first thread

[warpandweft]

Who: Alucard Emery and YOU
Broadcast: yes
Action: SS Wonderduck!
When: post-shuffle

action - ss wonderduck
[It has been...a very disconcerting few hours for Alucard. First, waking up in an unknown, unfamiliar location, alone. And then having barely enough time to process and explore that first ship before being surprisingly dumped onto another.

...With confetti.

He's absolutely on his guard. In fact there's a piece of metal hovering by his left hand that...was probably a tool of some kind, left out on the bridge. It's since been shaped into a rough approximation of a knife. Just in case. Sorry. (If he had access to some sort of liquid, he would have used that but it seems to be in short supply in his current vicinity.)

Alucard is wary, but there's something that has seemed to capture his attention. For the first while after the welcome music and the confetti, he stands in front of the viewport out into the stars, a little bit in awe despite himself.

Later, he can be found in the halls, eventually ending up in the engine room with his hands on his hips. What an interesting contraption that he suddenly understands the functions of...]


broadcast
[Being the kind of guy he is, Alucard takes a while to familiarize himself with the comm, how it works and how to best present himself when he finally addresses the other members of the Fleet.

When he does open the video to post on the network, he's standing in the middle of his (too small, in his opinion) bunk. The comm itself is propped up on the shelf above the bed. He's got a glass of water in his hand. Alucard is definitely well-dressed, clothed in something that looks vaguely historical in nature and dark blue with gold trimmings. Maybe even more eye-catching, though, is the fact that his skin seems to be lined in a dull silver. Specifically, wherever you'd expect to see the blue of veins, there's what seems like either ornamentation or scarring.

Alucard nods at the camera, the expression on his face vaguely pleasant but not overly enthused.]

Good day. My name is Alucard Emery and I am a recent recruit to this, ah, fascinating fleet. [The sass is strong with this one. Though he still offers a very small bow to the camera. He's not devoid of manners.] Since I've been informed that my stay may be extended, I thought it polite to make my introductions. Though I'll admit it feels strange to offer introductions so...generally. What an interesting little device.

I also had a question to ask. Or perhaps an observation to offer. [As he speaks, the water in his glass...moves. It doesn't slosh. It ribbons up out of its container.] Where I'm from, magic is...omnipresent. But as far as I can tell, this place, these ships...there aren't even any natural sources of it. [The water curls around the fingers of his left hand, threading between them. After a moment, he turns his hand palm-up, and the liquid gathers in the middle of it. Alucard closes his hand around the mass and though someone might expect water to be dripping off of his hand now...it isn't. When he reopens his hand, the water has been transformed into a round orb of ice.] Is magic rare here? Or haven't I explored enough?

[He deposits the ice-ball back into his glass with a hum.]

I must say, for all the new wonders this place has to offer...it is a bit dull.

(ooc edit: considering the nature of Alucard's question, I have a small info-gathering poll for character with connections to magic.)

Comments

[ broadcast / video ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki stares a little because it easily sounds like something he could have said and done and as such, he lingers between the line of appreciative camaraderie or hissing like a cat when his territory is being encroached.

For now, he settles for mild and polite. ]

I do not think this place houses a great deal of mage-craft and its ilk. Much less magic of a serious caliber.

[warpandweft]

[Loki is excused his staring, primarily because for a couple seconds, that's what Alucard is doing too. There's almost the sense - if Loki is paying enough attention - that he's not looking directly at Loki, but around him.

The aura around Loki shifts between colors. Some that it shouldn't shift to, even. Strange.

Alucard pulls his attention away quickly, though, to address the answer given to him.]

What do you consider magic of a serious caliber? Out of curiosity.

[dothelokimotion]

World-walking. Physical conjurations.

[ He can do both, to a certain degree. Basically, anything Loki can do is serious magic. While his magic itself is not showy (save for his illusions), he has an impressive repertoire. ]

[warpandweft]

[Alucard's eyes narrow for a moment - though it looks less like suspicion and more like concentration - and there is (possibly) that sense again that while he's looking at Loki, he's not looking straight at him.

World-walking is very serious magic, in fact.]

I assume you mean walking between worlds. It's a magic I'm familiar with, though one I'm afraid I can't perform myself.

[That's a magic that only Antari possess. That only blood magic can achieve.]

video;

[noprophecies]

[oh, another - wizard, mage, who knows. His little display only gets an eyebrow raise out of her, though - she has high standards]

You will not find a great deal of sources, no, but we manage regardless. ["we" being the magic users] The planets sometimes offer more than what you will find up here.

Re: video;

[warpandweft]

[So he'll just have to work harder to impress her. If he feels like it. Alucard gives her a smile for her answer, though. Maybe he's even smiling because of that skeptical look.

Unlike the first responder to his question, her aura is soothingly familiar. Dark green, with the threading that indicates that she is particularly skilled in healing. That too fuels Alucard's smile.]

I see. Thank you for the information.

Is this "we" very many people?

[noprophecies]

Of course. [her nose wrinkles, very briefly, but she shakes her head with a puff of noise]

There are not many, to my knowledge. But I do not exactly keep track of it either. Sooner or later one will announce themselves on the network. [like you] Then I pay attention.

[warpandweft]

Then I can only hope that I attract enough attention.

[Still smiling, and it's rather charming. Alucard has never had much trouble attracting attention, to be honest.]

And may I have your name, my lady?

[Yeah. He went there.]

[video]

[ultima_mortis]

A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU, MR. ALUCARD EMERY.

[Death cuts his usual figure into the allotted space of the feed when he answers. It's interesting to hear that there are others who are used to such things.]

I TOO COME FROM A MAGICAL WORLD. THERE ARE ALL MANNER OF GODS AND PEOPLE WHO USE MAGIC IN THEIR DAILY LIVES.

[warpandweft]

...A pleasure to meet you as well.

[It's very rare for Alucard to be caught off his guard, but he certainly is, in this moment. He blinks at the being on the screen. Just surprised, though, and not on his guard the way he would be if he could decipher any spell animating Death.]

Are there many beings like you? You're quite...arresting.

[Even in his surprise, he chooses his words carefully.]

[ultima_mortis]

[The closes thing to a spell animating Death is the collective belief in him from the Disc. It's an interesting life having your very appearance dictated by how a collective of individuals believe you should look.

He's not even offended by the honest surprise. People react to him in all kinds of ways.]

MOST CERTAINLY. ALL PLANETS WITH SUFFICIENTLY INTELLIGENT LIFE HAVE SOME FIGURE SIMILAR TO MYSELF WHO FERRIES THE DEAD TO WHERE IT IS THEY ARE MEANT TO GO. I AM DEATH, OR RATHER, AND ANTHROPOMORPHIC PERSONIFICATION OF IT FROM THE PLANET DISCWORLD.

[warpandweft]

[The revelation that this is apparently Death does nothing to ease Alucard's look of surprise. Of course, it makes some amount of sense. The skeletal form, the forboding dark cloak. There are certainly similar depictions of Death in Alucard's world.

...It makes some amount of sense. And Alucard supposes that if magic itself can come to take a roughly human shape - or rather, if a demon could be formed of pure magic - then it isn't impossible for Death to be embodied.

It's not particularly a soothing thought, though. Surprise shifts slightly to concern. Not hostility, just...concern.]

I...see. Have you always had a physical embodiment?

video

[mrfancyhat]

You might not have much luck finding natural resources like that onboard. Your best bet is to explore the various planets we come across when you can.

[Chuuya is excited to see Alucard's magic. This sort of thing has definitely piqued his interest!]

[warpandweft]

[Alucard nods his head pleasantly.]

Luckily, I don't need natural wells. It's simply strange to be without them.

The idea of visiting these multiple...planets...it's very strange. But I'm curious to see what they have to offer.

[mrfancyhat]

That's great! You'll have nothing to hold you back when you need to use your magic! Very much a huge benefit, depending on the planets we come across.

[He laughs.]

It is strange, but you'll get used to it in no time.

[warpandweft]

I suppose I am fairly adaptable. I imagine you're right.

Still, to be up among the stars..it's amazing and unsettling both.

[He looks off-camera for a moment, and then back.]

And you? Are you used to it?

action

[chicandsporting]

[To add to his super confusing welcome, Alucard gets the unparalleled delight of having a barking footstool come bounding up to him, what can be presumed as the back end waggling energetically. The dog (???) is soon followed by Lumière, who offers Alucard a charming smile and a wave. ]

Another newcomer so soon! Welcome to the Wonderduck, monsieur.

[warpandweft]

[As if his day couldn't get any more strange...

Alucard expects a dog when he hears barking. To find that the source comes from....a moving footstool is strange to say the least. Or it's strange for a split second, until Alucard sees the curse laying over the object...the creature...

The knife still hangs an inch or two below his hand. But it doesn't move, at least, when Lumière appears.]

What an odd name for a ship...

[That's maybe the least odd thing that's happened today. But it's a start, as a conversational point.]

[chicandsporting]

[He would greatly appreciate it if his dog is not stabbed, yessiree. He taps his leg and Sulatan bounds over to sit at his feet. Lumière chuckles at the response. ]

Oui, it is. That's usually people's opening statement when they learn they've been shuffled here. It's probably the most uniquely named ship in the Fleet- and no, no one knows why.

[It's not wonderful, nor are there any ducks abroad. It's just weird. ]

I'm Lumière, and this is Sultan. [He points at the Footstool. ] Do you need to be filled in on anything? Or have any questions in general about where you are?

[warpandweft]

[Rest assured, Lumière! If something is getting stabbed, it's not going to be the dog.

But in fact, nothing is getting stabbed at all. Not presently, anyway. After a few moments, the makeshift knife settles down - all by itself - on a nearby surface. Alucard crosses his arms over his chest, peering at Sultan.]

I have a few questions. One of which is why and how your dog has been cursed into a piece of furniture.

[Still not the most pressing question! He's working his way around to it.]

video

[lord_wizard]

[When his face appears on the screen, half his attention is fixed with quiet interest on the glass in Alucard's hands. The markings draw his eye as well, reminding him vaguely of Fenris' tattoos, but it's difficult to tell if they're similar.]

They're very dull...until they decidedly are not, and then you may wish for a return to such boredom.

[His gaze focuses, pulling away from the idle inspection of Alucard's features]

As for you question, are you asking about the fleet or the persons within it?

[warpandweft]

[He smiles charmingly at Felix, though in those first few moments it seems like his attention is similarly divided. Alucard's eyes seemingly roam around the screen, looking...behind Felix?

As far as he can tell, Felix is simply glowing. He has a magician's aura, in the sense that he has magic. But it doesn't have a color. Strange and fascinating.]

I was inquiring after both, I suppose. As far as I could tell before reaching out, there weren't either nearby.

[His ship doesn't have any sort of magic-users aboard. After a moment, his smile grows a bit more rakish.]

As to your first point: I enjoy a good adventure.

[lord_wizard]

[His reaction to that smile is a slight lift of one of his delicately arched brows and a glimmer of a similar smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.]

Hm, well, I don't, particularly, but it's been constantly thrust upon me regardless.

[His expression smoothes out, however, as he moves on the more serious matter]

More to your original inquiry, there are several persons within the fleet that possess magic or one sort or another, myself included. As people have a tendency to come and go the number fluctuates regularly. Magic in the environment is another matter. We encounter planets from time to time that have their own inherent magic, but for those of us that require an external source there is no such thing aboard any of the ships - and yet their magic functions. It's either some manipulation of the augments or, and this is closer to my own personal theory, that Atroma can maintain some level of connection to the worlds those people hail from to supply the magic they require. Reasonable, I think, given their capabilities.

Broadcast;;

[fantachetic]

[ So very few broadcasts gain his attention right from the start. The man on the video feed is certainly attractive and well-spoken. It speaks of a certain kind of upbringing that he knows all-too well. Curious is how his skin seems to have a silver glow to it, almost. Magical, by the looks of it. Almost reminiscent of Fenris and his lyrium tattoos, but this certainly feels different. Dorian is more than intrigued.

When Dorian turns on his own video in return, he's sitting at his desk looking nothing less than immaculate, because that would be a social faux pas. His smile is warm, though an eyebrow arches and displays his own ire of the situation. ]

It's a shame, very few people here have the courtesy of a theatrical entrance. Particularly one as eloquent as yours, ser.

[ Dorian rests his chin on a hand, looking thoroughly amused. ]

Magic is to be found very little here, given the number of us residing in these dreadful hovels, however, it is most certainly present. There is no Fade to draw magic from, though it comes from somewhere unseen. No one has yet to discover the source, though some have tried.

I would certainly say you've yet to explore the fleet to its full potential. [ With a flourish, Dorian summons a small flame in his hand, further illuminating the room. ]

[warpandweft]

It pays to know how to make a proper introduction.

[Alucard is absolutely pleased, it seems, to have caught Dorian's attention. He's got a pleasant smile on his face as he takes stock of the man who has replied to him. For a moment or two, his gaze seems to be...beyond Dorian. Slightly distant. Just a couple seconds, though, while he tries to digest the way streaks of white-ish gray dance in the midst of a peacock-green aura.

It's fascinating to him, all these magics he does not know. But unsettling at the same time. Even the fire...Alucard cannot summon his elements, he can only control them with his magic.]

I assume this Fade is the usual source of your magic, then?