did," he answers. "I walked in on his lodging and found a spear pointed at my throat for it." He'd brought his magic tome out to defend himself, too... before knowing its power had been completely stripped from it upon entering Aefenglom. The ancient language evokes no power when no forces here can comprehend it. He shakes his head. "Needless to say, I chose not to sleep there that night."

The odd temporal discrepancy makes a little more sense when he explains how mages summon people from beyond, but it's still a lot to take in. It certainly alters his perception of who Cú is, how he must relate to the world around him if he is a heroic figure made manifest by a magic ritual, a man whose days were supposed to be left far behind him but now stretch before him here in Aefenglom. Hadn't he heard something similar before? About mages summoning the spirits of heroes from past ages to fight in some war over a magical relic? He still doesn't quite understand the contextual bulk of such a custom, but he's grasped the gist of it while falling asleep by the fireplace, right next to another monster who used to be a mage like himself. A connection clicks.

"I think I'm beginning to understand something. You and Lancer are what is called a Servant, aren't you? Heroic Spirits. I now know of three people here who were summoned to fight in this ritualistic battle, and one Master. Waver told me that he summoned his Bonded, Iskandar, to fight for him in one of these wars." He takes another sip, more acclimated to the bite this time. "It was to fight over some powerful, highly sought-after relic. I don't understand much else... For example, why they need to bring heroes back from the dead to do it. They're mages, aren't they? Why don't they fight their own battles?" A tinge of annoyance colors his tone. "This is starting to remind me of our current situation..."

Even he is starting to get a bit loose in the tongue, and more free to express the grievances Cú is already well aware of by now. He glares at the Sisters beyond the roof, but only for a flicker of a second, which looks like a dramatic eyeroll. But familiarity with this sort of process might shed some light on how they got here and why. It would help to explain why Cú seemed to grasp all the ideas and leads he had before with such ease.

[futhark]

Diarmuid can be very intense, and Cú can't help but wonder- was he protecting the place or rather someone dwelling inside there? Doesn't matter, it still was a hostile welcome. Perhaps it would be a good moment to segue into the other recommendations but that's the moment Soren mention "Servants" and "spirits of heroes".

It's incredible, truly, seeing Soren connect the dots so swiftly, tearing open a complicated riddle. Clever, so clever. Cú's body language shifts slightly, from surprise, with eyes going from pupils blown wide into thin slits by a second of wariness (someone knowing that much would normally be a threat, old habits die hard) to more relaxed posture and a shadow of a smile playing on his lips.

"I see you've got bits and pieces already- never seen anyone work it out so quickly." Of course, Waver is a source of information better than any of the Servants would be. With the Inkchanted business and casual camaraderie it's easy to forget this boy was a Master too. "Mages back in our world seek knowledge first, but they do not shy from battle. The answer to your 'why' is 'every magecraft has a price'..."

Swap 'magecraft' with 'magic' and it's Coven's tired and repeated adage. Familiar in its functionings.

"Relic they seek has a power to grant a wish, any wish no matter how stupid or impossible it might be. But it needs fuel to pull that off." Or rather a sacrifice. "At least six of the seven summoned spirits needs to die to activate it properly, and since only one of the mages can lay a claim on it- turning it into a battle made the most sense."

Even the dead needs reason and goal to interact with the mortal world. And so many of them have simply unfinished business or wish never fulfilled. The true workings of the ritual or the dangers it brings are never advertised. And a lot of shadows and muddy answers are placed to obscure its true nature. As magi often do.

"But the system they tinkered with is much older. The mages warped an ancient safeguard. If the world is facing a calamity of no previous precedence it can call forth those souls as a last bastion of defense." That was where the lead-up was going to. Back to Geardagas, back to their role in Talam. It's just a theory, only a theory, but from his point of view always made the most sense. Funny because it ties back to first conversation they had with Soren, ages ago on the summons meeting. The purpose and direction. "Now you see why I'm inclined to believe that we, the Mirrorbounds, are a similar line of defense."

This world is summoning exceptional individuals, those with impossible potential and those with skills and knowledge necessary to push the healing process forward. Or there is bigger threat than just Cwyld right behind the corner. It reeks of belief in destiny-

-but one prophecy defined Cú Chulainn's life, if anything it taught him is that defying fate is meaningless.

The next swig he takes of the mulled ale is noticeably larger one.

[silentsavant]

Judging by the fleeting transformations of the witch's face, Soren can sense how grave these grounds are that he's treading upon. He's seen that look enough times to tell that he's gone too far and knows too much. But Soren places enough stock in his table partner's ability to recognize that whatever secrets needed to be guarded don't hold as much meaning in a place so far removed from that old battlefield corrupted my magi. What harm could he possibly do with information like that? Open old wounds, perhaps, is the extent of it.

The mood between them has plummeted. Soren is to blame for pushing the conversation in this direction, but he came out of it with a small cache of knowledge. Even with the faint cloud of tipsiness drifting in, the dragon absorbs every drop of the explanation, his curiosity satisfied.

"More than ever," he replies with a curt nod. "You're more used to this sort of thing than I am. Thankfully, I don't think we were all summoned here to fight one another. It seems more likely that we should be working together. Forming Bonds that bolster each individual piece, a network of these connections that reinforces the whole." He takes another light sip and rests the cup on the table, his chin on his laced hands, eyes pinned on Cú. He ought to change the subject, reel it back a bit from these depths. "Forgive me for turning the focus on you so abruptly like this, but I would like to know a little more about the man across from me, if you don't mind. He seems interesting." A suggestive gleam catches in his eyes, the subtlest of smiles lifting at the corners of his lips. The tip of his tail curls. "Would you ever recommend him as a partner?"

[futhark]

That momentarily catches Cú off-guard, as if a heart skipped a beat. It takes a second or three to have it sink who exactly Soren has in mind. A different kind of surprise painted on his face, the speechless one before it transforms into a... short, radiant laugh.

"Smooth Soren, that was so smooth." It was a flawless execution, he's only giving credit where it's due. But it also proves to be a hard bargain. Once again he mentally recounts what Soren seeks in Bondmate, but ends abandoning it. There is no way he can talk about himself in lenses of them, it reeks of arrogance to him. There is a difference in pride and confidence and well, that. So instead, he chooses to just tell it as it is. What he can be confident in, is who he is. Another sip of the ale to clear his throat before he starts.

"About this man, I can tell you that he lived and died, holding close to his heart values similar to those you hold dear. Given word? Sacred. Ultimately, his kin and king, their well-being and wishes always come first. As he never shied away from a battle and was set to live his life in a way that would let him die without regrets" Like a candle burning from both ends. Did it succeed? Almost entirely. Not regrets left but... remorse for some of the things that happened. A resigned one, and this brief silence is telling. Now though, time for some brutal honesty. "That man would not tell a lie, but as you've noticed he is not above omitting things. What he would call bold, others often called reckless. Here, his Bonded are the first true allegiance he has, but Mirrorbounds as a whole come right next— what is there to be made from this 'new life' remains to be seen."

Is there a purpose to be found. It's close to admitting vulnerability and doubts to someone he barely knows. But honesty is a requirement in the subject they are speaking about. Cú sighs, resting his chin on the palm of his hand. Fingers tapping his own cheek, once, twice. It's kind of uncomfortable to present himself this way. Long gone are his teen years where he would challenge world-weary men with a loud yell 'I am Cú Chulainn' to prove himself in rage— in few years from that, he learned what's behind that weariness as well. It's loss.

"Now, does it sounds like a recommendation to you?" A smile returns on his lips, curious one, but also just a tiny bit sheepish.