TDM #4

[calderaevents]

ARRIVAL

It happens in an instant. A heavy weight in your gut, a trembling of your limbs, the world spins and you barely have time to register that you're falling before you lose consciousness. And when you awaken, it's not where you were last. Dark, unadorned oak walls surround you in a tiny room, the only furniture the bed you are currently resting upon, and the bedside table with a folded piece of parchment resting atop it that simply reads:

“The Tavernkeeper is awaiting your arrival downstairs.”

As you exit you find others like yourself emerging from the surrounding rooms. You are indeed in a tavern, but there is no hustle and bustle one might think to hear in such a place. The only person down on the main floor is a humanoid figure wiping down the bar, who smiles when they see you. They're familiar, but not, and you can't quite place their face. For some reason, however, their presence is comforting and warm.

“Welcome, Visitor. I'm sure you have a lot of questions.”

And you most certainly do.

Due to popular demand, the starter tavern and the drinks provided are available to in game characters via a portal accessible only to those with a faction gem.

DRINK MENU

WINTER'S WHISPER A fragrant spiced tea that calms the nerves and inspires the drinker to share their hopes and dreams.

JINGLE BELL A crisp, bright drink...that makes jingling bell sounds as you walk. There are no bells, and yet you jingle.

S(LAY) RIDE This drink has an earthy, woody taste. Almost as woody as the tavern floor it forces you to lie down upon. You cannot get up unless someone else helps you.

MISTLETOE MEAD Made with honey from enchanted bee hives and a touch of mistletoe leaves. Time to find a smoochin' partner!

HOLLY JOLLY SPICE A bold and fiery blend of rum, cinnamon, and cloves with a secret twist—just a dash of enchanted holly berry syrup that makes your cheeks flush with warmth and your laughter contagious. One sip, and you're the life of the party, even if you're by yourself.

CANDY CANE CRUSH A festive burst of minty sweetness with a cool, refreshing sensation that tingles the tongue. The drinker’s mood subtly shifts the color of their surroundings, briefly changing the hues of objects or lights in the room to match their feelings.

GINGERBREAD MAN A thick drink that tastes exactly like a gingerbread cookie. However, candy and other delicious accents start appearing on you as if YOU were the cookie. Is that icing on your nose? Candied cherries in your hair? Gumdrop buttons? But on the bright side, free candy!

CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY

As the effects of your drink wear off, the Tavernkeeper speaks once more:

”It is time, my friends, for you to find your new homes.”

You are compelled to walk through the only door leading out of the tavern, finding yourself not outside, but in a deep black, seemingly endless room with five portals arranged in a circle. As the last of you leave and the door closes behind you, gone when you look back again and replaced with nothing but that black void, three of the portals illuminate:

The first portal is surrounded by an almost blinding light, prismatic rainbows shining brightly in the dewy air outside of the tavern. A soft breeze may gently caress you, pulling you toward it. The portal seems to lead to a city in the clouds, airships and winged beings of all sorts soaring through the skies. Of the little bits of visible land, much of it boasts giant waterfalls that look like clouds melting into the land below. The portal calls to those who crave independence and freedom; and especially to anyone that wishes to find the strong bond of a family not forged in blood.

The second portal is encircled by a fairy ring of spotted white capped mushrooms, the faint scent of damp stone and rich earth wafting from within the faint green glow. Peering inside, one can see a sprawling harbor city of gray hewn stone, a melting pot of humanoid beings going about their day, and beyond, rolling green farmland and cottages clustered in small villages. This portal is destined for those who crave stability and solid ground beneath their feet. A simple life, an adventurous one, and everything in between can be found within.

The last portal is adorned with shells and seaweed, the glow of blue around it catching on droplets cascading down the circular opening. Beyond it you see a city housed inside a massive bubble deep under the ocean, spiraling towers encrusted with coral, and a variety of different creatures mingling about the streets. Outside of that bubble, merfolk swim, a massive squid engulfs the view from the portal as it smoothly glides through the water, and schools of fish disperse as it passes. A sanctuary in the sea that calls to those with a hunger for knowledge and a desire to aid those in need. Or perhaps it is the mystery that beckons you - the lure of the unknown in the depths that bids you explore it.

---

Upon following the pull of the breeze through the first portal, you are thrust into the beauty of a lively city that goes by the name of Heaven's Bow. Much of this main city feels exactly as you would expect on a city below, but there are clouds surrounding every direction you look. The walls of buildings are made with light-colored limestone, and buildings are generally built up to heights made even more grandiose by their position in the sky.

The Skyfall Docks are the first thing you notice, boasting hundreds of airships sailing in and out across the clouds with shouts that accompany a typical port city. Just outside is a fantastic market with goods not only from the other regions of Caldera, but from what some shopkeepers claim are other worlds--items sold or left behind by Visitors. Almost anything can be found in the markets if one is willing to look hard enough. Transport to other locations throughout the sky and even to the land or sea can be found here.

If the docks are too lively for you, you may instead find yourself roaming the underbelly of Heaven's Bow and finding brothels and gambling parlors filled with the promise of pleasure and fortune. The guild house for the Sylphs can be found here as well, giving out quests and training to prospective adventurers and guards alike--though none of them seem concerned with the illicit activities that surround them. Perhaps the freedom the Sylphs boast of extends to what others may deem an undesirable activity.

But most curious of all, you find a shimmering opal gemstone in your hand. When placed anywhere on the body, it will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

---

If it was the second portal that called to you, you will find yourself in the busy city of Grey Ward, with its cobblestone streets and sturdy grey stone buildings. You are in the heart of the city, the Glass Market, so named for the colorful stained glass windows of the surrounding buildings. The scent of cooking food and the sound of barkers fills the air; watchful guards keep an eye out for pickpockets and thieves, and citizens go about their day. From here, one can investigate the rest of the city: the Sundown Docks, where both sea and sky faring skips transport people and goods. The Soot Spire, home of inventors and engineers. The Hearthstill, the main residential area. The Downs, a smaller residential area for those with less means.

Outside the city walls, one can explore acres of farmlands to the east and west, or follow Terra’s Pass to the less settled areas, but take care. Past the Skyward Range, out in the smaller burrows and villages, the influence of the city guard diminishes quickly, and you’ll have to keep your wits about you. Bandits along the road are always a risk, and the wildlife are less controlled by regimented hunting.

In your hand is a gemstone, a brilliantly green emerald that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

---

If the last portal beckoned you through it, you find yourself within that bubble covered city beneath the sea, the city of Salt Spire. Your ears pop with the change in pressure, and the smell of the salty sea fills your nostrils. All around you buildings made of dark stone encrusted with coral and seagrass tower high above your head, the backdrop outside the dome a deep blue, seemingly endless sea filled with fish and merfolk and all other manner of creature swimming through the water. You stand in the heart of it all, surrounded by people with gils on their necks and scales upon their vibrantly colored skin, all of whom seem intrigued by your arrival. You have many options of where to visit in the city under the sea, but where oh where will you go first?

The Salt Spire Library is right before you, an impossibly large building housing thousands upon thousands of books of all genres. Fiction, non-fiction, romance and mystery and all between. You may even find books from your world and others! Oddly enough though, no Calderan history books are to be found, and if you ask for them, the librarians and locals all choose to ignore your questions.

If scholarly pursuits aren't to your interest currently, perhaps a trip to Bluetide Market would be more your style? The marketplace is host to every manner of shop one might ever need: artisans of all varieties, apothecaries and healers in the Shimmer Quarter, the most in fashion undersea clothing shops, food stalls, and all between can be found in Bluetide. There are also the Tideshore and Fogbottom docks on either end of the city. The former allows transport to the surface via large, magical bubbles for those that cannot hold their breath or make the swim themselves yet. The latter allows people to venture further into the sea. Those without their underwater abilities are offered rebreathers for travel that last for four hours before needing to be replaced.

In your hand is a gemstone, a shining sapphire that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

---

Visitors in all starter cities are offered a standard home with basic necessities provided (your choice in design, etc.) that can house 1-4 people if they so choose. Home upgrades can be purchased via rewards.

FANNING THE FLAMES

The renewed seething of the lava flows brought on by the tempestuous events deep below the sea seem to have been dealt with, though city guards have been stationed around the crater and are barring anyone from approaching to investigate any further than the outskirts. Interestingly, not only does the crater seem calm, it appears to be changing. Any remaining lava flow is being directed as if by unseen hands, and when the light catches just right, the barest hint of a shimmer can be detected surrounding the glowing rivers. New rock formations take shape as the days pass, though one never can catch the presence of a mason working on the structures. It's as if something intangible or invisible is repairing what was broken, turning what was previously chaos and ruin into order and life.

SEASON OF LIGHT

The world remains unsettled, still bearing the scars of the trials endured just a month prior, not to mention the oddities happening with the volcanic crater and the ominous shadows creeping in from the sea continue to haunt the collective psyche, leaving both locals and visitors on constant edge, fearful of a sudden, unprovoked assault. Despite these lingering anxieties, the leaders have publicly reassured all that calm has been restored. They claim that the worst is behind them and that every measure is being taken to prevent such devastating magics from ever threatening Salt Spire again. The protective bubble holds, new Undine are being ushered into their roles, and the world, it is said, is slowly healing. Or so they claim.

Whether or not the assurances of the leaders ring entirely true, life, as it often does, presses on. The people of Caldera have once again immersed themselves in the comforting bustle of distraction, turning their attention to the imminent Season of Lights celebrations. This holiday, it seems, bears a striking resemblance to the festive cheer of Christmas (and a mix of new years), with gifts exchanged in abundance and decorations of shimmering silver and radiant blue casting their glow across the sky, sea, and land in harmonious splendor.

One of the seasons's highlights is the grand Feast of the Sky, a night when the people gather beneath a star-filled canopy to exchange gifts—ornate trinkets, hand-crafted items, and tokens of affection that carry deep personal meaning. In the days leading up to the feast, a tradition of "Lightwalking" emerges, where families and friends embark on midnight strolls through streets aglow with lanterns, singing carols and sharing stories of hope and renewal. Sea-going vessels, too, partake in the festivities, their sails and riggings festooned with glowing orbs that drift like stars across the waters.

The Season of Lights is, above all, a celebration of resilience, a time when the people of Caldera set aside their worries, if only for a little while, to bask in the glow of community, generosity, and the promise of brighter days ahead thanks to the Visitor's arrival...

THE GRAND MASQUERADE

Another highlight of the season is the Grand Masquerade that unfolds high above the world in Heaven’s Bow, the floating city where the wind dances in the sky and the stars seem close enough to touch. The event is more than just a celebration of the Season of Lights—it’s a gathering of hope, a last-ditch effort to save Caldera from its slow unraveling. Here, among the clouds and the wind, the people of Caldera and the mysterious Visitors from other worlds come together in a shimmering, ethereal celebration, their faces hidden behind elaborate masks and appropriately fancy dress provided when one steps through the threshold of the castle gates.

The palace at the heart of Heaven’s Bow is a breathtaking sight, its walls adorned with silver and blue decorations that catch the light from thousands of lanterns floating in mid-air. The atmosphere is both jubilant and tense, a world on the brink of collapse holding its breath in the hopes that this fleeting night will offer a glimmer of salvation. The sky above is painted with the colors of dusk and dawn, swirling in a palette of purples, blues, and silvers.

Sylphs—the free-spirited, airborn people of the Sky—flutter about, their wings glinting in the light, performing acrobatic feats in the air, their laughter and music mingling with the sounds of the celebration. Guests, their masks intricate and stunning, move among the crowd, exchanging pleasantries and stories, some joining in the dances while others linger near the grand tables, laden with food and drink from every corner of Caldera and beyond.

As the night unfolds, the guests find themselves drawn into different corners of the event—each space offering the Visitors a chance to prove themselves worthy of the leaders’ favor. There is no shortage of opportunities to learn, grow, and, perhaps, change the course of this dying world.

THE SKY'S ASCENSION

At one end of the palace's terrace, a floating platform hovers above the clouds, surrounded by shifting air currents. Sylphs glide effortlessly through the space, their wings leaving trails of light as they move to the lively music, which seems written by the wind itself.

Aella, Admiral of the Slyph, stands at the center of the platform, her cloak of shimmering feathers rippling in the breeze. She surveys the crowd, inviting those brave enough to take part in her challenge. Before them, a maze of floating platforms stretches out, some wide and stable, others narrow and swaying in the wind. The task is simple: leap from one platform to the next, navigating the shifting air and ever-changing obstacles.

The platforms move unpredictably, some rising higher, others sinking, and a few disappearing entirely. Guests must time their jumps perfectly, balancing agility with timing as they avoid falling into the clouds below.

Those who succeed will earn Aella’s favor (in the form of 100 Bones and a single white feather). And those who falter will simply reappear the start of the challenge to begin anew or give up with no repercussions for the latter save perhaps a bit of embarrassment.

THE SEA'S SECRETS

On the other side of the terrace, a serene water garden unfolds, its shimmering pools reflecting the stars above. Water flows in delicate, endless cascades, filling the air with a soft, soothing melody that mingles with the distant sound of waves. The Undines, graceful and serene beings of the Sea, glide effortlessly through the space, their robes flowing like gentle currents, their movements as fluid as the water itself.

Cordelia, Queen of the Sea, stands quietly on a raised platform at the edge of the garden, her presence calm and powerful. Her eyes, deep and unfathomable, seem to reflect the vastness of the ocean, and though she watches the guests, she does not engage with them. Her stillness holds an air of mystery, as if she is both present and yet unreachable.

The Undines move silently through the garden, offering peaceful company to those who wander nearby. The garden is a place of contemplation, where guests can simply pause and connect with the tranquil beauty of the water—its soothing flow, its quiet depths, and its promise of renewal. There are no tests or challenges here, only the peace of the Sea to calm the mind and soul.

Those who linger may feel the weight of ancient knowledge in the air, a silent understanding of the oceans' mysteries and the healing power of water. In this place, the answers are not spoken, but felt—a quiet reminder that some of the world’s deepest truths are best discovered in moments of stillness.

As the evening fades, those who have found solace in the garden’s stillness will discover, tucked gently in their palm, a lustrous pearl. Unlike any found on the shores, this pearl is soft and warm, its surface shimmering with an inner light. It is a symbol of the wisdom that comes from quiet reflection—the knowledge that some things, like the depth of the sea, cannot be rushed.

THE LAND'S EMBRACE

In the heart of the palace gardens, beneath a canopy of flowering trees, the Dryads drift gracefully among the guests, their earthy skin glowing with life and their eyes bright with the vitality of nature. The air is thick with the scent of blooming roses and jasmine, while the ground beneath the guests' feet pulses with a quiet energy, inviting them to pause and feel the garden’s magic.

Terra, the Lady of the Land, stands at the center, her form adorned in living vines and blossoms, moving as if the garden itself flows through her. Her presence is both nurturing and fierce, a silent invitation to those seeking connection—to the land, to love, and to one another.

Guests are drawn to the tranquil beauty of the garden, stealing soft moments with their partners among the flowers. Lovers exchange quiet glances, touch petals with gentle fingers, and share unspoken promises beneath the soft glow of lanterns. The garden hums with romance, as if the earth itself is blessing these tender moments, offering the quiet assurance that love—like the land—can grow in the most unexpected places.

As the night draws to a close, Terra’s gentle power is felt in the air, and for those who have taken the time to connect with the garden’s beauty, a soft gift of nature is bestowed. A flower—unique and radiant—appears in their hand, a token of love and growth, a reminder that even the briefest moments can take root and blossom into something everlasting.

QUESTBOARD [NEW QUESTS ADDED]

Settled in? Good. It's time to make your way to the Questboard located in every city in numerous, easy to access locations. That is, if you want to make any kind of impact on the world or just get some Bones for anything you might wish to purchase. Visitors are given a very small stipend in which to survive every month, but all it does is keep you fed and housed. These quests will assure you greater wealth, and they're the main reason you're here: each finished quest helps the Calderans fix their shattering world.

Quests can be accepted at the questboard via magically signed parchment upon the board. Just sign your name to accept and the paper will be whisked away... somewhere. You're not actually sure. Probably nothing to concern yourself with.

Once quests are completed, earned Bones will be dropped off at the character's residence by Bonita, the mysterious artisan who has supposedly handcrafted every Bone circulating in Caldera. Please do not speak to her, she startles easily.

OOC NOTES

Welcome to Caldera's fourth TDM! All characters awaken in a strange tavern with nothing save the clothes on their backs, all of their powers stripped, and a piece of parchment directing them downstairs to the Tavernkeeper. There is a thread of all questions answered by the Tavernkeeper here, and if you have more, feel free to ask there for what would be offered ICly.

For OOC questions, please direct themhere.

All locations are available to be explored!

The TDM is game canon and all completed quests can be carried over once accepted into the game.

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lucanis dellamorte | dragon age: the veilguard (spoilers) | undine

[inspiteof]

arrival—

To say Lucanis was distressed would be an understatement. Not only was he burdened with the knowledge that Rook may not return from the Fade or wherever she had ended up, but now he had been thrust into some strange new realm himself with only an ominous note and the distinct hissing of a particularly pissed off demon piloting his body as he slept.

Sleep. He shouldn't have been doing that to begin with. Spite had him halfway down the stairs, parchment ripped apart in his hands before Lucanis came to and halted just as he reached the tavern proper. At least years of practice as a Crow assured he knew how to pretend he wasn't screaming on the inside (although someone still was), and Lucanis was doing his best to ignore him as he took in his surroundings.

"At least my pants are still on." He muttered to himself, only barely able to take another step before a brightly colored drink was placed into his hand by a barmaid that vanished into the crowd. Anyone nearby would hear him sniff the drink and groan. "...I need coffee more than I need whatever this is." Poison of some sort, surely, the sweetness had to be masking something. "I would not drink that." As a warning to a patron beside him.

masquerade—

Outfit ref: suit. mask.
His appropriately themed outfit donned upon arrival, Lucanis casually moved through the crowds, a glass of champagne in his hand he only occasionally sipped at for show while he listened in on nearby conversations. He was new to this world, knew next to nothing about the goings on, but people always talked, and he couldn't help but overhear mention of shadowy tendrils in the sea and the... sky falling a few months ago?

"Mierda..." He cursed. "It would be my luck it falls again today."

the sky's ascension—

Jumping across a handful of floating platforms for free Bones? If that was the coin they were peddling around here, this was an easy cash in for him. Lucanis stood at the start of the course, staring intently at the figure of the 'Admiral' in the center. Something about her didn't sit right — but then again, ethereal, god-adjacent beings were just par of the course at this point. So what the hell was one more?

Well. Whatever. Lucanis readied himself and took that first leap with ease, clearing the jump and heading onto the next just before the platform dropped, leaving him balancing on a sliver of earth floating in the sky. "My best advice is to not look down, for the record." He said to anyone else trying the course.

quests—

i. or does it...? (for spellblade)
Again, Lucanis knew what he was good at. Not that sneaking into museums on heists was precisely his forte, but it fell within his skillset easily enough. Get in, get what they needed, get out. Like an assassination with less killing involved... hopefully?

Of course he came armed, having grabbed a pair of daggers from one of the local merchants with the stipend he had been given upon arrival. And he probably wouldn't have had to use them at all if one of the newly hired guards hadn't stepped into the room where the artifacts had been placed. He ducked behind one of the displays, ready to pounce behind the guard as they entered, hand over their mouth and a dagger settled against their throat. "We do not need to make this encounter bloody."

ii. oops! all dragons!
"A dragon?!" Lucanis sputtered as him and his quest companion exited the cavern. "A talking dragon. Of course." A talking, dying dragon. Depressing and potentially dangerous. Fantastic. "It's always dragons..."

He wasn't saying no. But, man... "It seemed calm enough, I suppose. Hopefully her hatchlings are equally as peaceful when they hatch..."

iii. bone?!
Lucanis and whoever had ended up joining him for this attempt to unravel the mysteries of the counterfeit Bones, had apparently made it all the way to the graveyard bit when the assassin finally spoke up.

"How well versed are you in conversing with spirits?"

Emmrich would be losing his shit right now if he were here.

wildcard—

as always, im down for anything! hit me up on discord @ elfwife. any quests besides the nsfw ones are on the table.

I'm following spellblade's world state for Lucanis.

[spellblade]

It was curiosity more than anything that had Rook agreeing to keep an eye on the ancient artifacts put on display, and most definitely not any sort of allegiance to a historian apparently set on a preserving a history that wasn't his. Call it a Veil Jumper's instinct or a Dalish elf's paranoia, but she couldn't help but wonder if there was more to it than a clash of cultures disagreeing over whether something belonged on a shelf or in a grave.

The point being: not in this world or any other would she be dying over some cracked pottery and carved bones. Instinct kicked in before sense, and she grabbed the wrist holding the knife with the intentions to send a handful of lightning into the offending arm, before she remembered, oh! Yeah! She couldn't do that, currently. Because somehow, she was cut off from the Fade but not Tranquil. On the heels of that realization followed a surge of both relief and delight at the familiar voice in her ear. She tried to say Lucanis?? but it came out a muffled collection of syllables, as she attempted to lean her body and head back from the knife and peel his hand off of her mouth.

[inspiteof]

"WAIT. SHE SMELLS FAMILIAR. SMELLS LIKE... ROOK."

Leave it to Spite to clock her by scent before anything else. Lucanis froze, a myriad of emotions surging through him all at once: disbelief, because he hadn't seen Rook for nearly a month — didn't even know if he would see her again at all — and she was here, suddenly, on the opposite end of this quest posing as a guard? Then there was delight; his heart thumping wildly in his chest. If it was her, if she was here, that meant she had survived, somehow. Perhaps the magics that pulled him here were far stronger than he could ever understand.

"Rook?" He asked, hand pulling back from her throat and her mouth so she could speak. He was cautious still, on the off chance this was some sort of trick, but Spite calling her out made him more inclined to believe it. "You're here...?"

[spellblade]

Her un-nicked neck thanks you kindly for the timely intervention, Spite. You're a real one. Lucanis should be thankful for his unbitten fingers, too, since they'd been a few fractions of a second away from a slightly feral elf giving in to the impulsive thoughts and chomping down on the leather gloved digits pressed to her lips. With a pleh! she swiped the back of her hand across her mouth, her attempts to talk around the obstruction having left a smear of spit, and turned on her heel to face him and confirm what she already knew. Thank the g--the M--thank someone!

"Lucanis." She breathed a sigh of relief, then grinned and scoffed a laugh. "Well this is awkward. I think you might've been paid to steal what someone's paying me to keep secure."

[inspiteof]

Lucanis stared at her dumbly for a moment, not quite registering what she was saying until seconds later. All he could think about was the not knowing, the ache in his chest every time he imagined whatever horrors she was facing in the Fade alone or, even worse, not alone at all with some demons or spirits or Maker knows what terrorizing her.

"What?" He replied without really thinking. She was talking about the quest? Not — why did she not seem as surprised as he was to see her? Confirmation from Spite suggested that, yes, this was really Rook. But...

"I — I did not think I'd ever see you again." And how was she so calm about it??

arrival

[temultuous]

Imogen wasn't drinking; the headache brewing was bad enough without adding potential alcohol to it. She was mostly just clutching the mug to warm her hands while she tried to shut out all of the incessant chatter--not from anyone speaking, though there was plenty of that, but from all the thoughts pushing at her at once. It took her a second to realize someone next to her said something out loud; Imogen blinked and tried to focus on him. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that..." She trailed off, unconsciously leaning away from him and squinting, because it didn't take more than few seconds of narrowing her focus to one person to realize something weird was going on. Thing was, she wasn't actively trying to peek into anybody's mind--she straight up couldn't keep them out at the moment--and there was something real weird up in his.

[inspiteof]

"The drinks being offered. I wouldn't partake." He repeated, turning to face her properly. "Are you all right?"

"SHE CAN HEAR US."

That might just answer that question. "Oh."

[temultuous]

Oh, shit. Well. Shit. "Yeah," Imogen confirmed uneasily. "Sorry about that. It's not something I can help." On the one hand, focusing on one person's mind made it easier to block out the rest. On the other, it was real weird. It wasn't a mind. It was two. "...You got, uh. You got a situation goin' on up there, huh."

[inspiteof]

He's so sorry Spite is the one she has currently locked onto.

Lucanis sighed the sigh of a man far too tired to have this conversation. Alas, no point in hiding it from someone who could clearly hear the feral demon in his head.

"He and I were joined against our wills some time ago." He explained. "He does not usually have someone else to talk to, not until recently." Emmrich come back and save them all. "I can go, if it bothers you."

"NO. WANT TO STAY."

iii. bone?!

[holdshisown]

Maedhros gives the man an inscrutable look before awnering, voice slightly guarded as he does so for he's not exactly sure why he's asking that question.

"I grew up in Valinor. While I was not particularly close to any of them I have conversed with both the Maiar and the Valar before so I am not entirely unfamiliar with speaking to spiritual entities." And that's not even touching upon his captivity in Angband. "Why do you ask?"

[inspiteof]

"That." He replied, pointing a finger toward an apparition of a young man flitting between the gravestones. Given the man's response to an innocuous question asked amidst a strange hunt in a graveyard, Lucanis decided not to relay any information on the spirit that Spite had picked up — which consisted of "BURNING FLESH. ASH AND SMOKE. DIED ALONE." Which was... great.

[holdshisown]

Well, for the most part he tries to avoid speaking to spirits. It's always either incredibly frustrating or it has a habit of turning dangerous, if the spirit in question is an unhoused spirit of a previously living person or of a more malevolent sort. So he hadn't exactly counted on having to talk to any spirit here.

"I'll admit I have less experience with speaking to unhoused spirits such as that," he says when the other points the apparition out to him. "In my experience it's usualy wiser to steer clear of them since they tend to turn... strange and often times violent after death."

[inspiteof]

"Unhoused spirits?" He asked, although he could assume what he might have meant. "So you have spoken to those within someone's body before, or...?"

He looked back to the young ghost. Frowned. "This one seems... distressed. And if you look, some of the dirt near the path he's wandering is disturbed."

arrival

[theydrewfirstblood]

"Never do."

The man at the next table is...far too still. He doesn't even look over as he speaks, and there's a drink near his own elbow that was placed there, at some point, and remains untouched. As it is, John can't drink or eat in public, and after his arrival when whatever he drank made him horny as hell...

Yeah. He's not doing that again.

The mention of coffee, however, makes him finally turn to regard the other man--no one he recognizes, but he's also slowly become aware that he's been gone...a week at least. Maybe two.

"There's good coffee here. Know that much...thank God for small favors."

[inspiteof]

"Smart man." Lucanis said. John hadn't invited him to sit, but the continued conversation and mention of coffee had the assassin pulling up a chair — keeping his distance just in case, and primarily out of habit.

His brows raised in interest though. "When you say good, do you simply mean drinkable?" Snob.

[theydrewfirstblood]

John doesn't mind the company--between his time here and the horrors of his brief return home, it's a balm on his nerves. The guy has a harder look to him than most civilians, might be military or just been through some shit. He needs that right now: the comfort of the familiar, but not out to get him. Anything softer would be too much for him to bear right now...

The question makes him smile a little, thinking of a friend of Lucy's she's mentioned before: some British guy with an obsession for coffee. Fuck, what was his name?...

"I mean I served in the Army, I've been deployed, and I did three years hard time--and first sip I had, I wasn't even sure it was coffee 'cause it tasted so good and it didn't strip paint." he huffs with a barely there laugh and a nod. "Seriously, it's fucking amazing, and I've had Navajo coffee."

[inspiteof]

"Navajo? I am unfamiliar." Which would be a common theme in Caldera, given the oddities of it and the differences between it and Thedas. Then again, Thedas was weird as hell these days.

"I will have to trust your judgement until I can get a cup of my own. I will hold you to your word."

The Sky's Ascension

[voiceoftempest]

"You can do this Keyleth..." She whispers under her breath when her attention is drawn to the man by his advice.

"That's... very good advice." She replies, not looking down as the wind whips through her hair.

She hops from one island to the next, luckily it doesn't drop and she breathes a sigh of relief.

If only she had her magic.

[inspiteof]

"Well done!" He called from a few hops ahead. "You will need to be swift here. The platforms are tricky and like to fall just as you touch them."

[voiceoftempest]

"Thanks!"

Keyleth grins, clenching her fists to psych herself up; her expression determined as she jumps to another island. She touches down and it falls away, Keyleth managing to push off and tumble onto the next one.

"I see what you mean." she breathes through another sigh of relief.

[inspiteof]

Lucanis applauded while balancing on a thin piece of suspended earth, hopping to the next platform as it rotated.

"Don't quit now!"

oops! all dragons!

[altanhawke]

Altan is nothing short of ecstatic by the turn of events. He’s all but bouncing, beaming with the full force of his personality at Lucanis. “A dragon! A talking dragon! One that’s not even secretly a witch! I mean she might be? Damn it all, man, not that I’m complaining -.” He looks sidelong and sly. “Raising a dragon seems like a lot of effort. Well, enigmatic Crow-man,” knowing, at least, the stories of the Crows even if he in his original life has yet to meet any, “any experience with younger siblings?”

[inspiteof]

"Of sorts." Illario certainly counted and was as annoying as one. "I suppose a dragon might be easier to rear. That said, we should perhaps consider finding someone more suited to the task."

[altanhawke]

Altan bites the tip of his tongue in a demonstrative sulk. “Well, certainly someone with experience with horrible,” he glances over his shoulder to make sure that the dragon hasn’t reacted to his flippant wording as they leave, “giant lizard probably wouldn’t do worse than I could, but - I’ve got the time on my hands, I could give it a shot. Unless there’s professional dragon-rearers around here? There’s so much else, there might as well be.”

[inspiteof]

"If you believe you can care for it, by all means." Lucanis said, clearly skeptical of the man's ability. "I have had too many dragons to handle in the past months."

He was definitely going to look for a professional though, or something close to it. "Best we venture to Dusklight and hope we can be pointed in the right direction."