Prepare for the #LodanRespawn2024 Existing characters may choose to be displace from/have memories of different timelines, thereby allowing returning members the option to retcon their whole character. These changes are the result of the "Unnatural Fog" plot device that is running between now and the Respawn. The plot is simple: no matter where your character is, that place is shrouded in a thick fog that suspends time, but not thoughts or memories, so even if they're repeating the same day over and over again, they continue to remember, so each time feels like a new day. For those retconning OCs; this is where new versions of themselves have the opportunity to replace the old versions. Official lore and tree updates will be announced asap
Post by Elaine Anncroft on Oct 29, 2018 3:15:21 GMT
Well, no underwater beasties to be afraid of. Just the shadow beasts that lurked out in the forests on the edge of the city. She didn't like it out there and tried to avoid it as much as she could. Though it was interesting he was attempting to catalog them. She didn't quite fancy that as a hobby but if it's what he enjoyed then more power to him. "I'm glad you think they're that interesting." Honestly, she figured she'd have gotten eaten fairly quickly if she ever happen to chance on one. "But I'm pleased that the tales of drunken sailors are just fiction. I was hoping you'd crossed a tiger or a bear at some point?" She grinned playfully as she shook off the feeling of dread shadow beasts gave her. "I've only seen feral dogs and cats, and a ratty looking thing I could've swore was a squirrel but it looked rabid so I didn't get any closer to find out."
The waitress returned fairly quickly with their drinks. Elaine took hers and gave it a small inspection before taking a sip in ease. It was smooth and sweet. Absolutely perfect! Setting it back down on the table with a soft thud as it touched the wood she ran her fingers down the side of the cold glass. "I thought about traveling some recently. I don't know where I'd go exactly but maybe just somewhere warm with a lot of tall buildings to climb."
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Oct 30, 2018 0:45:42 GMT
Lasair shrugged, taking a drink of his cider. “It’s not so much that they’re interesting, but like, I feel like it has to be done, ya know? If nobody knows about them, how are we going to be able to fight them? They attack the city sometimes and like, people have a right to know about them and how to fight them.” When she mentioned the tiger or bear, he smiled. “A bear, yes. Once met a lad that had befriended one. The bear itself was very friendly, but the guy, oof, he was more protective of that bear than a mother of her child.” He shook his head and took another drink, enjoying the flavor.
Lasair thought about her words a bit more and only just realized that she had probably never seen one of the beasts. She was a lucky girl then, but it made him a bit sad. He practically lived with them some days and understood them better than he understood some people. An oddity, really.
“All the places with tall buildings are usually rather cold. Warm places prefer to be on the ground. When you get higher in the air, it gets colder.” He felt a bit bad for popping her bubble a little bit. “But, warmer places usually have taller trees.” Smiling again, a question came to his mind, but he would wait to ask it. Instead, he wanted to just spend some time with her first, enjoy the company.
Post by Elaine Anncroft on Oct 30, 2018 14:12:24 GMT
She nodded along to his explanation though personally, she did enjoy some of the blissful ignorance she had about them, though now she might go take a look at whatever information she could get her hands on. He made a point about that, you can't fight something if you don't know how. "They still give me shivers when I think about it." Her shoulders raised up in a defensive posture like she was attempting to ward off the thoughts by curling in on herself a little. She relaxed quickly as the feeling passed, Lasair kept her from feeling jittery. At least... for now.
She thought about that layout of those places for a moment. Working up an image in her mind of what she imagined they would look like. Though he could rest easy knowing he didn't quite pop her bubble yet as she just found another thing to be excited about. A positive little thing she was from time to time. "If they're all ground level then it's probably a breeze to cross the town on the rooftops. Much easier than here I would presume, considering our roofs slope and are of drastically different elevations all over the city." The feline smiled and took a drink as she glanced about the place. She still found it easier to get places on time by cutting a straight path above the streets that wound in and out and were full of pedestrians and carts. She figured he knew she didn't like the streets much, but in case he'd forgotten that in his long travel it was a good reminder that she was not afraid of heights or jumping over entire alleys at a full sprint from one edge to another. It was usually just for personal enjoyment and taste. "I guess I'll have to settle for warm and short. I severely hate being cold. Cas plays in the snow enough for both of us so I can stay inside." She laughed as she shifted to face him a little more and put her cheek against her hand as she leaned on it. Winter was nice and all with the snow and the icicles that usually formed on the edges of the rooftops but as far as the temperature dropping to a level that left her poor little fingers frozen? She was not a fan. "Do you like the cold? Or are you like me where if you were rich you'd think about having a winter lodge somewhere very close to a desert?"
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Oct 31, 2018 2:04:40 GMT
Lasair couldn’t help but feel like most people hated the mention of shadow beasts, a shame really, they were a threat and ignoring it would only let them grow more power. He saw her tense up for a moment and reached over, stretching an arm around her and rubbing her shoulder gently. He hoped it would help her relax, if only a bit.
“I’ll never understand how you spend so much time up there. I’d much rather be in a library our away from the city, however one could get away that is. As for the cold, heh, I enjoy it not gonna lie. I like bundling up in warm clothes and standing out in the snow. I enjoy the nice bite you get when you step outside and it just wakes you up. The heat is sticky and gross and like, not so crisp I guess? Plus I love all the things that come from the fall harvest.” He picked up his drink and held it up as a sort of toast, referencing how the apples were harvested in the fall to make his cider. He took a long draft from it before setting it back down.
Her name was on the tip of his tongue, he was ready to speak it and ask his questions, yet, he paused and held himself. Gosh, where should he start? He pondered it for a moment, leaning into her a little more. Ruining this night was not something he wanted to do, yet, his brain pushed him to at least try and ask.
Post by Elaine Anncroft on Oct 31, 2018 2:55:06 GMT
Elaine subtly noted that his hand was warm where it rubbed her shoulder in an attempt to make her feel better. A soft hum left her in return, a sure sign she'd be fine. "I go up there to get a birds-eye view of the world I grew up in. The sunrise over the silhouette of the city is something you'll never forget and every day it just looks even better." She smiled to herself as she looked out over the inside of the bar with a slightly hazy expression. Her mind painting the images of the sunrises she's seen in her life. The pale colors of an early morning sky and the bright emergence of the sun on the horizon was always something memorable. She broke out of her reverie at his love of the cold. The feline making a mockingly distasteful face, "Ew, cold lover." She nudged him gently with her shoulder and light-heartedly beamed afterward.
"I get why people like the fall harvest," She assured him sweetly lifting the glass to her lips for a drink and holding it close in a hover for a moment before taking another. Her eyes glancing over his drink as he held it up, it was a pretty color when it hit the light. She'd never tried any kind of hard cider before but perhaps she would in the future. "But, the cold is still a no." She set her glass down with a smile and felt him lean into her further. Elaine didn't mind and simply tilted her head enough to rest it on his shoulder almost tiredly if Lasair didn't know better. She would be wide awake and looking up at his blue eyes and watching the hesitation present itself. It was small, but enough for her to start to wonder as a woman curious by nature. It made her slightly narrow her eyes in keen interest. Her free hand playing with her drink by silently tapping her finger on the glass as her hand wrapped around it. "That's a look I haven't seen in a while. What's on your mind?" Surely the cider wasn't that thought-provoking.
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Nov 1, 2018 3:07:13 GMT
Cover blown. Despite his best attempts, she noticed the thoughts on his brain and the words itching to get out of his mouth. So be it.
“Well, we’ve known each other a long while yeah? But we don’t always talk about our personal lives. It’s like we use each other to escape them at times. But I’m curious; I think you mentioned once that you were in a guild, right? What do you do there?” His words were simple, clear, and didn’t carry much weight to them. It was a conversation they wanted to have so they were having it. Yet, if Lasair wasn’t careful, perhaps his intentions would be known. Well, there was no going back now.
Post by Elaine Anncroft on Nov 1, 2018 3:19:36 GMT
He wasn't wrong. They didn't talk about their personal lives and Elaine realized she'd grown comfortable in the slight barrier almost that had made for her against her harsher thoughts and her guilty nature. He was her reprieve from all of it until he started asking questions. She wouldn't be angry at all, who could blame him for being curious about it? She'd also asked him what he was thinking and he gave her an honest answer. Elaine couldn't remember ever mentioning she was in a guild, but he had met her officially beside Edelweiss. Her hand tightened around the glass instinctively as she thought about the nearly buried memory of the magic practices. In the long run, however, he didn't know who she was there, she couldn't handle the thoughts of what he'd think of her afterward if he ever found out either. It was a fear of hers and rightfully so. She didn't have to answer. He never had to know. She'd done this long enough that she could keep herself in a suspended position and hopefully keep her friends around a little longer.
"I clean around the place and set up for other events, nothing special." Short, quick, and clean. Just like how she tried to do her job. Her hand pulled the glass in for a long drink, actually rather hoping it would drown out some of her worries on the way down.
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Nov 2, 2018 4:24:02 GMT
Lasair saw the calculating look in her eyes for a brief moment, the thought she put into her answer. He had a feeling it wouldn’t come easily, and that was okay. That didn’t mean he was going to pry or question her honesty. Instead he would accept her words as what they were, no matter what they might be. Yet the signs of her struggle were there, the way she tensed up under his arm, how her hand held onto her glass, and even the way she took a long drink after she finished speaking. Perhaps he should make it up to her.
“Sounds like you don’t love your job, a shame really.” He continued to speak slowly, a hand reaching out to bring his glass to his lips as he joined her in drinking. The atmosphere had changed quickly. “Have you ever wanted to do something else?” While she thought about her answer, he caught the waitress’ eye contact and waved her over. “Two shots of something strong and smooth, please.” He was willing to take both of them if Elaine was uninterested, but he had a feeling she’d appreciate the liquid relaxant.
Post by Elaine Anncroft on Nov 3, 2018 1:15:02 GMT
Elaine would've laughed at that first statement if she hadn't known better. She didn't enjoy the main activity of her job at all but being around Edelweiss and her companions there? She'd never think about trading that in for the throne, or the crown, or the world. "It's not the most fun but it pays..." She mumbled to herself. A job was a job. She loosened up as Lasair kept talking, keeping in mind he usually could read people like books. She should be somewhat cautious with her reactions. She dropped her shoulders gently and leaned into his chest as if seeking comfort. The vulnerability would either solidify her honesty and deter future questions or he'd come at her full force later. She looked up at him as he asked about leaving or basically finding a new job. "I thought about it once but never really got anywhere." Elaine had briefly considered but again, not an option. Her eyes drifted back down to her nearly empty glass and swirled what was left. One shot wouldn't hurt her for today, and she'd enjoy the step away from the stiffness she felt. She wanted to fall back on how happy she was when she'd first saw him at the docks.
"You know, when you mentioned a lack of personal information I was actually expecting deeply personal questions like "how good was my childhood" or "why are you so drawn to redheads that flirt with everything"? Not questions about my mediocre jobs. " She chuckled softly and gave him a cheeky grin. She gave him a playful nudge to encourage him to revert back to their playful nature as their drinks arrived. Elaine couldn't help but give it a little bit of a miffed look.
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Nov 3, 2018 1:36:21 GMT
“I could tell you about another sort of job that I think you might enjoy. But, if you’d rather stay where you’re comfortable, I understand.” It was the most he could say while still letting her flee the pains of the conversation. She wanted to let it go, was hinting and nudging and pushing. And he didn’t really want to push it from her, not this time.
He leaned his head onto her for a moment, letting his words sink a little before he spoke up again, a grin on his face. “So you’re drawn to me, huh? Whyever would that be so?” As the waitress brought the shots, he gestured for her to pause and finished his drink. “Refills for us each, please,” he said with a smile. While she was gone, he picked up the little shot glass and raised it for a small cheers. “Here’s to a reunion of a friendship that never should have grown thin.” He gave her a soft smile before taking the drink in two short gulps.
Post by Elaine Anncroft on Nov 4, 2018 0:20:25 GMT
Elaine gave him a slight roll of her eyes and a smirk at his flirtatious return. She shouldn't entertain him because it would only fuel that ridiculously saucy attitude he had. She was probably giving him invincibility to any of her unamused attacks, her little straight face of I'm so done with you wouldn't work if she wasn't careful. The turn of attention to the shots distracted her momentarily as she glanced down at the tiny glass. Elaine, in her youth, had never had one before and she couldn't hide the interest she had in it. Picking it up and following up on his cheer, "May it last!" She gave her drink one more little hesitant glimpse before tossing it back, her dark hair falling back behind her shoulders. It wasn't bad but it definitely burned a little. Smooth was a fairly good description of it though she questioned the tastebuds of whoever made alcohol in the first place. The empty glass slid forward, pushed out of her way as she relaxed a little into the seat. She could start to feel their alcoholic endeavors get to her. Well, she was still a lightweight but in moderation like tonight, she'd be fine.
In her spare time for that moment a thought occurred to her. "Lassy, do you actually have anywhere to stay now that you're back?" She'd been by what she thought had been his parents' store but there wasn't much there now, from what she could remember she saw last. She lived in the same district but usually wasn't interested in knowing the full layout of the lives around her. She held up a hand as another, secondary thought, arrived. That wasn't an invitation for anything. "Don't take it the wrong way. I'm just curious since I haven't seen your dad's shop open."
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Nov 4, 2018 2:46:17 GMT
He smiled at her, but it wasn’t one of his flirty or pushing grins. It was just one of his regular old smiles that often came out when he relaxed more. “Don’t go worrying about me. I have a place to stay, but yes, my parents’ shop is closed. I uh, sold the building after…well, you heard about the attack on Castamere right?” He hoped she would connect the dots so that he didn’t have to stay it. While he certainly could talk about what happened, it still left him feeling a bit somber. Plus, leading the topic into a different direction would help him avoid sharing exactly where that roof he kept over his head was. She didn’t seem interested in his guild, so there wouldn’t be a reason in sharing the details with her. It was a bit of a shame, really. He had hoped it would be a way to grow closer to her.
Post by Elaine Anncroft on Nov 5, 2018 18:10:42 GMT
Lasair could feel her shoulders give a little jolt with her quiet intake of breath. A look of deep melancholy on her face that darkened her eyes as she thought about that day. "I was there during the attack, we were trying to get people out on the trains..." She looked up at him before reaching for his hand and giving it a little squeeze. "I'm sorry to hear that..." She really was, hoping to give Lasair at least a little bit of comfort though she figured that her efforts wouldn't do much. The hope and sympathy were there for him to do with as he pleased. They couldn't get away from miserable topics, could they? She bit her lip in thought as she examined the scratch marks on the table that were signs of long wear.
Sitting up and clearing her throat faintly before humming and running a hand through her hair almost sheepishly. "Do...do you want to finish these drinks and head out to that meadow you showed me a long time ago?" She loved the time spent here, don't get her wrong, but he liked to be out in nature at least from what she remembered about him and hopefully, that hadn't changed. Elaine offered him a cheerful little smile.
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Nov 6, 2018 4:58:00 GMT
Lasair smiled at her, nodding a bit and leaning his head onto her shoulder. “Thank you. It was hard at first but I got through it. That was just a hard time for me all around. Took me a while to get over it. But I’m okay now. Thank you though, really.”
He really enjoyed her company and wished they could spend more time together. Sometimes it was hard, given where his new residence was. But he made it work, he had to. He didn’t see much else of a choice because staying in his parents house alone and without them…it was too much. Besides, what better way to pour your life into a cause other than just living with it? There were downsides, he knew, but it was what he felt he had to do. “Isn’t it a little dark? Could be dangerous,” he teased her, grabbing his drink and taking a long draft from it. “Sure you’re not a scardy cat?”
Post by Elaine Anncroft on Nov 7, 2018 0:41:17 GMT
Elaine smiled warmly and listened to him tease her which landed him with a narrowed light-hearted glare. He was probably one of two people who could use a cat pun on her and get away unscathed. She snorted, "Pft, dangerous? Lodan? At night? Noooo." The sarcasm was real but she laughed afterward and swung the taunt back at him. "Don't worry, if you're that scared of the dark I'll protect you." She patted his arm with a sly little smirk and turned her drink up to accentuate her taunt with a pointed sidelong glance at him. There was mischief gleaming in her eyes as she put her drink down and simply held it in both hands on the table. "I might be a city girl but I am not a wuss until it comes to attempting to bathe my dog." Twas a mighty battle to get the huge fluffer into a tub then much less get him to sit long enough to have a bath. She didn't appreciate water on her without her consent but Cas didn't understand that at all. He found it amusing to torture his poor master afterward by immediately demanding cuddles while still sopping wet. It was a fight Elaine barely won since the dog was huge and she really couldn't say no to him sometimes. (But she would try.) "Come on Lassy, you like it out there," She pointed at the door hinting the outside air, "And I don't need to be in here." She then pointed at her seat. "So it's a win-win." Elaine didn't drive a hard bargain of course but a little bit of friendly and fun persuasion was always amusing. If he didn't want to she wouldn't object.