driftfleet | [Open] Watch each card you play, and play it slow

Who: Adalwolfe Hawke
Broadcast: Video!
Action: Sure; Malum
When: Now

[It's not long into drift week before Adalwolfe Hawke gets bored. And when a Hawke gets board, then ridiculous things happen. Luckily, thanks to some seeds already planted in his brain before, Adalwolfe has been working on a pet project so not too much destruction has occurred. (This time, anyway.)

Wolfe pops onto the network with a video with an eager smile.]

Hey fleet! So there's this card game from Thedas called Wicked Grace and since we haven't had any proper cards that I've found, I decided to make my own.

[He holds up a few card. One labeled Angel of Death and a few others from various suits, all labeled and with crude drawings.]

I found a deck of very plain cards in Malum, so if those belonged to anyone sorry about that, but you really shouldn't leave your stuff around. Anyway, I made them playable for Wicked Grace. If anyone wants to play, you should know that if we're using my cards, then we go by Ferelden rules. See? The Swords are Dogs instead and they're high instead of Angels. Also I made the Drakes into Dragons instead because I can.

[He pauses in his excitement for a moment, then sits back a bit sheepishly as it occurs to him that anyone not from Thedas probably has no idea what he's talking about.]

So, the rules are everyone is dealt 5 cards. Each player takes turns drawing one card from either the deck or the discard pile and then discarding a card face up into the discard. You can't take a card you've previously discarded. When the Angel of Death card is drawn and discarded, then the game is over and everyone scores their hands. You're supposed to discard the Angel of Death right away, but cheating is also part of the game so almost no one ever does unless they have a good hand. But if you get caught cheating, then you lose right away.

[Wolfe grins again and leans into the video, holding up cards as examples as he talks.]

There's four suits - Dogs, Angels, Songs, and Dragons. Some other countries use other suits, like in Orlais they have Masks for Songs and everywhere but Ferelden Angels are highest. Though I actually think in Tevinter Dragons are high but they call them Serpents...

[A pause to mull that over, then Wolfe continues.]

In any case, Dogs always beat Angels, Angels beat Songs, etc. Also more of a suit will beat less of a suit. So say you have three Dragons. That'll beat two Angels. Pretty simple. Where it gets sort of complicated is with themes. You can beat four Songs, for example, if you have the Song, Dog, Angel, and Dragon all of Roses. There's other things too, but it's a lot to just explain like this.

[Wolfe puts the cards he'd been showing off back on top of the deck and leans back.]

If you have any questions, ask away! Or I can show you in person, since it's pretty slow in Malum today. But if you do come to learn you've got to order a drink. 'Sonly fair.

[He shuffles the cards between his hands, nothing fancy but he's at least got a bit of deftness there. For a moment, a dog nose is visible at the bottom corner of the shot, over the counter on which Wolfe's device is sitting, then it moves back out of view with a loud snuffle.]

Oh, and fellow Thedosians, we should set up a night to play now that we've got cards. Let me know what works for everyone. I'm good for any time.

[He waves at the video, dropping about half the deck in the process. The video ends with a yelp and Wolfe diving under the bar to save his precious cards.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Oh gosh he got a laugh. That's amazing!]

Oh no, you too. And Anders. It should be a group effort; a solemn gift to not just the rogues, but every woman in the fleet. Or, well, the straight ones.

Your kindness and decency truly knows no bounds, Adalwolfe. It is a wonder they are not swooning at your feet.

It really is, isn't it? I mean, considering.

[He pulls off his shirt in punctuation to his statement. Look at them guns. Really though how is he that muscular as a mage?]

[What the fuck, wolfe? Anders is definitely giving you a look from across the room.

Was that really necessary?]

[100% necessary. Just enjoy the flexing.]

[Fenris rolls his eyes at the show. ]

Yes, yes. We're all deeply impressed. Put your shirt back on before you take someone's eye out.

Mm. I guess it is a bit too cold for that. But let it not be said that I am anything but committed.

[Basically, nope. Shirt's staying off for now. Enjoy that view, massive scars and all. He does at least stop flexing? Small favors.]

How are things, by the way? With, you know... everything.

[With Marian, mostly, but it's also just a general friendly interest.]

[Disgusted noise.]

Define everything. It's rather a lot.

[Nope, he's not going to make it easy. ]

...Generally. Things are fine.

Define fine. Last I saw you you nearly blew a hole in the Iskaulit with my magic and I fazed through a countertop.

[Mostly he wants to know if Fenris gained any insight from the experience. He knows he should prepare to be disappointed but compared to Thedas things have been going so well here in the fleet that he just can't help but attempt to be an optimist.]

[Fenris makes a soft, annoyed snort. ]

I have...recovered as best I can. Unless you want more specifics.

[He'll just drag this out as long as possible, don't mind him. ]

[Sometimes he gets really sick of your shit, Fenris. Especially when he's trying to be nice and ask after you to see if you're ok.

He lets out a heavy sigh and is just this close to rolling his eyes.]

What I want is to check on you because I actually care about your well being. Maker forbid you deign to answer the question like a mere mortal.

[Good to know that Fenris is happy to laugh at his superficial antics but actual regard? Forget about it.]

[This is what Wolfe gets for trying to befriend him. Suffering and hard work. He's the worst. ]

Oh.

[There's a long, awkward pause, and Fenris does at least look a little abashed, rubbing the back of his neck. ]

I- apologise. I thought you were needling.

I am...fine.

Fenris, no one is out to get you.

[Wait, amend that.]

No one here in the fleet is out to get you. I just want to make sure you're actually alright, that's all. Especially now that I know what the brands actually feel like.

[Really, no one should live with a constant background of pain.]

[A small, bitter part of Fenris wants to lash out. To point out no one really cared before about the pain of the brands. That suddenly experiencing that pain doesn't mean anyone can start caring. But he knows it's spiteful, and foolish. Counterproductive. Wolfe is trying to help, he's offering a hand here. Fenris needs to learn to stop pushing those away. Maker, he's trying to be better.]

Those will never really change. They are what they are, there is little I can do about it.

...

The concern is appreciated, though.

Edited 2017-01-12 00:18 (UTC)

Have you looked? I mean, back home I'm sure you have, but here there are people with skills we've never even heard of. I mean, look what Allen was able to do in extracting Justice from Anders. There could be something that at least alleviates the pain, if nothing else.

[Wolfe knows he could be overstepping his bounds here, but even with their little argument a moment ago, he feels there's some small bond that was created when they'd swapped powers. An avenue to understanding that if they could just follow things could be better overall between them.]

I know you've been here awhile longer than I have though. Forgive me if you have looked and didn't turn up anything.

[There was Robin. Robin had offered to take the brands away- but Fenris had turned him down. Too fearful of what he'd be left with if he gave up the thing he'd traded everything else he'd had for.

He'd talked to Anders before, about this. He's a touch suspicious, that Anders talked to Wolfe about this. He shouldn't be surprised if he did. There was no love lost between them, after all. ]

I- have not. Perhaps there is a way to make it less painful.

[Anders hasn't breathed a word of it to Hawke. He came to it on his own, with their shared experience in power swapping. No one should have to live like that, in constant pain.]

If you'd like, I can ask around. If not then I understand, just know you've got my help if you want it.

[Even if you are kind of an ass.]

[He's such an ass. ]

Hm. Perhaps. To be with less pain would be...something.

[Weird. Aside from times when his abilities have been nulled by United Earth or Atroma, he doesn't remember not being in pain. Maybe, for once, he can find a way to live without it.]

That, uh...

[He looks at Fenris with confusion clear on his face.]

No pain is generally a good thing. Is there something I'm missing?

No, it's...fine. Just some leftover concerns from when the United Earth disabled them.

[It's only a HALF lie.]

Alright.

[He can tell there's still something Fenris isn't telling him, but he doesn't push. This is too personal for that and it's up to him whether he wants to seek a solution or not.]

If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask, alright?

[One day, Fenris might sit down an talk to him about it. One day. ]

I will.

Thank you.

[Open] Watch each card you play, and play it slow

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