mingle a little Mor tonight

[catamite]

Who: Everyone!
Broadcast: Sure!
Action: The wonderful world of Mor, nearby way-stations, and ships!
When: The first week or so of arrival

[this is it-- Atroma's surprise vacation stay for you all! it's time to explore, speculate, relax, and totally behave yourselves. right?

how are you all dealing with the ever-so-educational volcano? have you played around with the visual toggle on those collars yet? aren't they cool? aren't these peasant clothes rad? if you haven't had a decent meal since Abeo, maybe you could afford some of that authentic farm-raised meat they have here. historical!

I bet you're all excited and completely thrilled to be here! who wouldn't be? ...so, make some discoveries, make some friends, and have fun!]

Comments

TAVERN / TEMPLES

[birdsbirdsbirds]

TAVERN;

[Robin's oddly quiet since they got to the planet. Not chatting people up as usual, he's instead chosen to hole himself up out of the way. As night, he can frequently be found in the local taverns, having a drink at the edge of the room and watching other people talk.

Funny, he's not usually the spectator in these things, but... Maybe something's on his mind?]

TEMPLE;

[On some days, Robin can be found in the temples. Likewise, he sits to the side, contemplatively looking up at the statues of gods he doesn't recognize and listening to hymns that are foreign to him.

At times, he seems so distant that you could probably startle him if you were quiet enough. Sitting on a bench, leaning on a pillar, hands folded loosely in his lap.]

TEMPLE

[ino]

[ She was curious about the temple, but hey, there's a familiar messy mop of hair hanging out in the corner, there.

She'll do her ninja thing and try to sneak up on him, to speak directly into his ear ]

This place is already depressing enough without you looking all sad, too.

TEMPLE

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[it works a little too well, on account of him suddenly startling away from her and staring back like a distressed cat. them being in a holy place is the only reason he doesn't raise his voice to an anxious yell.

he hisses instead:] Why would you do that?

[ino]

[ COVERS HER MOUTH TO SILENCE THE SNICKERING COMING OUT OF HER RIGHT NOW. Give her a moment before she whispers back ]

Well I didn't think it was going to work quite so well ...!

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Chel, zyo gos'fem...

[normally, the words have a way of... making sense, even though they shouldn't... but even if it wasn't a magical god language, it'd be pretty obvious he was swearing under his breath. he rubs the back of his neck, trying to CALM DOWN and not look so obviously bothered by getting startled like that.

now that she's closer, he doesn't look all that different with the modulator... the white in his hair is a little darker and his eyes look a little duller than usual, but that could easily just be the lighting in here. he settles again, crossing his arms.]

All right. Hi.

[ino]

[ The mischievous look fades a little to a sympathetic smile ]

Sorry. It's a habit. A ninja habit.

[ She leans on the back of the bench, not sitting just yet. The modulator hasn't done much to her, either -- though she did find some less tattery clothes to wear ]

Anything interesting in here?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Should I... Ask what a ninja is?

[they have something like that at home, but they're sure not called 'ninjas'. he looks up and out at the statues of whatever god this temple stands for... and puts a little more effort into not looking so grumpy.]

I suppose it's interesting if you like hymns or theology. I've mostly stayed for the quiet.

[ino]

[ Another person who doesn't know what a ninja is? Huh. ]

It's a type of warrior. Usually known for their stealth. Kind of like an assassin?

[ She'll glance up at the statues, too, curiously. Normally she's not one to need quiet or anything, but the bustle of the town makes her incredibly uncomfortable. Reminds her too much of the way things were in Paradisa's town. Unassuming and ignorant, through no fault of their own. ]

Fair enough. The forest's not bad for that stuff, either.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Oh. I know what an assassin is... [that's... interesting.] Wouldn't have pegged you for the type.

[a lot of cute girls have admitted to violent and terrible back-stories to him lately... it's kind of bizarre. maybe it pulls a type, these games...]

The forest seemed nice, but I had enough of that a couple worlds back.

blame it on the a-a-a-a-alcohol

[noctiphile]

[Mattias does not visit taverns. He is not the tavern-going type. There are too many eyes in too many directions and air thick with whispers aimed at too many places. It's claustrophobic. Suffocating in the thickness of secrets being shared and stored. Mattias is too used to those secrets being about him.

It's something he has to talk himself out of thinking as he prepares to enter, steeling himself with a deep breath. Wetting his lips, he pushes the door open and is greeted by a merry crowd with eyes pointed everywhere but at him. He relaxes slightly, wandering into the hall with eyes peeled for familiar forms. He finds him after some searching and sighs in relief, sliding into the chair opposite him, a leaf of nervousness hidden in his smile.]

Well, at least the place was easy to find.

[As if summoned, a waitress bustles over to take his order. He obliges her with a nod and places an order. Whisky. He turns back to Robin when she leaves.] Please don't tell me I've kept you waiting long.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[Robin typically has mixed feelings about places like these for the very same reason--usually depending on how notorious he'd been, lately. right now, the place is warm and buzzing and full of all manner of little distractions--clothing, conversation, dancing, singing, stories, and very, very strong mead. he feels like he can just sink into a wall, become part of the hive. without thought or direction, but not needing either of them.

until Mattias shows up, anyway. he stirs himself up out of his passive state and summons up some volume to talk over the chatter. and order another mead.]

No, no. I came here early on purpose.

[he pats the table. he wouldn't have done it if he wasn't wearing his usual gloves. it's a little dirty. taverns, man. related: it's time to start playing everyone's favorite game, how drunk is Robin, actually?]

We can leave a little later if you want, I just figure this is the best place for the actual drinking stage or the day.

[noctiphile]

"Drinking stage"? [His lips curl into a cheshire grin. Leaning forward, he places knuckles against his cheek and drums the table with his fingers.] You know, something like that usually insinuates more phases to come.

[Mattias watches the gloves as if it were his first time seeing them, studying how the fabric stretched and folded. He wonders about them. Wonders what they're meant to hide but dissuades himself from asking.

Leaning back, he taps his knuckles idly against the table in a short, clumsy rhythm.] I didn't know you had something more than drinks planned. Care to share?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Well, that depends entirely on what kind of a drinker you are!

[hey, there's a better smile. he tilts his head, lazily, as he explains--putting a different finger down on the table for every step.]

There's the drinking stage, intermittent with the small-talk stage. There's the stage where we tipsily discuss science. Somewhere after that there's the stage where you've had a few too many drinks but determinedly try to tell me about morals and gods and whatever political opinions you may or may not have.

[--he claps one hand against the other, suddenly.] There's the stage where you feel compelled to start making friends and try to explain to strangers that you love them even though you've only known them for a couple of minutes. At some point we go outside and enjoy the feeling of night, because our faces are numb and the air is clear...

[...he starts giggling. this is not quite where he wanted this to go. hm. his words sound clear, but his motions are a little sluggish. he takes a deep breath.]

And maybe lay in the grass. There might be ticks, though. Haven't thought about it very hard. Did you get your shots while you were in the volcano... thing?

[noctiphile]

I have. [The waitress comes back with their drinks and Mattias accepts his before it even reaches the table, smelling the flavor before taking a sip.]

So you brought me for love confessions. I see. Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm much more likely to set someone else up.

[He takes another, longer sip.] I have a drunken habit of pairing strangers together.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Really? [he leans forward.] Like who?

[noctiphile]

[Mattias sighs, rolling his head on the back of the booth so he could better survey the room. After a couple minutes, he nods across the room to a freckled redheaded woman that leans forward everytime their waitress comes around.]

That woman there. The redhead with the scar across her face. She's nursing interest in the waitress.

[Taking another sip of whiskey.] A couple more drinks, I'd probably urge her to confess.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[he seems so interested... turning with curiosity, especially because he'd already noticed the redhead girl and been wondering the exact same thing. maybe they're both reading too much into it, but he still looks over, lips curling into a smile without him.

it takes him... a little too long to turn back to Mattias, but none of that is gone when he does.]

I've changed my mind. After a couple of more drinks, I want to take you out. Have you been to the forest yet? I don't know. [okay. he might be tipsy.] I'm still thinking. I'm glad you're here.

temple!

[amarant]

[ It's an interesting place to be, surrounded by foreign religions. On her own world, even the gods that were unfamiliar to her were still somewhat familiar, the same respect paid to them all. Each god in their place, a temple built above them.

The hymns are pretty, at least.

She slides onto the bench, next to him, one day. ]

You like it here too?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Ah--

[he snaps back to earth (figuratively), almost startled when someone's suddenly sitting next to him--but it's fine. it's just Emblica. he relaxes again with a sigh, and offers a weak little smile.]

I don't know... It's quiet, at least.

[amarant]

[ She's small, it's easy for her to be missed at first, especially when someone's mind is a bit...elsewhere. ]

...I like quiet places best, though.

Are you well lately?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

I... Don't know about that, either.

[he settles back down in his spot, looking up at the statues...]

I would rather not be outside. I thought it would be too far away to ever remember, but... this city keeps reminding me of the town where I grew up. It's very... strange.

[amarant]

Oh...

[ It makes sense to her, now. ]

We could go somewhere else, far away from town.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[that's very considerate of her. he smiles, a little.]

Thank you, but I'm doing all right in here. It's odd, but reminds me of somewhere a little closer.

[amarant]

Faith is awfully similar, no matter where it is.

Something like that?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Yeah, something like that...

[he looks up at the statues again. tall, beautiful depictions...]

You know, a funny thing I think about every time I step into a place like this... I used to have whole temples built to me, you know. Statues of little old Robin, all tall and pale like this.

[...he chuckles a little.]

They never got my face right, though. Always looked weird.