004 // the house of sin

[serpentis]

Who: Dorian and assorted guests
Broadcast: Fleet-wide, 3/10
Action: In a villa practically in the forest (THE HOUSE OF SIN)
When: Broadcast- 3/10 // Action- 3/9-3/31? Until we leave.

Broadcast:

[The broadcast goes out on 3/10, and Dorian smirks a bit into the feed.]

I believe I've secured lodging for myself, with room enough for several others. If you need a place to stay, do let me know. It's a quaint little villa a bit outside of town. ...please don't mind the suspicious glances, I assure you, I've done nothing entirely against the guidelines that were set.

---------

Action:

[Dorian has secured a villa, but the residents of Mor don't seem too keen on having an evil mage for a neighbor. As the month goes on, more and more villagers will show up to stand at the gates of the villa and threaten to come in after the "evil wizard".

Maybe he shouldn't have gone so overboard with the whole "contacting the spirits of the dead" thing.]

((OOC: Mingle post for the House of Sin. We'll pretend there are enough rooms in here for everyone! Even if you character only drops by to rest their feet a bit, everyone is welcome to visit and stay the night if they want.))

Comments

OPEN ; some nebulous time after people have settled in

[dawnwillcome]

[Strange and admittedly problematic in many ways, this planet is still the best one so far, in Jove's opinion. It doesn't look terrible different from what she's seen in Thedas, and once Dorian finds a place for them to stay, it really does feel like a very long vacation in the Emerald Graves or somewhere similar.

It's soothing, after the sterile feeling of space. The three moons had been nice enough, but this? It's not even hard to pretend she's home when she stands with her back to the villa and looks out into the forest.

During the day she spends almost all her time outdoors, exploring the woods and gathering seeds and plants, catching fish in the streams and being generally elfy. She relishes the feeling of the grass and the dirt between her toes and it will be abundantly clear to anyone this is exactly where she wants to be and she's happier here than she has been since her arrival.

At night Jove heads indoors to gather in the communal areas of the villa, sharing food and drink and stories with anyone who happens to approach. She'll stay up far too late and only tumbles into bed once everyone else has settled in for the night.

All in all it's a pretty great setup, so good job there Dorian]


(ooc: I'm up for just about anything in the world, so throw anything at me, current OR new cr!)

[serves]

[Cullen picks a room as secluded as he can find. Trauma was a silly thing--regardless of worlds or timelines, it could still follow. He imagined that there was some timeline in which he never experienced the horrors of Kinloch, and that he grew up to be a man that didn't toss and turn in his sheets and plead for the demons to leave him alone or end his misery. If only.

He retires late after a day of exploring or sparring or conversing, but even exhaustion doesn't always keep the nightmares at bay. There were a number of reasons why he stayed in a drafty loft in Skyhold when there were other places to sleep. But the main reason was solitude.

People were less likely to hear his muffled cries from his tower. He still had some dignity left--but that might change, here.]

[dawnwillcome]

[The room Jove chose for herself was the one just beside Dorian's, but there had been no actual purposeful attempt to avoid the room Cullen set himself up in. If anything, she's been just as friendly, just as open with him as she had ever been. It's Cullen that isolates himself and she assumes it's because he's embarrassed, so she says nothing about it.

It would have gone on that way likely forever if it hadn't been for her passing by his door on her way back to her room after a quest for a glass of water. It's late at night, there are no other sounds in the villa, and the sounds of him in distress are easily heard once she stops to listen to them. For a moment she hesitates, but there's no question about how this will end.

When she knocks and calls his name and he does't answer, Jove sighs and pushes the door open to lean inside. He still doesn't respond, even as she creeps closer, and finally Jove reaches out to put a hand on his shoulder as gently as she can.]

Cullen, wake up.

[serves]

[The touch to his shoulder has him waking with a start, a cool layer of sweat on his skin. The pulling, tearing, ripping--it's all too vivid, and for a moment it looks like he might not be seeing Jove.

But then he blinks and his eyes focus on her face, and he looks like he wants to dive into that volcano, body tense.]

Jove. I'm--forgive me.

[dawnwillcome]

[She shakes her head, giving his shoulder a light squeeze. Propriety would have her taking that hand away after that, but she doesn't. Not when he's so shaken.]

There's nothing to forgive. Are you alright now?

[serves]

[No, he's never alright after waking up from a nightmare, but he swallows back the burn of bile as he nods.]

Yes. I'm fine. It's just a bad dream, that's all.

[dawnwillcome]

I hate to tell you this, but you aren't a very convincing liar.

[She should absolutely go now, tell him she hopes he'll sleep better the rest of the night. That's what she should do, but instead she finds herself sitting on the edge of the bed.]

Do you have nightmares often?

[heresyandlace]

[with a newly-growing restlessness brewing inside his chest preventing him from keeping still, Tek is out and about.

and originally, he had followed the invitation because he'd been all too curious to see exactly which rules were supposedly being tested out here... but wandering through the villa in the evening, he's surprised to spot an unexpectedly familiar face, and that instantly becomes more interesting. at least for now.

and just like he'd done at the gala, he wanders up from the side, a little out of nowhere.]

...Well, don't you seem right at home here.

[dawnwillcome]

[All things told, she probably should have expected this. He always seems to find her no matter where they are and it's still a thing she isn't entirely alright with. She's certainly not comfortable with it, but Dorian's invitation had been to the entire fleet. It was probably inevitable she ran across Tek.]

What did I tell you? I'm far too elfy.

[And she misses Sera every time she uses the word, but it's probably best Sera isn't here. There's no telling how many bee bombs would have been tossed by now.

And alright, she just has to know.]

I know I stand out, but how are you always able to find me so easily?

[heresyandlace]

Luck?

[but he can't keep a straight face through that suggestion. so, after a smirk breaks through, he offers a light shrug instead.]

We share close quarters. I suppose I recognize your presence easily, now.

[dawnwillcome]

[And that isn't creepy at all.]

Could you find me anywhere, then?

[heresyandlace]

[not at all.]

Even I have my limits, unfortunately.

...And you don't quite glow as brightly as some others, anyway.

[dawnwillcome]

[She's fairly certain that unfortunately is just to add to the creep factor, so it doesn't quite work this time.]

You just haven't caught me on a good day, then. I can be positively fluorescent.

[noherald]

Jove!

[Anyone else might not have gotten a warning-- it's fun to see them jump if they don't hear him coming-- but she's not one of the ones he'd take by surprise. Arhen slips easily down from his perch in a nearby tree to join her, clearly just as pleased with this place as she is; his eyes are brighter than they've been in a while, smile thoroughly content. He hadn't been anywhere to be found around the villa that first night, and it's not hard to guess that he'd spent it in the forest instead.]

I was wondering how soon I'd find you out here.

[dawnwillcome]

[When she turns to find the source of his voice and has to look up to spot him, Jove can't help the laugh it draws. It's so nice, sometimes, to know she's not the only one who had abandoned civilization as soon as possible for the woods.]

We must have just missed each other. You've been out here this whole time, haven't you?

[She loves it, and abandons her search for new plantlife so she can go over to him.]

[save_the_souls]

[When Jove was exploring the woods, Allen was actually still at the edge of the city running errands. He was perfectly content with staying on his ship with his crew and even more importantly- his cook, so the offer to stay at the Villa had been dismissed. Nor did he think he would even have reason to go near that part of the world]

[That is, until the peaceful afternoon got shattered with an ear-piercing scream.]

[It took him by complete surprise, the volume of the scream and how it felt like it clawed at his blood. Covering his ears didn't seem to have any effect on the volume, nor did it look like anyone else in the street was reacting - as if they couldn't hear it at all. Which meant...]

[He could feel it even through the illusion. The curse of his eye activated, and desperately looking for the source of that screaming. It had been so long since he's experienced this- any souls he did sense in the fleet hadn't been suffering. Sometimes sad, sometimes so old they could no longer remember who they were before- but never in pain. Not like this. None of them had this level of terror]

[The moment his eye pinpoints the source- he feels his stomach twist nauseously. It's nothing more than a fragment, not even a whole soul anymore. Someone went and ripped a soul apart here. Like an Akuma would.]

[His previous errand forgotten, he breaks into a run towards the source. He barely shouts apologies as he moves through crowds. His pace only picks up once he's past the city limit and it opens into the forest- his illusion shutting off as it's only getting in his way.]

[He's not sure what he was expecting when he finally comes upon the clearing where the source was coming from. It wasn't someone like Jove though]

- What?

You're- you're not an undead or an akuma. Why...why do you have that soul?

[Brb trying to work out this one. She's probably got a comment before he gets over this stunned surprise.]

[dawnwillcome]

[Humans crashing through the woods and finding her is, unfortunately, not a new thing. Her clan traveled close to the borders of a number of human lords under the assumption they wouldn't interfere with the Dalish out of a fear of crossing into land that wasn't their own and starting a war, but it did happen. Usually the humans who found them were out for blood, so when Allen bursts onto the scene Jove is entirely prepared to freeze him in his tracks.

But he does that on his own. And then he makes no sense, so she doesn't dismiss the frost that's started to coat her hand. If he attacks she'll be ready, but it doesn't look like he's going to.]

I don't know what human tales you've been told, but souls are not exclusive to your kind. Elves have them, and dwarves as well.

[Yeah, she's really not thinking highly of him, misinterpreting that entirely.]

[save_the_souls]

[His shock is ebbing away to confusion, and then anger. He doesn't have time for that fantasy racism shit. Not when there's a fragment of a soul screaming in his head.]

Please. I'm not talking about your soul.

I'm not talking about the one that's attached to you. [He points to where the fragment seems to be coming from] Or whether, what's left of it.

What did you do to it?

[dawnwillcome]

[He's pointing right where the necklace holding the trinket from Dorian sits under her shirt, and that is right away enough to bring in doubts. He wouldn't have... surely he would never do something with a soul and give it to her. She can't believe that.

Still, the magic clears completely from her hand as she brings it up to touch the curve of the wolf tooth. There's a long moment of hesitation, because she doesn't want to believe this, believe a shemlen who seems to be bent on accusing her of something horrible, but she pulls the tooth free of her shirt anyway, letting it hang where he can see it.]

This is what you're pointing at, but I'll need you to explain yourself. What are you talking about?

[save_the_souls]

Do you not know?

[He watches her pull out the necklace. Now that it's out from under her shirt, it's clear as day to what that fragment of soul is attached to. Like some sort of magic enchantment from hell. Chains barbed it wickedly- as if made to incite terror. ]

[But...only he would be able to see that, he reminds himself. Maybe she wasn't a necromancer. Maybe it was a gift, or something she unwittingly picked up somewhere. Possibly. He takes in a breath, trying to steel himself- he's still clearly unhappy but he doesn't look like he's going to lunge at her. He'll give her a chance]

...That necklace. I don't know how but it's been enchanted with what I can only guess is dark magic. [At least, dark for his world. The most forbidden of all arts] The magic has trapped a soul, or rather- a fragment of a soul- and is tormenting it to fuel its power.

I could hear its screams from the city.

aFTER THE AMULET BUSINESS

[serpentis]

[Dorian hasn't seen Jove in some time. In fact, it's nearly unnerving. He's think she would at least want him to paint her nails by now, but no, she was nowhere to be found.

He knocks at her door after seeing her slip in for a quick visit, and he peeks inside.]

Jove?

[It's almost as if she's been avoiding him, but he doesn't remark on it.]

cries a lot

[dawnwillcome]

[By this time, there's quite a collection of things she's acquired from this planet carefully tucked away in her room. Branches from the forest cut down to staff length, fabrics cut and folded, lengths of string and cord, a whole collection of pots and seeds. She still needs to visit the market and find proper focusing stones for the staves, but it's a good start at the very least.

And she hasn't been avoiding him, not exactly, not on purpose, but she's aware it's been far too long since they've talked for it to look at all normal. No, when they'd gone from speaking multiple times a day and visiting just as often to this, days without contact, it's hard to deny something is wrong.

But when she turns to see who it is knocking and entering, her face doesn't fall or cloud, she doesn't look disappointed to see him. She even smiles at him, though it's a little strained.]

Dorian. You've been enjoying the planet, I hope?

lays down weeping

[serpentis]

[He nods softly, stepping inside.]

I have been, being off the damned ships agrees with me. I thought that grossing the Waking Sea was difficult, but...it would seem that space agrees with me even less.

[He looks around, and he smiles a bit.]

You have an impressive collection gathered. I...have been largely keeping to the villa.

IT'S FINE

[dawnwillcome]

[Despite everything, she has to smirk. It doesn't matter how strained things might feel between them, he's still her best friend for a reason.]

I expected as much. I picture you lounging on the softest pillows while Arhen feeds you grapes and wine. Here, hold this.

[She reaches for one of the branches, hands it over to him.]

This one will be for your when it's finished, but I want to be sure it's the right length for you.

[serpentis]

[Arhen, he doesn't say much, but his amatus has been largely romping around. He's grateful to see him, when he does, but he misses him dreadfully sometimes.

He takes the branch, testing it with a swing, and muses idly as he looks it over.]

It seems the correct length, roughly. I'm not entirely certain where I'll find rest of what I need for it...human skulls are in slightly short supply at the moment.