005 - [VIDEO]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

[As is probably a common sight by now, when the video blips on, Darin is in his forge. It's almost as if he never goes home. Where does this guy even live anyway?]

[And, just as always, the space behind him is just as full of random wares and projects as ever. Never let it said that the man doesn't like to keep busy.]

So, I ran to the store yesterday just to see if I could snag some more discount Halloween candy and literally everything was changed over to...whatever it is holiday people on this world celebrate next. Since this one didn't seem to have anything to do with ghosts or witches or the undead, I decided to take a look at some of the decorations and I have to ask...

[Darin holds up this chintzy plastic wreathe and a plastic wireframe reindeer meant to go on someone's lawn.]

Do people really pay top dollar for something that literally took no effort?

Not gonna lie though, it gave me an idea. People aren't so much willing to buy military grade weapons and armor anymore, and since I've had some recent practice in crafting metal flowers, I figured I'd try my hand at something new.

[Darin reaches offscreen to his workbench and hauls up two metal holiday wreathes]

I could stain them appropriate colors and whatnot and I guarantee these will last longer than anything else. So, what do you all think? Are there any other decorations you think I should try my hand at? I admit, I had a lot of fun making these.

003 | video

[codeofiron]

[There is, from this angle, nothing to distinguish the office Brandon is sitting in from hundreds of others. Plain wooden walls and shelves, with only a clock on one of them and a generic landscape photo of a stream on another. Not, honestly, much to distinguish Brandon either. He's dressed in a black suit, as usual, and his posture is straight, his expression neutral. Professional. He prefers voice to video, and has found he prefers text to voice, but this seems important to discuss face-to-face, so to speak.]

I'm Brandon Heat. Head of security for Mayor Baelish in Maurtia Falls. We want replace some staff who recently Ported out - if you have experience and are interested, let me know.

[Is that it? Yeah, that's it.]

video | 01

[pharmaka]

[ For a brief moment after the camera flickers on, Circe appears uncertain, and then her expression at once resolves into a calm, unstirred facade, cool as a plane of water. She has unglamorous auburn hair set back in a tousled braid, eyes of an odd, subtly gold sheen, and a plain, even voice. ]

Well. I do not know whether it is for the better that most of the plants and animals and the like are familiar to me here. It would surely be a better preoccupation than what I was assigned, to acquaint myself with the local wildlife, so perhaps I will do it nonetheless. It has been made clear to me that there is an almost impossibly large amount of land to be seen.

Given I am unfamiliar with travel and with this country, I thought I would seek suggestions. In particular... [ a short pause ] I find I miss the sea. I had heard of deserts, but they are not so lovely a place to live as they are to hear tales of. And the same can be said of cities of men.

[ That is it. She says nothing about the confusion, the mingled hope and fear, that all this freedom and newness has set about in her. She is quite possibly the only divine being here. It is impossible to tell. Is that her father, keeping eye on her in the sky? If it is, she doubts he is about to say hello. In some respects she is as alone as she ever was.

In others... There are more people, more mortals, and more land than she has ever given thought to in her long life. It is thrilling and terrifying at the same time, and Circe dares to betray as little of it as she can manage. ]

i

[adamantlyardent]

Nice

• Transportation is swift, abundant, and seems to be mostly horseless, which makes for such clean roads.
• Food and drink portions are almost OBSCENELY generous, as are their vendors. Am I to expect to be able to receive free samples of anything I wish all the time simply because of my "novel" appearance?
• The weather is acceptable, I suppose. Sunshine is always pleasant.
• Any city with a surplus of books and learning material ought to receive commendation for it; such privilege was so lacking in the valley as a whole.
• I hear there are no roving bands of murderous dragons or portals to one of the realms of hell active here. That's nice.

Awful

• Am I to believe that humans, when left to their own creative devices, can invent such technological wonders such as floating, horseless transport but somehow NOT address the wretched smells? I'm astonished by the odors of this city. Maybe horses are the real way to go.
• Is there a reason civilization here seems to be so averse to flora? I can count the number of trees I can see on a single block on one hand. Terrible.
• The architecture leaves much to be desired. No cohesion, no elegance. The lettering and window artwork is charming at times, however.
• There seems to be a severe lack of respect for personal space and I cannot accept that. Imagine someone less polite than I arriving, having their sensitive ears tugged, and NOT suppressing their urge to incinerate the offending party! I'm honestly very disturbed by this fact. Hands should be kept to themselves unless otherwise requested!
• As gracious as it must be for the governing bodies of his land to take SOME modicum of responsibility for displacing me here, this does not excuse the fact that in doing so, intentionally or not, it has utterly RUINED a priceless, irreplaceable artifact of magic in my possession. There truly is no value of money high enough to compensate me for this loss, but I would at least LIKE to have seen some initiative to make amends. 

Actually, with that in mind, is there perhaps some expert in navigating the laws of this land who can assist me with that? Or better yet, another student of the arcane who can help me diagnose precisely what has gone wrong with my poor staff. My wand seems to be in working condition at least.

Also: De Chima #1? Where is that? I can't spend ALL evening afoot without a place to rest, after all.