Open Log for June

[barbarus]

Who: Damen and Open
What: Damen does various things with various people around Hadriel in June.
Where: Various places around the city
When: Any day between 6 - 14 June
Warnings: Probably violence, fighting monsters. Also please note my warning for potentially triggering material which may arise when threading with Damen - it's unlikely to come up, but just in case!

A: Training Regime

[ Damen has been imprisoned before. His attitude to that had been the same as it is to this place; to endure, knowing that if escape is not possible now, it will be later, and to survive until that point. Logically speaking, that's a wonderful idea.

In practice, it's harder. The influence of the gods makes it harder, because that kind of magic is something he's never had to endure. He wouldn't even have believed it possible. The influence of Rage had turned people against each other, and had forced Damen to face in battle a creature with powers that should have left him dead. Weeks later, he still doesn't know why it didn't. Then the dreams had come, and teased him with offerings of a world that might have been, and a future that may still be, if he can't prevent it.

These are thoughts he doesn't want to have. Thoughts that he blanks out every morning, when he rises early, and goes to the park, to the spot between the trees where he likes to train. He strips down only to his chiton, and puts his body through drill after drill intended to hone, keep him sharp, and keep his muscles ready. It's discipline as much as anything else. When he's done with the sword, he'll work with his spear, and then his shield, and combinations of the three. Ordinarily, he trains alone; but sparring partners will be welcome, particularly those with skill - or if you want to train along with him, he'll welcome that too. ]

B: Cave Exploration

[ Since Maketh and Hotspur drew up their rota, Damen has taken his turn to patrol the city. He considers this the most useful thing he ever does - one of the only ways to be useful here. When he finishes his shift today, though, another awaits. He doesn't go into the caves every day. They are frankly too dangerous for that. But the monsters there are strong, and allowing their numbers to grow is against his sensibilities. There are days when he goes out determined to thin that herd.

Or maybe it's just that there are days when he needs a real fight, when training won't quite sate the urge.

He goes there directly, his sword sheathed at his side. In his hand is a torch - an electric one salvaged from one of the stores. Damen is, as a rule, not fond of modern technology, but he's fond enough of this. Perhaps you're here for the same reason as he is, or perhaps you have an innocent interest in the caves that he's about to spoil. Either way, when he sees you, he calls for your attention. ]

Did you bring something with which to fight? You'll need it, if we're going in there.

C: Delight's Bar

[ He's in an entirely different world, farther from home than he could have imagined, and yet Damen has still managed to find a place offering good Akielon wine. This is the closest taste to home he can imagine, and honestly, it's better than good. Damen has no love for any of the gods here, but at least Delight has her priorities straight. He looks relaxed, which is a strange enough occurrence for him in this place, but the bottle in his hand is halfway to empty, and his eyes are heavier for it.

It really is good wine.

This, of course, makes him friendlier than usual. Even if he doesn't know you, you might find him talking to you as you approach the bar. ]

You know, I searched every one of those empty restaurants for something this good, and the best bottle I found would have felled a giant with one sip. Delight knows what she's doing. What's your drink? Sit with me a while.

D: Spire Four

[ The problem with living in a Spire, Damen had found, was the unceasing need to go up all the stairs. He and Laurent had are on the third floor, and Damen honestly can't fathom how anyone would have the patience to clamber higher. About the only good thing he could say about that is that it offers good exercise.

So does climbing three flights with a day's scavenging in tow, though. For once, he's not dressed in Akielon clothing. No, for the sake of hygiene alone, he can't do that all the time. That means he's forced into wearing what he finds here - which, for the record, makes him feel ridiculous, since almost everything is too tight, and many of the pants are too short. It's rare that he finds anything that fits perfectly, and today's ensemble includes a shirt that's missing its sleeves (because he tore them off), and is open at the collar (because the top three buttons won't close). His pants are made of stiff blue cotton, but rolled up above his sandals because they wouldn't reach his ankles if he begged it of them.

In short, he looks like a fool.

His haul includes several cans of indeterminate quality, some rolls of sweet-smelling bread, and something that genuinely looks like sweetmeats. He'd grabbed those as soon as he saw them. Now he's hauling them, along with another bag filled with weapons from the armoury, up three flights of stairs. He doesn't totally take in the person he comes across there, too absorbed in making sure nothing falls back down. ]

Do you live on this floor? If you could help me I'd be grateful. I've clearly brought too much.

E: Create your own!

Prompt Damen! I can be contacted on Plurk at halfbloodly for plotting if you would like.